Running Thoughts: The Walking Dead - 4x02

My stream of thoughts while watching The Walking Dead continues. My instant thoughts written while watching the walking dead and later edited for spelling, grammar and general nonsense...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 4x02

The Walking Dead 4x02 - "Infected"

Most of the time I watch and type at the same time pausing when I need to, today I was eating my dinner when I sat down to write this, so I let it run until I finished eating... big mistake. The new show runner has really stepped up his game and seems to be as much a fan of the suspense and the gore as we are. I am now going to rewind those 8 mins and watch again from the start typing as I go! Warning not for the squeamish!

TV Heaven: Veronica Mars

TV Heaven, because sometimes we have to say goodbye to our favourite things...

Veronica Mars

Genre: Dectective

Girly: Yes

Set in High School: Yes

Hot Guys: Oh yeah, Logan Echols and the nasty cop do it for me!!

Mystery of the week format: Yup

Currently running: Nope (3 seasons)

Status: A long time ago we used to be friends... and it was awesome

Why you should watch it...

Running Thoughts: The Walking Dead - 4x01

My stream of thoughts while watching the walking dead continues for another season. My instant thoughts written while watching the walking dead and later edited for spelling, grammar and general nonsense...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 4x01

The Walking Dead 4x01 - "30 Days Without Accident"

After last season's disappointing finale where The Guv'nor lived, I am hoping for a few things this episode. Firstly I am hoping that Daryl and Carol are finally getting it on, I hope that Carl is still the little psychopath I have grown to love and I hope that there will be plenty of blood and gore. If the title is anything to go by then we know that this will probably be the case!! Yay!

Autumn 13: The New Shows

Yay!! It's time for the autumn schedule to start again and there are so many new shows to sink my teeth into. Unusually for me I have had not devoured all of the trailers for the new shows before they aired, so I was going in a little blind to most of them.

I think at this stage I have seen at least the first episode of almost all the new shows and here are my quick summaries with longer ones of my favourites to come...

Hostages

This may have had an interesting premise on paper, but in reality I just don’t care. I think it would have been mildly more interesting if the whole family being kidnapped thing had been resolved at the beginning of the first episode and then the rest of the series was looking at a new America with the American People being the hostages under a new regime that had been forced upon them. Sort of a dirtier Scandal! Now that’s something I could get behind, this hostages however I will not be watching any more of.

The times they are a changin'

It has happened very slowly, but what I have been talking about recently has been moving away from books and more towards TV. I have been finding it difficult to read as much as I have in previous years. With that I have decided that I am going to change my focus to the TV I like to watch in my free time... because I like to watch a lot of TV. Comedy, drama, mystery, teen, reality... I am very unbiased where TV is involved.

So from here on there will slowly be more and more changes to this blog. I have changed the title from Lost In A YA Book to Fangirl Watching and slowly there will be more and more changes. I will still talk about books, because I love them, but I will have a larger focus on sharing the joy I have in TV.

So, stay tuned...

Seen on the shelves of an Edinburgh bookshop

I love reading the little review tabs below a book on the shelves in the bookshop, especially when they look like this...

Get the Remote: Dance Academy

Dance Academy

Genre: Dance

Girly: Yes

Set in High School: Kind of – It’s a Dance Academy!!

Hot Guys: Kind of – some are on the young side!

Mystery of the week format: Nope

Currently running: Yes, 2 seasons aired so far

Status: One of the best things I have ever seen

Why you should watch it:

Update and Technology Fail

Hello, hello!! I am back!

I have been a busy, busy girl and sadly blogging fell by the wayside. Well honestly blogging, housework, eating well, socialising, reading and seeing my family all fell by the wayside. Apart from work the past couple of months has been focused on producing my last play. With my close friend Ross we produced an amateur production of Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth. It was so much fun and a massive challenge. How often do you find yourself sitting down to discuss finding a child because your standby child just fell through or what the chances are of finding a caravan we can cut up. in the end it was all worth it to get a 5 star review which you can read here. I have also started a tumblr showing my iPhone photos from the project. Feel free to have a wee look.

So after I was finished with the play and I started feeling back to normal and ready to start reading and blogging again, not only do I pick up my kindle to find that kindle 2.0 has died on me, but that the mains lead for my laptop has also decided to stop working. But fear not, with my replacement kindle (kindle 3.0) and borrowed notebook laptop (thanks little sister) I will be back to blogging about everything that I love (or that takes my fancy).

So expect to see more frequent blog posts and chatter from me n books, TV, shoes, pretty things and anything else that takes my fancy.

Don't forget to follow this blog on bloglovin

Review: Easy by Tammara Webber

Title: Easy
Author: Tammara Webber
Published: 6th November 2012
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Source: Own Copy

He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her saviour…
The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he’d worked so hard to overcome, and the future she’d put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.
Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love. - From Goodreads.

I loved this book so much. How do I talk about it without going into to much detail and giving away the story? This was not a nice story, but it was one that stayed with me weeks after having finished the book. The subject matter dealt with in this book was handled cleverly, keeping it as the focus of the story, but not dwelling on it too much or similarly dismissing it. I feel like I am talking in circles here, but I just loved this book so much.

When Jacqueline is almost attacked, she thinks her life can't get any worse. She has just been dumped by her long term boyfriend and now she is attacked outside his fraternity house while a party goes on inside. Lucas comes to her aid, a boy who Jacqueline shares a class with but has never noticed before. Lucas has noticed Jacqueline however and this horrific night is one that will stay with both of them for ever.

Jacqueline and Lucas were such well written characters that I loved both of them form the start. The chemistry between them sizzled off the page and these characters kept me reading from the first page. The storyline was delicate and handled extremely well with the right amount of action to make this an enjoyable and thrilling read.

Jacqueline is a complex character who develops and grows stronger and more confident as the story progresses. She starts as someone who has had her self-confidence smashed at the beginning with her boyfriend of 3 years breaking up with her. This is someone that she has followed to school Felicity style and suddenly she is alone. Lucas is the kind of character that builds someone up and reading about him made me wish I had known someone exactly like him when I was at university.

I can't believe I had this on my kindle for so long before I read it. An amazing, fantastic and toe curling, piece of "new adult" contemporary fiction that I will probably read again soon. I can't wait to read anything else written by Tammara Webber!!

TV Heaven: Friday Night Lights

I may have mentioned before that I watch a bit of TV. In the collection of shows that I love I have a few that I will come back to time and time again. Some of these shows have now finished (or have been cancelled - sob) however I want to share them with you and let you know why I think they are the best.

Note: My lovely friend Jayne recently asked me to suggest some shows for her and her husband to watch and I devised some handy descriptive categories to give her an overview which I will use.

So I had some friends over for dinner the other night and while I was cooking (before they arrived) I decided to put some Friday Night Lights on the TV. When the girls turned up I was hurt that they had to ask what I was watching and neither of them had ever seen any Friday Night Lights, and didn't even know about it! What is this world coming to? Have I been spending too much time on Forever Young Adult and agreeing with their assessments of both Coach Taylor and Tami Taylor and daydreaming about living in Dillon, Texas? So y'all without further delay...

Friday Night Lights

Genre: Sports Drama (But it's so not about the sports!)

Girly: Not especially

Set in High School: Yes

Hot Guys: Yes (There is someone for every taste. Hello Coach Taylor)

Mystery of the week format: No

Currently running: No (There are 5 glorious seasons)

Status: Amazing, I wish it had gone on forever.

When was it on: 2006 - 2011

Why you should watch it:
Primarily this revolves around the Dillon Panthers. This is the high school football team in the town of Dillon Texas. BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT FOOTBALL!! This series starts with Coach Eric Taylor becoming head coach of the Dillon Panthers and how this affects his family and the town itself. Coach Taylor and his lovely wife Tami Taylor are the central characters that the programme revolves around, and they are amazingly awesome, but with a whole team of football players to follow there is loads going on every episode, with a whole bunch of awesome people.

I may have a major soft spot for the coach and his wife, but I'm not blind to the other amazing characters that get their fair share of screen time. I love every single one of the characters and I felt like I shared their highs and lows as the season progressed. Even if the character is extremely flawed and messing things up left right and centre, I love them.

The whole series to me feels like being welcomed into some really good gossip with a friend who has great hair, drinks loads of wine and either starts or ends every sentence with y'all! (I really miss Tami Taylor!)


Who You May Know:
Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) - Oh how I wish I was Coach Taylor's wife. Coach Taylor is the High School football Coach in Dillon, Texas, a town obsessed by football. He is an amazing character who manages to navigate the politics of the boosters and at the same time be the father figure that some of his players need. He is an amazing man and I worship him! Also, did you all see how great he was in Grey's Anatomy?

Tami Taylor (Connie Britton) - Tami is Coach Talor's wife, which is a job in itself. Tami has to lean to navigate the responsibilities put on her in this role. Later on in the series Tami becomes the school counsellor, which she is perfect for. This is the start of her finding her own path and we begin to see later on that she just wants to be her own woman. We are behind you Tami! Most recently she has been singing her heart out as Rayna James on Nashville.

And the rest...
Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch) - Tim, bless your heart. You are never going to set the world on fire, but you always have the best intentions. Last I saw of the lovely Tim, he was in a submarine movie I did not go and see!

Jason Street (Scott Porter) - Scott Porter is currently on Hart of Dixie as the lovely George. Anyone who does not love Jason Street is a monster with a heart of stone. One of the richest characters, we follow Jason through the issues he has following on from his accident.

Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) - My sweet Matt. He is the reason I fell so hard for Friday Night Lights. He is pure and sweet and I love him. I think he was recently in The Mob Doctor. I did not love that!

Lyla Garrity (Minka Kelly) - The goody goody of the bunch, Lyla just wants to grow up to be the wife of the star football player. I clapped for glee in the cinema while I was watching 500 Days Of Summer and she came on at the end. I also enjoy her instagram presence!

Tyra Collette (Adrianne Palicki) - I am sad that Adrianne's version of Wonder Woman never took off as I would have watched it no matter how rubbish it was. Tyra was amazing. What she lacked in money or class, she made up for in attitude. I would have been so scared of Tyra while I was at school, but as an adult I am in awe.

So what are you waiting for?

Running Thoughts - The Walking Dead 3x12

My mental vomiting of thoughts while watching the walking dead continues. I want to share my thoughts on the latest episode of The Walking Dead with my buddy "Sheriff Claw" and all of you...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 3x12

The Walking Dead 3x12 - "Clear"

Right, not that I am up to date I can crack on with this week's episode!


Previously... Rick and the walkie talkie from right back at the beginning, deal Lori's wish, crying Carl, crazy Rick, Michonne's prison days are numbered.

Michonne, Rick and Carl are all in the car for their run for food and amo. Michonne is driving and they see a hiker by the side of the road. Michonne drives on by not stopping or slowing down for him. Neither Rick not Carl even blink at this. When they come across a car wreck full of bodies Michonne goes to drive round and slows too much getting stuck in the mud. Suddenly walkers are surrounding the car, I say surrounding, but there are only about 6 of them. Rick takes them out then makes a little thingy to get the car out of the mud. Carl wants to know why they have brought Michonne with them and Rick tells him that he didn't want to leave her in the prison with Merle and for now they have similar goals. Hiker guy has caught up a bit with them and shouts for them to wait, but they just get back in the car and go on their way, like the badasses they are! (I am guessing he will show up again later!)

Credits... creepy!

They drive into and abandoned town and start to look around, stopping at the sheriff's office first to look for amo. Oh this is Rick's station. He says that there are only a few other places to check for guns. He knows where as he signed the permits. Rick asks Michonne if she has a problem with that and she says no, but it is pretty awkward. They pass a wall that has "away with you" written on the side and a pile of burned bodies. There are arrows on the ground and it all seems a bit like a game show. Another wall with "No Guilt, you know that" on it and a crazy barrier of stuff on the street with "Turnaround and live" on the ground. I love this place, it is amazing! It looks like something the Lost Boys would have made to keep people and walkers out.

A guy on the roof shoots a walker and tells them to drop their weapons and shoes and leave. Michonne wants to stay and fight so they do. The guy from the fight makes it down to ground level and Carl shoots him in the belly. He is all armoured up, so not dead and when they take off his mask it is the dude from the first episode. There is no chance in hell of me remembering his name until it is said, but this spells trouble for Tyreese.

Rick is weary of booby traps, and I would be too, this is some Goonie level stuff. Carl is watching the unconscious guy and Rick remembered that he had a son. If he has turned out anything like Carl, then beware. This guy is not only a fan of the booby trap, but also loves writing shit on things! There are some interesting traps, spikes under the door mat, a trip wire axe. I absolutely love this place and I think they should all move out of the prison and into this nest of crazy!

Inside his house they find all the weapons they were looking for and then some, also writing everywhere! After Rick takes a long look round to see how crazy this guy is, he then finds the other walkie talkie. He was waiting for a message all along. There is also "Duane Turned" written on the wall. I think that was his son, this is so sad. Rick wants to wait for him to wake up and talk to him before they steal all of his stuff. michonne thinks he is dangerous and that they should leave, but her vote is ignored.

Carl finds a map on one of the chalkboard walls and it has their house marked on it with a note saying "Burned Out". Michonne starts eating his food and when questioned makes a joke - you go Michonne, making a funny! Carl wants to go out and get a crib for Judith and Michonne makes lots of valid points, big box, heavy, and then offers to go with him. Yay Michonne and Carl on an adventure. It could be a series of children's books!

Outside Carl asks Michonne to take care of a walker, and while she is off stabbing it in the eye (and then making the best, disgusted, face at the mess on her sword) Carl runs off like the annoying kid he is, to get to the baby shop! Michonne catches up to him and asks him what he is doing. He want's to do this on his own, since he wants to get Judith a little something special first, so Michonne just follows at a distance, like a bodyguard.

Guy on bed is coming round and has a handy knife hidden under his mattress, good call. He gets up to attack Rick and helpfully I find out his name is Morgan, so I can stop calling him dude! Morgan has gone super crazy and says that people are wearing other people's faces. He then stabs Rick in the shoulder - shizz! Rick aims his gun, but stops when Morgan asks to die.

Morgan remembers who Rick is after a while. Morgan tells him that he turned on the radio every day with his son at dawn waiting for Rick to reply, and then it was just Morgan on his own. Rick tells him that they had to keep moving further and further out of Atlanta and he couldn't help it. Morgan's story of how his son was turned was so sad. Morgan did not kill his wife in the first episode and she found them and ended up getting hold of Duane and biting him and Morgan had to shoot both his wife and his son. Morgan is super bitter about Rick and his son being together. I am sad for him.

Carl is about to enter something that looks like a cafe, when Michonne stops him. They have an argument and it seems like Carl is bitter about Michonne being there spouting off "you can't stop me" Michonne come back with "you can't stop me helping you"! OMG I am so happy right now, these two meddling kids are going to come up with some amazing, walker avoiding, plan, I can just tell! Rats on skateboards!! Brilliant! They distract the walkers long enough for Michonne and Carl to sneak in and steal a picture. They are almost caught by a meddling walker, but Michonne had it all in hand! A RAT! the walkers notice them on the way out because a rat escaped and they get out by the skin of their teeth, but Carl has dropped the picture. DAMN IT CARL. He wants to go back in, but Michonne is awesome, and I think this will secure their friendship forever as she is going back in at the back to get it herself, leaving him waiting out the front holding the door closed!

She comes back with the picture that Carl wants to give to Judith and tells Carl that she wanted to go back in anyway for a crazy-amazing colourful cat statue! This is the best Walking Dead mood lightening comedy duo ever!

I love Michonne's taste in cat statues!

Rick wants Morgan to come back with them and stay at the prison. Morgan is not interested. He realises that if Rick needs all of those guns they are having to fight to keep the prison. Rick wants Morgan to come and have hope that they can live a normal life soon. Morgan wants none of it though, he just wants to die. Rick tries his best to talk him round, but Morgan thinks his purpose is to clear (walkers?) and he stays in his nest of crazy!

Rick, Michonne and Carl all meet up outside and Michonne and Carl have actually found a crib for Judith. Morgan is strapping dead walkers to a gurney, and I kind of want to know what he is going to do with them. Carl tries to apologise to Morgan for shooting him, but Morgan tells him to never be sorry! Life lessons for the apocalypse!

Rick asked if everything was OK with Michonne and Carl tells him that he thinks she "might be one of us". I can't tell you how happy this makes me. The gang is complete! Michonne and Rick chat about all the dead people they see and talk to, and it is quite a nice moment. Rick lets Michonne drive on account of him seeing things that are not there and off they speed. They pass Morgan talking the dead off the gurney and putting them on the burned body pile.

On the way home they pass a dead bloodied body with the hikers pack, oops - well, what could they have done, and they stop to pick up the pack.

next time... a Guv/Rick pow wow looks like it is going to take a turn for the worse, and Glen wants to kill the Guv!


Walker kill of the week - Michonne's disgusted look on her face when she realises she has walker brains on her katana.

Bitch of the week - Carl for trying to run off and do it his way!


I loved this episode. It was full of little bits of humour that we needed to offset Morgan's tragedy. The whole episode to me felt like an indie road movie. Everyone understood each other a little better by the end, and nothing too drastic happened. This is one of my favourite episodes so far, and it came just when I was getting really fed up of all the Woodbury nonsense. Perfect timing.

Running Thoughts - The Walking Dead 3x11

My mental vomiting of thoughts while watching the walking dead continues. I want to share my thoughts on the latest episode of The Walking Dead with my buddy "Sheriff Claw" and all of you...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 3x11

The Walking Dead 3x11 - "I Ain't A Judas"

This post is super late. I have no excuses, this is just when I am getting round to posting it. So without further chatter, here is my rather short post for last week's episode!


Previously... ghost, get out, "I got stuff", poor Axel, shooting, zombie van and Daryl and Merle to the rescue.

They all discuss not running from the prison, but staying to protect the prison. Merle is locked up, but it does not stop him from giving his opinion that The Guv is out for blood and won't stop until they are all dead. Hershel shows a bit of , recently unseen, backbone and shouts for Rick to man up and do something soon or they will all die.

Rick goes out into the yard to scan the distance with his binoculars. He sees something, that to me looks like someone hiding behind a tree. Is this in his mind? I am guessing if he was imagining it, then whoever/whatever would not need to hide. Carl comes out and mans up to tell rick to stand down from his position as leader and to let the power team of Hershel and Daryl handle things. What about Glen? is he not able to be part of that dream team?

Credits...creepy!

The Guv is rounding up all the able bodied to make a militia. Boys and girls with guns, sounds like a plan. Andrea comes in and huffs about how the Guv shot up the prison. He claims that it was all them, they shot first and it was not his fault. Damn that man loves to lie. Andrea tells the Guv that she is going to go and see them to talk to them, this goes down like a lead balloon and The Guv breaks out his shit parenting handbook once again to tell her that if she leaves she should not bother coming back.

Andrea wanders through the town where she is stopped by Teen Wolf Mum (yeah I worked it out) who doesn't want her son firing a gun cause he has asthma!

In the prison they are rallying the troops working out a plan to keep themselves safe. Glen tells them that they are running out of food and amo. He is also unhappy that Merle is staying with him, and I understand why since Merle's handiwork is still all over Glen's face! Daryl is pissed that everyone is on team Merle. Michonne looks pissed , but as usual says nothing.

Hershel tries to talk to Merle and it turns into a little bonding session over lost body parts and bible verses. Merle liked to read when he was at Woodbury and it seems that the bible was his book of choice. Personally I would have gone for something more fantasy based, but to each his own. Merle spins some home truths about how the Guv works and how he will kill them all.

The Guv decides to let and old lady with arthritis out of shooting duty for now, but I am sure he will find some other use for her in his army. Andrea tries to stand up for Asthma Boy, but like everyone else, the Guv ignores her.

Carol and Daryl are back together!! Yay. Carol calls the prison a home to which Daryl calls it a tomb. She says she thought the same thing until Daryl found her. Does she mean when she was missing, or in life? those crazy kids! Carol tries to nicely tell Daryl that Merle is bad for him and they giggle together.

Andrea is looking for a way out of the town and ends up enlisting Doc as her helper to escape the town. Doc wants nothing to do with it and says that it is a betrayal against the Guv. Andrea is beginning to see how fucked up it is that they are living in their own prison with children guarding the wall.

Ewwww, puss in the eye socket. Honestly the Guv should not look too closely at that thing. Ahhh, he has found a nice black pirate eye patch that will go with everything he likes to wear. Doc tells the Guv that Andrea is going to escape and the Guv tells Doc to help her. I think that he seems to actually want Andrea to have help so that she does it safely and is in the least amount of danger... but he could just be manipulating them both, AGAIN.

Doc and Andrea sneak up on walker and decide to make a walker camouflage out of him, Michonne style. Doc has his tape coat on again and gets scared when the walker comes towards him. They pin the walker down and hack off both arms and then put a stone under his mouth and stomp on the back of his head to detach the lower jaw. This was possibly one of the most disgusting things. Question... how exactly does this walker shield work? Other walkers can't smell her fresh soapy scent because of the hacked up walker? does that not mean she can just hide in a group of walkers and they will only smell each other? I am confused how this one walker on a stick is magic!

Michonne is doing some of the most amazing push up sit ups I have ever seen. I can only hope for this level of strength and fitness. Merle tells her that it was not personal when he was hunting her, it was only his job.

Tyreese and his gang find Doc and Andrea and Doc offers to take them back to the town and take them in. Andrea sets off on her little walk to the prison with her pet walker in tow. Tyreesetries to offer help, but Andrea is all good!

Carl is on watch out duty when he spies Andrea and her pet coming towards them, and Maggie tells him to go and get the gang. They start shouting at Andrea attracting more walkers before they let her in. Once in she is treated like the prisoner she deserves to be treated like. I am guessing that at this point she is still firmly on team Guv. They do a quick catch up, Lori - dead, Shane - dead, Hershel - one leg, baby - girl, T-dog - dead, Carl - cool, Rick - crazy. Andrea is confused that Michonne has not said loads of great stuff about her and that they are letting Merle stay. Andrea fills them all in on the army at Woodbury, see sees death and destruction coming but won't help them.

Michonne and Andrea have a wee heart to hear about how shit The Guv is. Michonne calls Andrea out saying that she picked a warm bead over a friend. Burn bitch!

Tyreese and his gang are getting cozy in the Woodbury medical centre. They tell the Guv that Rick is a mad man who chased them out of the prison. Tyreese tells the Guv that they are in if they can stay and all the Guv wants in return is the layout of the prison.

There is some Carol, Andrea and baby time which does not make me hat her any less. Carol tells Andrea how Lori and Shane died. Carol wants Andrea to kill the Guv after having sex with him. Cold, but also a good plan, very Greek!

Andrea drives back to Woodbury in a borrowed car after getting her gun back from Rick. She drives away from the prison looking a quite a different group of people to the last time they were together. They are all standing with their guns in their hands ready to take on the next problem. The kids at Woodbury who are guarding the wall still need to learn some stuff, like to crouch behind the wall.

The disgusting couple are reunited. Andrea tells the Guv that they are broken and living like savages. They do it.

Beth sings a little tune to everyone while they are sitting round the fire. I quite like it - catchy. Rick plans to go on a run with Michonne, it sounds like an epic road trip in the making. Andrea goes to kill The Guv but chickens out cause she is crap!

Next time... Rick and Michonne find someone, pile of burned bodies, car stuck, walkers!!, Carl tries to step up, Michonne steps in, new village, people!!

Woop, I can't wait.

Zombie Kill of the week: It was not technically a kill, but Andrea hacking up her walker shield was immense.

Bitch of the Week: Andrea - she had one job to do, kill the Guv!

Wait... what?

My best friend just emailed me a picture to my work with the subject line "I saw this and thought of you". Such a great illustration, I have a feeling I should be offended but I can totally relate to Sarah!

Cover Reveal: Isla and the Happily Ever After!!

I was sitting at my desk, getting on with my work when suddenly I get a twitter notification pop up that Stephanie Perkins has tweeted a link to her new covers. I think she has shared this link on her blog, tumblr and twitter already, but like me they may have passed you by. Here are the new covers for Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door and now Isla and the Happily Ever After!!

(via)

I think they all look amazing together and I can't wait to get my hands on Isla and the Happily Ever After.

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.
Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new. - Autumn 2013

Running Thoughts: The Walking Dead 3x10

My mental vomiting of thoughts while watching the walking dead continues. I want to share my thoughts on the latest episode of The Walking Dead with my buddy "Sheriff Claw" and all of you...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 3x10

The Walking Dead 3x10 - "Home"

Tonight's recap might be a little shorter than usual as I am just back from the gym and my trainer ran me into the ground tonight. I think he broke all the muscles in my shoulders, but hey when the zombie apocalypse comes I will be ahead of the curve! I had a very vivid dream about zombies last night and I know from that completely made up experience that I will need all the help I can get!


This episode started very nice and calm with Rick checking over the grounds with his binoculars. It looks a bit like Michonne is living, or at least taking shelter in an overturned bus. Rick is clearly still having the mental breakdown that he was having at the end of the last episode as he sees Lori standing looking at, what I can assume, is her grave. When he tries to chase after her she disappears and reappears on the other side of the fence. Rick starts to unlock all of the gates so that he can follow her outside. Michonne, in her usual calm and collected self, is watching him and very sensibly closes the gates after him, not trying to talk to him or question him about what he is doing. I really think he needs someone like that looking out for him and letting him get on with processing everything. Rick finally catches up to ghost Lori, and I'm surprised that it is actually her. I assumed from the bad lighting in the last episode that they could not actually get Sarah Wayne Callies to make an appearance.

Credits... creepy!

Damnit! Woodbury is still standing. There are a number of young guys guarding the front of the town. Are we supposed to believe that in a town like this they have people standing this close to each other all the the way round guarding all directions? I would guess they don't have that many people. Stupid Andrea is being visited by One-Eye-Mcgee, sorry the Guv, and he is refusing to let Andrea go and see the others at the prison because he thinks that she should stay and run the town. He is admitting that everything he has done was for Penny and now he needs time to get himself back together. I think he needs time perfecting his psychotic tenancies!

Yay, the Dixon brothers and Merle is, as usual, being a total dick and undermining his amazing little brother. Listen to him Merle, it's not like he was in a sweet cult, he looked after himself! Daryl just wants everyone back together and getting along, it;s very sweet and makes me like him more... and then he spits! Seriously!

So it looks like this lot have it a bit more together, trying to work out where the weak parts of the prison are. I like they way they are working all of this, teamwork and chalk. Michonne starts contributing to the conversation, and what does she decide to bring up? The heads in the fish tanks!! Well now Glen is hatching plans to go in and kill the Guv in his sleep. This can only lead to trouble and now Michonne has agreed to go with him. Hershel is trying to talk some sense into Glen, and I do see Glen's point that they are in a slightly weaker position now, so running is not an option. Looks like Michonne has been accepted by everyone except Rick now! Yay, happy dance.

The Guv and the Doc are discussing if the Doc is considering leaving. This has all suddenly turned into a conversation about loyalty, and everyone still believes Merle betrayed them and they are questioning if Andrea is loyal too. Just kick her out and be done with it!

Andrea is questioning someone on the wall that looks very familiar. I think she may have been someone's mother in something I have seen recently, gah, now I am going to have to look it up. No bother I will do it while the Doc and Andrea have a pointless conversation about where the Guv is. Nope, can't find her... yet.

It looks like the walkers have broken through a perimeter and the prison is slowly being over run by walkers again. Glen is going to do a drive by to see what the rest of the prison looks like and he is going to take Maggie. When he goes to look for her they have a conversation and it seems that Glen stills thinks Maggie was raped by the Guv and that is probably what is fuelling all his rage towards the Guv and Maggie. Aw man, I really like Glen and Maggie as a couple.

Bahhhahaha, it seems that Axel is in prison for robbing a store with a toy gun and was then set up. Carol gives him a badass gal's lesson in guns. She is my favourite character now. Awesome!

The Dixon brother's are annoying me as it reminds me a lot of me and my sister and they need to just lay off each other. Dudes, there are new people on the bridge. They may die in a minute, but it is still super exciting. Merle does not want to help, but Daryl the hero does! Daryl is super cool at killing the walkers and sweeping in where needed, I also think he get's walker kill of the week. When pulling a walker out of the boot of a car, he utitlises all functionality of the model by slamming the car boot on the walker's head and smushing it all to bits!! Amazing! Then he stabs one in the face! Racist Merle is back out to play when stealing from the Mexican family they just rescued! Daryl finally realises how much he has changed (for the better) being without Merle and Daryl lets the family go. Daryl then tells Merle some home truths and they bond and finally Daryl goes back to the prison where he belongs! So long Merle! - No don't follow Daryl! Damn!

Hershel is trying to psychoanalyse Glen and get him to realise that he is not to blame for any of it, but he can't run off on his own. It seems like everyone is trying to battle personal demons in this episode!

Beth uses some good old baby therapy to get Maggie to be a useful person again.

Rick is running round the perimeter looking for dead Lori and Hershel is trying to call him back inside by telling Rick how much the camp is falling apart without him. There is then, possibly my favourite piece of Walking Dead dialogue to date, it might even beat out "he threw a walker at me". Hershel asks Rick what he is doing out there to which Rick replies: "I've been.. I've got... stuff out here... stuff"
It is the kind of response you give when someone walks in on you doing private... stuff! Lol! Rick finally tells Hershel that he has been seeing Lori and Shane and Hershel takes this like the awesome guy he is and tries to get Rick in to rest and have a cup of tea.

I really like Axel. I think we are finally getting to know a bit about him and see him as a person and not just a potential threat on the fringe of the group. I think that Axel and Carol are quite cute together. Funny guy too! And I spoke too soon. Of course they gave him more dialogue, they were planning to kill him off!! I should have seen the signs! And it was the Guv, that guy is such a dick!

Shit, so much just happened that I am going to have to watch it a second time... Everyone pretty much hits the ground as soon as the shooting starts, and Carol has to use Axel's body as a shield. Everyone seems to be missing everyone else, except for Axel's body, which is being shot to shit! Maggie comes running out with more guns and they get Carol to cover. Everyone then pauses when they hear the sound of a vehicle coming up fast, and it is some kind of truck that crashes through the gates. Fuck me, I was hoping it would be Daryl coming to save the day, but instead it is the walker version of a trojan horse! Walkers are pouring into the yard where Hershel is hiding. We all know dude is getting better with one leg, but I'm not sure he can outrun the Walkers. Looks like Rick is going to get fucked up by some walkers and it looks rather dicey for a minute, and then the Dixons are back - Rick is saved (for the moment). Michonne is single handedly taking out all the Walkers with her katana so that she and Glen can go and get Hershel.

We end on Daryl, Merle and Rick outside with everyone else safely inside.

Next time... Carl steps up, Andre finds her balls, Merle is in, Carol loves Daryl (don't we all?), Ricktatorship could be over, Andrea gets a pet, Michonne does not look happy and Merle brigs back his sword hand! Oh yeah and there is a close up of the Guv's mangled eye hole!


Kill of the week: Daryl, smashing the head in the car boot
Bitch of the week: Andrea and Lori (still fucking Rick up even after her death!)


Now that was the kind of episode I love. It was well paced and then raced towards the end. I also did not expect a lot of the end action so I was caught off guard and that does not often happen. I can't wait for next week.


All pictures via amctv.com

Waiting On Wednesday: Dirty Little Secret

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're pining after.

Title: Dirty Little Secret
Author: Jennifer Echols
Published: 13th July 2013
Publisher: MTV Books

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.
Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

I have made my love for Jennifer Echols' books no secret on here. I love the way she can infuse a story with passion and longing. I am just a little upset that I will have to wait so long for it to be released.

Running Thoughts - The Walking Dead 3x09

My mental vomiting of thoughts while watching the walking dead continues. I want to share my thoughts on the latest episode of The Walking Dead with my buddy "Sheriff Claw" and all of you...

If you have not seen this episode yet, do not read on, lots of spoilers ahead for episode 3x09

The Walking Dead 3x09 - "The Suicide Kings"

I am so excited, I just can't tell you! For a while it looked like I was going to have a rehearsal tonight and I would have to wait until late tonight to be able to watch this episode, but due to some general "fuckwittery" on the part of people who were supposed to have our new premises ready for us today, I have a free night! Hazzah!! So my dinner is on the stove simmering and I am ready to watch and share my thoughts!


Previously - Naked Maggie, glen, Carl in the prison, new folk, rescue mission, Michonne stabbing him in the eye (I forgot how gruesome it was!), Daryl staying behind, and him and Merle in the ring.

The crowd in Woodbury are screaming for death for Daryl and Merle. Who would have thought that such peaceful looking people were all such dicks. Andrea looks like she finally has some balls again trying to push past to get to Daryl shouting that he is her friend. Like all good dictators The Guv pushes the crowd to want blood and then claim that it is all out of his hands. Merle makes it look like he is going to kill Daryl to show his loyalty, but blood is thicker than water (most of the time) and Merle asks Daryl to play along. When the walkers are brought in the brothers stand together to fight... then the cavalry appears in the form of Rick, Maggie and a smoke bomb. Girl from the wall is shot dead and Andrea seems upset about this hanging about when she should be running after Daryl and Rick trying to get back to the gang. The Guv looks like he has pulled a stitch with all his anger and there is blood running down from under his bandage. He gets a pretty good kill this week with a quick pop to the head as he passes a walker.

Credits... creepy!

Still in Woodbury, the gang are about to leave, but Rick does not want to take Merle. He is being fairly brutal kicking out part of the tin wall and killing zombies with his metal stump, that they seem to just let him tag along. After they run one of the more observant walkers looks through the hole they just left in the wall the same way a kid looks at a sweet shop (if that kid was super creepy). And so starts the invasion of Woodbury. Michonne and Glen are waiting out on the road and a fair bit of time must have passed as it is daylight. When they hear the others coming there is relief and then anger at the sight of Merle. I would be pissed to see him too if I was either of them. Merle makes some lewd comments about Andrea and Michonne's relationship and Rick seems really pissed that Michonne knew Andrea and didn't mention it. You mean in all the long conversations you too have had, it never came up? Seriously it took her ages to tell people her name, don't act surprised! I never got the feeling that Michonne and Andrea had a romantic relationship. I just thought she was super intense. Did I read the whole thing wrong? Finally Rick just knocks him out. Bout time!

Back at the prison and Hershel is helping patch up the new kids on the block. They are all getting to know each other and Sasha jumps to the conclusion that Beth is the mother. Well this is awkward... We get some background info on Tyrese, Sasha, Ben and Alan. There is some good chat about breaking into or out of prison, lol! Sasha and Tyrese say that their camp was overrun. I wonder if this means it is gone for good or could be another place for everyone to go to if the prison falls. Hershel warns them not to get too comfortable since the Ricktatorship will be back in force soon.

Still in the middle of the road Maggie, Rick, Glen and Daryl are all debating who stays and goes. From what I can tell for Merle it is 3v1 to boot him and for Michonne it is 2v2. Daryl tells everyone that if they boot Merle, he is going too... Nooo... don't go! Daryl wants Rick to say bye to Carl and Little Asskicker, I am finding this all very sad! Daryl and Merle walk off into the woods together. They take Michonne back to the prison for medical attention and then a nice product placement shot of the car (still working even after the end of days!).

B-Team are taking the body of Donna out to the field to bury and they see Carl and Carol. They foolishly start spitballing ideas about how to get the weapons from the "little kid and the woman". How stupid can you be? If they were vulnerable do you think they would still be alive? You are going to get your ass handed to you son! At least Sasha and Tyrese don't want to do it. They could try acting a little less shifty round Axel and Beth, but I'm good with them. Alan and Ben - watch your back!

Watching the drive back to the prison my mind started wandering... why was there a truck in the road? Was is there when they left? Did they drive round it before but the branch was in the way? Was there a storm? So when the walker came out of the cab of the truck towards Glen I actually got a rather large shock. Damn it Emma, pay attention when watching zombies! Glen kills it with his foot! The boy has some issues. Apparently the issues are that Rick didn't murder the Guv and Glen wants him dead. Well that and Daryl and Merle are gone and I think Glen knows that they are screwed without him.

Andrea leaves the Woodbury town meeting and reports to Doc that there are 9 injured. Doc tells Andrea that the Guv is sulking, just wait until the walkers invade, you know they are just waiting round a corner until everyone is unprepared! And we have walker lift off. Yeah!! Just a few walkers have come out to feast on the fine folks of Woodbury. Andrea gets one kick ass point for not forgetting how to shoot. Bless, one of the villagers asks Andrea to do something to help the man dying. The Guv has it all under control though and shoots him in the head like a boss.

Carol and Carl have a nice little bonding moment over noise pollution and Lori. Carl feels guilty for being mean to her. I love both of these characters so much now. I couldn't stand either of them for a while, but I think they have developed nicely with layers and interest. The A-Team come back and Carl is happy, but Carol is worried when she can't see Daryl. She looks really worried and sad, and then a little heart broken when she finds out that he left and chose Merle. She really loves him and is heartbroken. This makes me super sad.

Back in the Guv's apartment and he has Rick's Sheriff gun bag out on the chair. Andrea gives him shit for being a dick, finally, but he couldn't care less. I am so ready for this whole town to be overrun by walkers and fall already. I am so over Woodbury, if I was Taylor Swift I would just write a song about it and be done, but I'm not so I will moan about how shit it is a while more. FINALLY Andrea knows about Maggie and Glen and that her group is still going! OH MY GOD she is not running away!

Aww, a nice sweet home coming with Maggie, Beth and Hershel. When Rick finds out about the B-Team he walks past them like a boss with Carl and Hershel following. If only Hershel was not such a hop-along that would have looked really cool (although he mastered hopping down the stairs like a champ!). When Rick holds the baby, looking like he has never held a baby in his life, it starts to cry and Rick looks like he is about to have an "episode"!

Everyone is in a flap because the Guv shot Richard!! Remind me who he was again... oh yeah a member of Woodbury and there for irrelevant. Andrea gives a rousing speech about how in generations they will write of this town in the history books and she uses people's names like a good politician. Isn't that write Karen (seriously they have to stop naming the walker food, just call him soon to be dead guy 1 and soon to be dead girl 4.) The Guv watched from behind the shutters and his team all look a little twitchy!

Beth and Carol talk about the pains of screaming children and then they discuss losing Daryl. Carol wonders if she could stand up to her abusive husband now. Beth, oh wondrous font of wisdom Beth, tells Carol exactly what I have been thinking. Carol would sure as hell tell her former hubby to get packing, and that they are weak without Daryl. Never a truer word has been said on this show. OMG Carol I feel your pain and I love when she tells Beth not to be pissed at Daryl... "He has his code and the world needs men like that."

We will all be pleased to know that glen has no broken bones, so will be back to his fine self within 2 episodes. Hershel thanks Glen for looking out for Maggie and tells him that he is like his own son. Aww sweet! Maggie and Glen can't look at each other. What did I miss? Is he still pissed that she didn't shoot the Guv in the arena? Get over it, I am sure your paths will cross again in a few episodes and you can get revenge then. Hershel will figure it all out to help us viewers. He tries to chip away at Maggie but she is giving nothing up.

Rick is being all creepy and asks Hershel when they can kick Michonne out. They then have a super quick summit meeting and agree that the Guv will retaliate for what has happened and that they are outgunned. Rick with all the charm of a brick wall goes in to meet the others and basically tells them to bugger off. I really think this is like a weird bluff on Rick's part as he needs them. He also seems super suspicious of how they got in like they could be spies, I guess they could? Hershel pleads for them and then Rick sees Lori's Ghost!! She is wearing a super clean white satin dress that probably represents something. Also a little tip for making friends, screaming at the ghost of your dead wife is probably not the best way to do it. Hershel does not even look remotely surprised that this is happening. Bummer, meltdown number 2!

Next time... People on a bridge, possibly Glen? Hershel knows staying in the prison is dangerous, Andrea wants to go to visit the A-Team, Hershel confronts Glen about going back, Daryl and Merle have a car, Glean and Michonne team up to be the A*-Team, Rick still crazy, Andrea still stupid, The Guv suspects Andrea, NEW PEOPLE!!


Walker kill of the week - Glen stomping the head to pulp
Bitch of the week - Andrea and Daryl (say no to your psycho brother!)


I am super happy that TWD is back, I felt a little disappointed in this episode. I felt that this was a bit of a bridging episode to get from the end of the last series to the point of this series. Nothing much happened after the fight at the beginning. I am looking forward to the series getting back to the meat of the story.

What did you think?

So Excited - The Walking Dead!!

The Walking Dead is back. I am bouncing in my seat today, excited to go home and watch what happens to Daryl, Carl, Michonne, the new people in the prison, creepy paedo Axel and everyone else!!

While chatting about my excitement to my buddy Sheriff Claw today on the phone, I happened to say something vaguely complimentary about the Governor. This unleashed a small anti-Guv rant and 10 minutes later the following poem popped into my mailbox...

Emma and the guvnor sitting in a tree, 

Fingering the hole that used to be his E-Y-E, 

First comes love, 

Then comes marriage, 

Then comes him eating off your face like a savage

Posted with permission from Luke (AKA Sheriff Claw!) cheers buddy!!

Counting down...

Rick F'ing Grimes - Walking Dead

With less than 2 weeks to go I am getting really excited about the return of The Walking Dead. In the spirit of sharing with you some of the Walking Dead joy that I have been stumbling across on the internet, the latest thing I have found is a spoof twitter account for Rick Grimes.

Tweeting under the handle of @RickFNGrimes whoever runs this account has made me actually lol at my desk. This is usually followed with having to look round and check to see if anyone has noticed me laughing to myself!

Here are some of the cleaner tweets...

Only 12 days to go!