Category Archives: Lauren’s Random Posts
Anything other than reviews will be posted in here. From time to time I pay post anything from Alex Meraz to Fashion to Photography!
Annabelle’s Story by Leigh Michael! Free 30th & 31st July. DO NOT MISS IT!
**Free Book! One Day Only** Star Bright by Christina OW.
“Someone won’t be winning parent of the year anytime soon either.” The edge of his lips rose in half a smile. He looked at her and then at his sleeping daughter, he loved seeing them like that, they looked perfect.
Maria stared at him, a smile automatically dominating her face. “Your parenting skills are contagious.”
Maria’s fear and hate for men is solidified by Ricky’s abuse and his obsession to kill her. In an effort to save her son, she runs away and crosses paths with Dave, a man going through his own tribulations with his wife. He is determined to protect her, and to show her that not all men are evil and that true love does exists. And he in turn, finds a woman worthy to be a mother to his daughter, and his wife.
But their dream of having a loving family is short lived when a ghost from Maria’s past comes back to take it all away from her in the most brutal and torturous way.
But Maria isn’t alone anymore and most importantly, her father finally shows up to do what he was supposed to five years ago. Protect his daughter.
You can collect for free book on amazon for Kindle HERE today July 12th, US only I’m afraid.
You can also read more about Christina OW on All You Can Read Club
Lauren x
Physical Books vs E-Books
Just a quick post!
I converted to Kindle a while ago, not because I wanted to but because its easier for reviewing for the blog. I also have an iPhone and iPad so I kind of just got into the routine of reading on a device. I never found myself missing a real book as I got so used to ebooks. It’s just a lot easier than sitting in front of the mac reading on a screen as most of our review requests come in via email so it makes sense!
Anyways, on Saturday I bought a real book and oh my gosh its sooooo weird. I don’t dislike it yet I don’t like it! I have found out that I read faster on an e-reader, It’s a lot easier to make bookmarks or notes and its a lot easier to read in bed! I have been struggling to read this real book in bed and I can’t get comfortable, my bookmark keeps falling out and it makes my handbag rather heavy! The only down side is I can’t read in the bath as I am terrified I will drop my device in it like I always do with books!
So there it is – I am officially a fully converted e-book reader!!
Which do you prefer?
The Hunger Games Movie Review by Lauren
So if you follow us on Twitter you will have noticed I tweeted a lot the last few days about The Hunger Games. I was way too excited to see it mainly because I read the books a while ago and they are my favorite books ever! So this isn’t going to be a review as in the good, the bad and the ugly because there are no bad bits and lets face it there is no point in me writing an introduction to THG as I think if you don’t know what THG is then shame on you!
I vowed not to watch any trailers, clips etc because I sometimes feel they ruin the movie and because I know what happens anyways I wanted the movie to be a surprise. So I didn’t watch anything!! I went to the cinema to see Bel Ami with a friend and they played the trailer on all the screens and I panicked. I hid behind my magazine and closed my ears. I have to admit I did peak with one eye but I didn’t really see anything!
So I went to the previews last night with 2 friends. I was too excited – I ate my sweets before it even started!
I think I sat with an open mouth throughout. From the start everything was as how I imagined and I mean everything. The scenery, the town, the clothes, the people, the whole thing. The one thing I did worry about is how the arena was going to be shown. As the book is quite descriptive, yet I can imagine everyone seeing something different in their heads, so I was a bit like hmmmm I want to see what they’ve done with it. They did the arena brilliantly, just how I imagined plus more.
The story kept the suspense, pity, humor, sadness and heartbreak true to the book. I read the series in 3 days and I never stopped crying so I knew I would be crying at the movie. Then a friend told me she cried 3 times at the premier screening and she never cries I was like OMG I am going to be distraught and yup I pretty much was distraught! I don’t really want to say anything specific incase you haven’t read the books because the one thing we hate is spoilers!
I do think the casting for this was perfect. I am Team Peeta and I was a tiny bit disappointed with Josh being cast to begin with, but I think whomever they cast I would have been disappointed because in my head Peeta was perfect. So over all I was very impressed with the cast. Cato surprised me too, I was hoping he would be the way he was portrayed at the very end!
So that is all I am going to say incase some of you are going to see it and haven’t read the book. However I have to say GO SEE IT YOU WON’T REGRET IT. Yes I am shouting at the whole world!
How many days until Catching Fire?
The Buried Covenant Review & Giveaway by Shawn P Keenan – By L
Shawn Keenan kindly put his book up for review with us! Here is a a snip-it
”Being hardheaded is a common character flaw, but most teenagers can’t crack a concrete curb with their skull. And while a skilled skateboarder appears to defy gravity, he can’t keep water from pouring out of an upturned cup. Unintentionally tapping into latent powers has brought Jayke Wolff to the attention of the Aduro, an ancient society plotting an apocalyptic new world order. He’s now their number one draft pick, and they’ve dispatched their most seductive member to close the deal. It shouldn’t take much convincing a hormonal teenage boy to turn his back on a cryptic covenant for a future of self-indulgence and unchecked power. But if Jayke can’t be tempted by pleasures of the flesh, the flesh can be influenced in less pleasant ways as well. Armageddon can’t wait forever. Killing Jayke will also work. Not remembering your past and not believing in your future can make it hard to choose who you’re going to be. Jayke has to decide how much of his teenage life he’s willing to sacrifice for a greater good. After all, you’re only young once.”
I was drawn to read this book because it sounded slightly different to what I have previously read. It took a while to get going – about 40% of the way through was when the questions began to ring in my head. However something was still grabbing me and making me read on. I loved how Keenan managed to bring a sort of ancient-ness ( is that even a word?) to an up-to-date story. I really liked how Jayke had no idea who he was, he had an incline but no diea then bam his whole life changed!
I thought the characters were well thought through, everyone had a part to play – there was not one person in this book that could have been missed. I kind of got a Charmed feel for this book – remember that show? I love it!!! I couldn’t pin point another book to say if you liked this….. then you would would love this because I don’t think I’ve read anything like this before. However I would put it in the same genre of MR Merrick Protector Series.
My favorite part of this book was the moral of the story – the same moral I live my life by “My life was mine to mess up, mine to get right, but unquestionably mine to experience. Freewill. For better or for worse. I was wired to make my own decision in life. And I’d make the right one tonight” I just love that quote – seems to be serving my life quite well!
So do you fancy winning a copy? Shawn has kindly given us 5 copies to giveaway! All you need to do is follow both @SLFictionLovers and @ShawnPKeenan and tweet:
“ @SLFictionLovers I want to win a copy of The Buried Covenant by @ShawnPKeenan “
Giveaway closes on Wednesday at 8pm GMT and the 5 winners will be announced at 10pm.
Gossip Girl is revealed in the 100th Episode!!! Yes it’s really her! **Spoilers** by L
SO PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LATEST EPISODE OF GOSSIP GIRLS.
IF YOU HAVE SEEN EPISODE 13 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN!
So I was really sick last week and spent all week catching up on my favourite shows 12 hours a day. I got to watch the latest episode of Gossip Girl. It was Blair’s wedding to Louie and I knew it was going to be an awesome episode! I wasn’t disappointed! The wedding was fantastic and went out with the traditional GG bang! I’m still a ‘Chair’ fan! Blair and Chuck always and forever!
However at the end Gossip Girl was revealed. I didn’t expect this and I certaintly didn’t expect it to be Georgina!!!
So I put my Upper East Side head on and thought, right if they were going to reveal the real Gossip Girl they would have come up with something better than closing the episode showing Georgina uploading a post to the site. I was thinking they would do more of a ‘Nate finds out who she is, enlisted the gang to trap her and show the world who she is in total Gossip Girl style’, so I began to think maybe this is a cover? But nope it is not. According to all the interview’s I’ve read today, the producers and writers have said that Georgina IS the real Gossip Girl! However Kristen Bell will always be the voice!
What do you guys think? I am bit in shock over it!
Oh BTW I am even more in love with Chuck Bass than ever!!!!!!!
The Lying Game – TV Show Review. Written by L
The TV Show – The Lying Game came from the book series by Sara Shepard. The story is about long lost twins Sutton and Emma who were separated at babies. Sutton was adopted by the Mercer family who reside in Phoenix where as Emma grew up in Vegas in foster care. The twins live very different lives until they are reunited and switch places while Sutton goes off as Emma to find their birth mother. This series is full of mystery, secrets and lies!
Sutton accuses Emma of stealing her life as she goes on an investigation trail to find out about their past as Sutton finds her self in many awkward positions. In the mean time Emma is pretending to be Sutton and keeping her life going whilst finding out some secrets of her own and stealing Sutton’s boyfriend Ethan ( Who i may add is undeniably gorgeous!) .
That is all I am going to say because the show hasn’t aired in the UK yet so a lot of our readers haven’t seen it yet and I don’t want to go and ruin it for you all! All I can say is this show is fantastic! So along with my other favorite American shows, The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars I am now obsessed with The Lying Game! Next I am going to investigate Switched at Birth as Lisa from Bound By Books has told me Blair Redford who plays Ethan is in it and I have to admit I am a teeny bit in love with this man!
Find out more about the show here
And….. here is the trailer!
Oh and whilst doing my research I found out a few facts! Alexandra Chando who plays the twins actually screen tested with Robert Pattinson to play to role of Ally in Remember Me! She also audition for Elena Gilbert in The Vampire Diaries – Is it just me or does Alexandra strike an uncanny resemblance to Nina Dobrev? I’m glad she didn’t get either of them as playing Sutton/Emma is perfect for her!
Attention Kindle/Ipad/Iphone users! Check out these amazing things!
So if you follow me personally on Twitter you will know I am a total beauty and fashion geek. I follow lots of fashion blogs and one day a blog rewteeted the fabulous Abi at Sew You. Abi hand-makes the most wonderful pouches for Kindles and Ipads.
I saw her designs and thought they were amazing so I asked her to make me one. However I wanted a pouch that would fit my Kindle plus the leather pouch it came in and she customised it for me! It is beautiful! Below is the one she made for me; Sorry about the quality of the photo!
I am forever loosing my Kindle so I opted for a bright design! Abi has loads of unique patterns and material and can make something to suit everybody! Not only are they gorgeous and stylish they protect your beloved items! They range from £15 – £25 so head over and take a look at the Sew You website here
Here are a few designs and patterns! Don’t forget to follow her on twitter! @SewYou.
Missed the Golden Globes? Here are all the winners!
I miss the Golden Globes every year – I prefer to watch highlights and then look at all the good, bad and ugly dresses! So here are all the winners and my best and worst dressed of the night!
MOTION PICTURES
— Picture, Drama: “The Descendants.”
— Picture, Musical or Comedy: “The Artist.”
— Actor, Drama: George Clooney, “The Descendants.”
— Actress, Drama: Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady.”
— Director: Martin Scorsese, “Hugo.”
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn.”
— Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners.”
— Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help.”
— Foreign Language: “A Separation.”
— Animated Film: “The Adventures of Tintin.”
— Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris.”
— Original Score: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist.”
— Original Song: “Masterpiece” (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), “W.E.”
TELEVISION
— Series, Drama: “Homeland,” Showtime.
— Series, Musical or Comedy: “Modern Family,” ABC.
— Actor, Drama: Kelsey Grammer, “Boss.”
— Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, “Homeland.”
— Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, “Enlightened.”
— Actor, Musical or Comedy: Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes.”
— Miniseries or Movie: “Downton Abbey (Masterpiece),” PBS.
— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, “Mildred Pierce.”
— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Idris Elba, “Luther.”
— Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story.”
— Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones.”
My favourite by far was Charlize Theron in Doir. IMO you can’t go wrong in a simply Dior. Jessica Alba and Reese Witherspoon looked stunning also!
The worst dressed was undoubtedly Sarah Michelle Gellar who admitted her daughter chose this dip dyed dress by Monique Lhuillier. It is horrendous!
Are you going to the London Breaking Dawn Premier???
Not long now until the movie!!! But we want to know who is going to the premier this week?
I know we all wanted to go but unfortunately we can’t. I wanted to go because going to the Remember Me premier in May was so much fun and meeting Robert Pattinson was fantastic but I can’t take any time off work 
So we want to hear all your stories!! Send them in and we will post them! We want to know who goes, what it was like meeting the celebrities and even what your got signed! I’m sure some of you will have some funny stories too!
If you want to send in your experience you can email them too secretlivesoffictionlovers@gmail.com or post them to our facebook here
Have fun!!!
