Han – Page 2 – The Queens of Geekdom

British Book Challenge

We, The Queens of Geekdom are going to take part in the British Book Challenge #BritishBooksChallenge18 hosted by the awesome @ChelleyToy over at Tales of Yesterday.

http://www.talesofyesterday.co.uk/2016/12/tales-post-british-books-challenge-2017-sign-up/

We’ll be doing this in conjunction with the #QOGAZ A-Z challenge so some titles will count towards both challenges, double the fun!

@gemlovesbooks books;

The books I’m intending on reading for the challenge are a mix of ones which have already been published and some that I’m impatiently waiting for in 2018!

I’ll put a link to Waterstones for the books so people can click to see the full synopsis of my chosen books.

Almost Love by Louise O’Neil https://www.waterstones.com/book/almost-love/louise-oneill/9781784298869

State of Sorrow by Melinda Sailsbury https://www.waterstones.com/book/state-of-sorrow/melinda-salisbury/9781407180274

Release by Patrick Ness https://www.waterstones.com/book/release/patrick-ness/9781406331172

The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-song-rising/samantha-shannon/9781408877852

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen https://www.waterstones.com/book/orphan-monster-spy/matt-killeen/9781474942386

Book of Dust by Philip Pullman https://www.waterstones.com/book/la-belle-sauvage-the-book-of-dust-volume-one/philip-pullman/9780857561091

How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-do-you-like-me-now/holly-bourne/9781473667723

A Spoonful of Murder by Robin Stevens https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-spoonful-of-murder-a-murder-most-unladylike-mystery/robin-stevens/nina-tara/9780141373782

Rattle by Fiona Cummins https://www.waterstones.com/book/rattle/fiona-cummins/9781509812271

How To Stop Time by Matt Haig https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-stop-time/matt-haig/chris-riddell/9781786893161

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein https://www.waterstones.com/book/code-name-verity/elizabeth-wein/9781405278423

The Blood Road by Stuart Macbride https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-blood-road/stuart-macbride/9780008208219

@hscptcrash books:

I’ll be starting with the same list, except for one that I’ve already read.

Almost Love by Louise O’Neil https://www.waterstones.com/book/almost-love/louise-oneill/9781784298869

State of Sorrow by Melinda Sailsbury https://www.waterstones.com/book/state-of-sorrow/melinda-salisbury/9781407180274

The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-song-rising/samantha-shannon/9781408877852

Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen https://www.waterstones.com/book/orphan-monster-spy/matt-killeen/9781474942386

Book of Dust by Philip Pullman https://www.waterstones.com/book/la-belle-sauvage-the-book-of-dust-volume-one/philip-pullman/9780857561091

~~How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne~~ https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-do-you-like-me-now/holly-bourne/9781473667723

A Spoonful of Murder by Robin Stevens https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-spoonful-of-murder-a-murder-most-unladylike-mystery/robin-stevens/nina-tara/9780141373782

Rattle by Fiona Cummins https://www.waterstones.com/book/rattle/fiona-cummins/9781509812271

How To Stop Time by Matt Haig https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-stop-time/matt-haig/chris-riddell/9781786893161

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein https://www.waterstones.com/book/code-name-verity/elizabeth-wein/9781405278423

The Blood Road by Stuart Macbride https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-blood-road/stuart-macbride/9780008208219

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron #bookreview #hanreview @MacmillanKidsUK

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron #bookreview #hanreview @MacmillanKidsUK Release date: 22.03.18

From Goodreads: Sometimes, I imagine alternate endings to the story: last-minute miracles, touches of magic. I picture how things might have gone, if I wasn’t there. If I’d left just a few minutes later. If I hadn’t been alone. It doesn’t make any difference. One way or another, the crash always comes.

Ten days after Jaya Mackenzie’s mum dies, angels start falling from the sky. Smashing down to earth at extraordinary speeds, wings bent, faces contorted, not a single one has survived.

Hysteria mounting with every Being that drops, Jaya’s father uproots the family to Edinburgh intent on catching one alive. But Jaya can’t stand this obsession and, struggling to make sense of her mother’s sudden death and her own role on that fateful day, she’s determined to stay out of it.

When her best friend disappears and her father’s mania spirals, things hit rock bottom and it’s at that moment something extraordinary happens: An angel lands right at Jaya’s feet, and it’s alive. Finally she is forced to acknowledge just how significant these celestial beings are.

Set against the backdrop of the frenzied Edinburgh festival, OUT OF THE BLUE tackles questions of grief and guilt and fear over who we really are. But it’s also about love and acceptance and finding your place in this world as angels drop out of another.

Buy it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Semi-Definitive-List-Worst-Nightmares/dp/147140661X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513773899&sr=8-1&keywords=Krystal+Sutherland
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36222995-a-semi-definitive-list-of-worst-nightmares

My first thoughts

It’s ET meets I am Traitor in this wonderfully thrilling story. I couldn’t put it down.

The Characters

I love Jaya. She is headstrong, wonderfully moral and self assured. This is quite possibly the first LGBTQ+ main character who knows what and who she is and therefore doesn’t divert some of the plot with that exploration. Plus, it’s wonderful to just have a character who happens to be gay and her sexuality have no direct impact upon the plot.

The angel that falls is wonderful and while unable to vocalise her pain, confusion she is able to communicate. I’ll leave the name for you to discover, but it’s a delight and reflective of her innocent charm.

The Plot

The plot is perfectly woven out of a teen thriller nursing an injured angel back to health and a commentary upon religious belief and how we respond to the end of the world.

The sub plot looks at cults that can arise in such situations and the people who join them. It comments upon the challenges people face when drawn in without considering a way out.

It’s a well developed plot that has a balance between humour and tense drama. Something that will keep you up at night; if you start it, you won’t stop till its finished.

The Writing

It’s clear storytelling and third person narrative gives the story a film-like quality. It’s demonstrated best as the action heats up in the later section of the book. It’s a perfect read and I’d gladly welcome a sequel.

Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz @MacmillanKidsUK @MelissadelaCruz

Characters

For fictional characters based upon historical figures, these are all wonderfully crafted and instantly authentic to me. From their social behaviours to their relationships with other characters, it’s how I would expect people of that time to act.

Alex and Eliza are wonderful and I’m drawn to both of them. While there’s initial conflict between them, it’s never dismissed and often referred back to.

I find myself drawn more to Eliza than Alex. I engage with her a little more. However, seeing elements of the story from Alex’s point of view adds tension you would not perhaps get otherwise.

Plot

I don’t think I can gush enough about this book. I want to fall into its pages, Potter-style. I love that this book expands upon what is essentially one song within the award-winning play.

It doesn’t skirt around the hardship faced during the time, nor does it romanticise it. However, it adds to the characters, their motivations and the development of the plot.

I love how it ends and where the characters end up. However, It’s left me begging for more.

Writing

The writing is truly stunning. It incorporates the past without being too bogged down with heavy language; something, I’m not going to lie, i was worried thats what i was getting myself into.

I loved the two voices presented through an omniscient third person narrative. It gave the book a feeling that it was making a commentary of the letters that were written between the pair.

I cannot wait for the second book, which is due for release on 17th April 2018.

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed #bookreview #hanreview Atom Press

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed #bookreview #hanreview Atom Press
Release date: 10.10.17

From Goodreads: Three misfits come together to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school transforming the lives of everyone around them in this searing and timely story.

Who are the Nowhere Girls? They’re everygirl. But they start with just three:

Grace Salter is the new girl in town, whose family was run out of their former community after her southern Baptist preacher mom turned into a radical liberal after falling off a horse and bumping her head.
Rosina Suarez is the queer punk girl in a conservative Mexican immigrant family, who dreams of a life playing music instead of babysitting her gaggle of cousins and waitressing at her uncle’s restaurant.
Erin Delillo is obsessed with two things: marine biology and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but they aren’t enough to distract her from her suspicion that she may in fact be an android.
When Grace learns that Lucy Moynihan, the former occupant of her new home, was run out of town for having accused the popular guys at school of gang rape, she’s incensed that Lucy never had justice. For their own personal reasons, Rosina and Erin feel equally deeply about Lucy’s tragedy, so they form an anonymous group of girls at Prescott High to resist the sexist culture at their school, which includes boycotting sex of any kind with the male students.
Told in alternating perspectives, this groundbreaking novel is an indictment of rape culture and explores with bold honesty the deepest questions about teen girls and sexuality.

Buy it here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nowhere-Girls-Amy-Reed/dp/0349003076/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513777716&sr=8-1&keywords=the+nowhere+girls
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28096541-the-nowhere-girls?from_search=true

My first thoughts

Its not a book that people want to read, but it’s a book that everyone needs to read. While there are books that have tread this ground before, they have not brought together the complicity of rape culture in order to educate and inform a reader while delivering an immersive story.
This is a book that I will forever suggest alongside

The Characters

Erin, Grace and Rosina are the trio of girls that are developing their friendships under pressure. Grace feels more like our protagonist, she’s relatable in the fact that we arrive to the story when she does.

Each girl has her own story to tell, her own motivation to make the town listen to them in their mission to reveal the truth about Lucy’s rape. It hits home with each one individually and its different times.

Each of the trio have their time to shine, but it is Erin who I love most. Struggling against her autism diagnosis and her own past, Erin is an insight into the complexity of a condition close to my heart.

The Plot

Its not a comfortable read, but if you’re comfortable you’re missing the point. Much of the action takes place before the novel starts and deals with the fallout within the town.

It’s so shocking how the town responds to the accusation of rape. However, what is most shocking, is the fact that this will happen in many societies. Only a few years ago was a female monk thrown out of her community for being gang raped at the back of a bus while the driver looked on.

There’s an ending that should satisfy all and, most importantly, it will leave you with questions on how you perceive gender equality and rape culture.

The Writing

Amy Reed’s challenging and ground-breaking novel is such a well written jigsaw of a story. It’s engaging and heartbreaking, told with such heart. The story will haunt me for a long time and recalls the spirit of Moxie and the rawness of Asking For It.

The Semi Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland #bookreview #hanreview @HotKeyBooks

The Semi Definitive List of Worst Nightmares by Krystal Sutherland #bookreview #hanreview @HotKeyBooks
Release date: 5.9.17

From Goodreads: A funny, moving love story about facing fears hand in hand – one snake/spider/potentially unstable fourth-floor balcony at a time. From acclaimed author of OUR CHEMICAL HEARTS, Krystal Sutherland.

Esther Solar’s family is . . . unusual. Her father hasn’t left the basement in six years. Her brother is terrified of darkness.

Esther isn’t afraid of anything – because she avoids pretty much everything. Elevators are off limits, as are open spaces, crowds, family pets, birds, needles, haircuts, dolls and mirrors.

But when Esther is pickpocketed by her cocky old classmate Jonah Walker, Esther and Jonah become surprising friends. Jonah sets a challenge: every week they must work their way through the world’s fifty most common phobias. Skydiving, horse riding, beekeeping, public speaking, reptile houses – they plan to do it all.

Soon their weekly foray into fear becomes the only thing that keeps them tethered to reality, and to each other. But each is keeping a secret from the other, a secret that threatens to rip them apart.

My first thoughts

I loved this book. It struck such a chord with me it ways I never expected it to. I hated that I started it while I was still working, which meant it became my commuter read, instead of devouring read that it should have been.

The Characters

Esther Solar is a unique and beautiful character who belongs in the wonderful world of Tim Burton. She is charming and delight to have on this journey. As a reader, I feel her pain and her triumphs.

Jonah is a mysterious addition to the narrative. He brings Esther out of her shell and helps her to come to terms with her life. He has his own personal challenge to face too. While it appears to be journeyed without the reader, the bulk of it is felt regardless.

The Plot

Its story is simple in terms of its outset, but is complex in its completion. Esther must complete each one of her fears in order to get her notebook back off Jonah. Having 50 items to be checked off could have become a little tiresome had Krystal chosen to depict every single conquest. Happily, we skip through them in order to progress to the deeper meaning of fears.

By the time the reader gets to the final act, we’re giving some heart wrenching twists that will tear up even the driest of eyes.

The Writing

The book is written in a fresh quirky style that pulls you in from the first sentence and doesn’t let you go, long after you finish reading.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars: the Last Jedi 12a
Release date: 14.12.2017

Trailer:

The Good
The world building is as good as ever. The creatures, bar one, are masterful and awe inspiring. Adam Driver is as wonderful as before with his portrayal of Kylo. It’s interesting to see his development and conflict. In a mirroring, I enjoyed Rey’s struggling between the light and dark.
New character, Rose is a delight… if not a little far from what we’d expect to see within Star Wars. She appears a little bright and twee; someone who wouldn’t be out of place in Gilmore Girls.

The Bad
Hux! What did they do to my General? He was a panto villain of the highest order. From the initial holding call to his slapdown inside an At-At, Hux was the focus of the films more slapstick humour. And he wasn’t the only one who appeared to have a character change that irked me. Poe was not the same character I met in Force Awakens and there was nothing to explain away this change. He was too ‘hot headed’ and worst of all it had no impact upon the plot.

The Ugly
The plot, the reveals, the humour. I’m not going to lie, I *enjoyed* the film while there, part of an audience and constantly reminding myself by the credit roll, it would be worth it.
However, I enjoyed it as a film, not as a the part of a well established franchise. As a Star Wars film, it was appalling and an insult to fans. It pulled apart anything JJ put in place in the first installment and it will be hard to see it flow through to the third outing.
Two of my most hated scenes involved the Skywalker siblings; you’ll know what they are when you see them. They happen early enough within the film and are both completely out of character.
The whole film (jar) jars with the franchise. The tone is wrong, the treatment of the characters is far from what I would consider canonical and quite simply, I’m feeling a little at odds with the Force right now.

Han’s Blogmas- Day Fourteen (Favourite Childhood Christmas Memory)

My favourite memory is from when I was a teen and is actually of Christmas Eve.

My brother took me to see Small Soldiers. It was at the height of my love for Spinal Tap and couldn’t wait to identify the characters they voiced.

Other than it being a good film, I remember little else. I know we got KFC on our way home, but I couldn’t tell you what presents I got the next day. Just remember being happy.

Han’s Blogmas – Day Eleven (Christmas food,whats on the menu)

So, I’m not really able to be creative with my Christmas dinner so, assuming I find Domnhall Gleeson under the tree this year (or a beautiful ginger substitute)… I’d like to have our three course Christmas dinner prepared for next year.

Starter
Chicken Liver Pate; made at home, with love, the night before.

Main
Roast beef, roast parsnips, carrot and swede ribbons, shredded sprouts with bacon, roast potatoes and the biggest vat of caramalised onion gravy.

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Pudding
Christmas Tiramisu- Replacing the wine with amaretto and I’d throw in a bit of cinnamon and stewed apples too.

Han’s Blogmas- Day Ten (Show Us Your Cookies)

All three cookies use a gingerbread base of butter, sugar and golden syrup from this year’s Waitrose recipe:

Christmas Gingerbread Recipe

This recipe for gingerbread can be used to make a whole range of decorations, gifts and, of course, gingerbread people. Get the children to help roll and cut out the dough, and to decorate the biscuits.

Vegetarian

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter
100g dark muscovado sugar
4 tbsp golden syrup
325g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
Supercook Writing Icing (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas mark 3. Line baking trays with baking parchment. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat.
Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger into a bowl and stir the melted ingredients into the dry ingredients to make a stiff dough.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to a thickness of about 5mm. Dip biscuit cutters into flour before cutting the dough, or cut around templates, which you can find at waitrose.com/christmas. Place the shapes onto the lined baking trays and bake, in batches, for 9-10 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from the oven. While still warm, and using a skewer or chopstick, make any holes that you will need to hang up the biscuits with ribbon or to make a yuletide garland. If you are decorating your Christmas cake with gingerbread people, make the holes in their arms so that ribbon can be threaded through at a later stage.
When completely cool, decorate with the icing. The gingerbread biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Elf
Gingerbread

Santa
The ginger was substituted with Chocolate power, mild chilli powder and the zest & juice of two limes.

Reindeer
The ginger is substituted with chai latte powder and salted caramel syrup.

Han’s Blogmas- Day Nine (Winter Items You Can’t Live Without)

female legs in woolen socks close up

Essentially, everything above is my must haves for the winter. A good book, comfy socks and a good cuppa (If it could magically refill AND always be the perfect temperature, that would be amazing). I find having warm fairy lights good for getting me in the comfy mood too.

Han’s Blogmas – Day Eight (What is on your list this year?)

To catch up on my previous posts, click the links:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Day Seven

Today is all about my Christmas list. It’s going to be part in jest because I’ve never been one for writing a list.

5. A comfy reading chair. One that I can snuggle into and put my feet up to read once I’ve finished working for the day.

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4. Tickets to see Christopher Eccleston in RSC’s Macbeth. I had tickets for myself and my ex to see Eccleston on stage last year, however for many reasons we didn’t go. I remember at the time saying that I was happy missing MY Doctor, because he was worth it.
I’ll never make that mistake again.

3. Tickets, and company, to see the beautiful and amazing Sam Troughton in the transferring play Beginning. I have loved this actor since I first saw him in Hex oh so many years ago.

2. A Bullet Journal, all set up with the basics and ready to go. I’m so rubbish at getting one set up and often so fearful of making mistakes that I never get past drawing up the first month.
I’d love be given a notebook with the basic layout done, with a starter kit that will help me add to the basics.

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1. A relationship.
This one is not something people can wrap up for me, but I’m ready for a relationship. It’s not that I need a boyfriend. Hell, after the trouble the last one cause, you’d understand why I’d say that I’d actually be happy being single for the rest of my life.

Often, when I bring up wanting a boyfriend I’m told to ‘stop being desperate’ and ‘stop looking’ as if I’m some pathetic loser. I’m often told to get used to being on my own after breakups while I watch other people dragged out to speed dating and the likes.

Well, I’m not desperate, I haven’t been looking… and it’s okay for me to say, at this time of the year, I would very much like to have a bloke in my life. If he was ginger, that would a bonus.

Blogmas- Day Four (Favourite Music)

1. Christmastime (Don’t let the Bells End)- The Darkness

It’s such a fun song. It’s taken a few years, but (much like another song of theirs) the Yuletide tongue-in-cheek song has grown on me.

2. Little Drummer Boy – Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Anyone who knows me, knows my love of Bowie. That voice is a dream and this song is perfect for a mellow evening.

3. Santa Baby- various

I never fussed who is singing it because it’s the link to Ally McBeal that makes it one of my favourite songs.