This or That Tag

  

1.audio or book in hand?

Book in Hand. I cannot concentrate enough to listen to the audio books.
2.soft cover or hardback?

I prefer softcover books because I read on the go more than I do at home and hard cover books are just to much trouble to lug around with me. They are bigger and heavier.
3.fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction. I've read a few non fiction books but it is just something I'm not all that interested in reading for fun.
4.fantasy world or real life issues

Fantasy world. I don't read contemporary all that much and because I like to use books to try and escape the real world and real life issues it's good to dive into a fantasy world. I don't mind the fantasy books containing some real life issues though.
5.harry potter or twilight?

Sorry but it's Twilight. I haven't read Harry Potter but I am working on it so don't freak out so much.
6.kindle, I-pad or other?

Kindle. I adore my kindle but I don't think anything will replace the feeling of finishing a physical book. 
7.borrow or buy?

Buy. I don't take the best care of things because books are kind of slung into my bag and I tend to throw crap all in my bag. I don't want to ruin any borrowed books so I just grab my own.
8.bookstore on online

Online for pre-orders and new books. Bookstores for deals and browsing and finding new books.
9.tell me onetime or total trilogy

I prefer stand alone books. I think some books work brilliantly as Trilogies but some just need to be one book. There are so many trilogies that are okay that would have been AMAZING as one stand alone book.
10.moster read or short and sweet

short and sweet.
11.stary eyed romance or full of action

Starry eyed romance with a little action. I like a romance in a book.
12.curl up in your snuggie or bathe in the sun

Curl up in you snuggie. I HATE the sun or any kind of heat so a nice snuggle day in the winter is my perfect reading day.
13.hot chocolate or latte

Hot chocolate.
14.read the review or decide for yourself

I like to decide for myself. 

If you have done this tag, video or blog post, please leave it as a link in the comments. I'd love to hear/read/see your response. 

Thanks for reading.

The Goodreads Tag

1. What was the last book you marked as 'read'?
Carrie by Stephen King. I didn't really enjoy this book to be honest. I thought I would love it but maybe I'm not ready to leave YA behind yet. The broken up style or writing swapping between articles and the actual characters perspective made it feel too choppy for me.
2. What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading The Tempest by Julie Cross. I'm about 1/4 of the way through and I like it. It's a nice, easy read and something I needed after getting through Carrie.
3. What was the last book you marked as 'TBR'?
Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I recently finished Beautiful Disaster and loved it so I can't wait to pick up the next one.
4. What book do you plan to read next?
Harry Potter. I haven't read it and I'm ashamed. I am going to remedy it, I promise. 
5. Do you use the star rating system?
I do but I wish you could do half stars.
6. Are you doing a 2014 Reading Challenge?
I am doing a reading challenge. I only set it at 30 books, but I'm already at 14 read and it's only February so I might change it to 50 and see if I can go it.
7. Do you have a wishlist?
I do have a mental wishlist.
8. What book do you plan to buy next?
I think I'm going to get the second book in the Tempest series by Julie Cross or Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire.
9. Do you have any favorite quotes, would you like to share a few?
I don't have any specific favourite quotes. I don't tend to mark down quotes I like from books and I haven't used that feature on Goodreads.
10. Who are your favorite authors?
I have a few favourite authors. I love Richelle Mead and Cassandra Clare. Jay Asher is also great and while Stephenie Meyer might not be the best author ever I like all her books and her Twilight series got me into reading.
11. Have you joined any groups?
I am but I don't really participate in them. I need to start doing that but for now I'm getting used to using it to review books.
12. Are there any questions you would like to add?  
I don't think so. If I had to I would love to know if people use more than the traditional three shelves. I only really use three shelves because if I started categorizing them it would probably be to extreme. 

Thanks for reading, and please link me to your Goodreads Tag, whether that be a blog post or a video.

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell *Review + Semi Analysis*

Blood Brothers is a musical play written by Willy Russell in 1981. It was first preformed in 1982 on stage, and is set somewhere between the 1950s and 1970s. 

It's been a West End hit for years and years,and I'm not ashamed to say I've seen it 4 times, and would go to see it time and time again. The written play translate immaculately to the stage, and throughout the play (on stage or reading) you experience just about every emotion in extremes.

The plot follows a young mother with many children, but more specifically it follows two of her youngest children and the dreaded fate that becomes the two boys. Mickey and Edward come from 'different sides of the track' but once shared a womb. One is surrounded by poverty while the other never wants for a thing. The play, which is constantly overseen by the Narrator, follows the boys from birth and explores their differeing stories. 

I've come to see the Narrator as the conscience of the two mothers. Things said by this particular character can be applied to both mothers, and it seems he constantly reminds the mothers of their wrong doings.  There are moments in the play, particularly the first speech from the Narrator, the reminds me of Romeo and Juliet. The first speech from the Narrator, who is a vital character in the play, is very reminiscent of the prologue from Romeo and Juliet. It basically tells us the story of the ill-fated brothers before the play truly begins.

You can't help but feel for Mrs Johnston, the true mother. Sure, she makes mistakes and wrong decisions but she doesn't have much choice. Throughout the play you can feel her agony and that further fuels my dislike for the Jennifer. 

Mickey is my favourite character. He is the most complex of the bunch, and because of his promient position in the play and almost all scenes you really feel what he is feeling. You experience his extreme happiness and extreme depression.  

Many themes can be seen running through the play, but I think fate or maybe even superstition is the first and most common we see. From practically the first page, the idea of superstition is brought to our attention and it crops up time and time again, and ultimately the superstitions are proven right.  The idea of certain superstitions is first used to scare Mrs Johnston into allowing Jennifer to keep the baby, but it ends up terrifying the latter even more than Mrs J.



If you have seen the play, you will know that the actors play the characters of the Johnston family as Liverpudlians so as I read the book I couldn't help but read the text in a Scouse accent. The dialect in which Russell wrote the Johnston and other poorer family speech helps you determine which accent the character holds.  

If you haven't seen Blood Brothers yet on stage, then I suggest you run as fast as your little legs will carry you and find out if there is a showing around you. I've only touched upon a few things here, and I could go on and on but I think I've rambled enough for now.