Echo Boy Book Review

Owned or Library?

Library.

Synopsis

Echo Boy by Matt Haig is about a time way in the future where humans are served by human-android hybrids called Echos. Audrey's parents (much to the behest of her anti-tech dad) agree to get an Echo to help with her schooling, several weeks later, the Echo kills them. Now Audrey isn't sure who to trust yet finds herself drawn to Daniel, one of the Echos at her uncle's house. Daniel was made different, he's the only one of his kind and unlike any other Echo he can feel emotions.

Characters

I found Audrey smart but ultimately quite dull. She doesn't have much personality though she admits the death of her parents has made her lost herself. We know she wants to go to Oxford but not what her future plans are.
Daniel was odd. He had little personality quirks which start off fine but become annoying - his habit of counting the hairs on peoples heads for example. And his language was overly simplistic
Rosella was sweet in her own way but she lacked backbone.

World Building

The world was fascinating with the description of things like mag-rails and pods and the Echo technology but I felt other things were under-explained, why is Spain so treacherously hot? Why is Yorkshire/England so wet you need to live on stilts? What was the reasoning behind the Resurrection Zone? Why did the Moon become so bad?

Conclusion

I thought it was an interesting book and I'd like to see what happens next if there's a sequel but it's not one I'll be picking up to buy.

Rating 3/5

The Ultimate Book Tag

Stolen from Oh Leona!

1. Do you get sick while reading in the car?
I don't know about the car these days. I used to get travel sick really badly with everything but then bus journeys to school helped me get used to that.

2. Which author's writing style is completely unique to you and why?
Probably Terry Pratchett, I haven't read much of his books yet but his world and his characters are so unique and his writing style is really cool too in a way I am rubbish at trying to describe.

3. Harry Potter series or the Twilight Saga? Give 3 points to defend your answer.
Harry Poter
1. The world is more complete with the schools and the ministry. Twilight is set completely in our world.
2. The characters are more well-rounded, they have flaws, they are ultimately human.
3. The fandom is so amazing and all the thought that goes into what could have happened outside the main books.

4. Do you carry a book bag? If so, what is it in (besides books...)?
I don't carry a specific book bag but I often carry a bag which may or may not have a book inside. Other things I carry are usually my work stuff, umbrella, diary, water, tissues etc. Basic things.

5. Do you smell your books?
If they're new then yes. I'm not a fan of old book smell.

6. Books with or without little illustrations?
I like it when books have little extras but it doesn't make much of a difference either way.

7. What book did you love while reading but discovered later it wasn't quality writing? 
The Twilight Saga. I loved them while reading them and I do still enjoy them but as I've got a bit older (I first read them when I was 18 and I'm now 24) I've started to realise that the writing quality isn't the best and the characters are very one-dimensional.

8. Do you have any funny stories involving books from your childhood? Please share!
Sadly no :(

9. What is the thinnest book on your shelf?
Probably the Harry Potter companion books. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is very skinny.

10. What is the thickest book on your shelf?
Probably The City of Heavenly Fire, it's tall and fat and annoyingly doesn't match the rest of the series so it has to stand alone >.< Also The Green Mile.

11. Do you write as well as read? Do you see yourself in the future as being an author?
I do! I'm procrastinating on writing a fantasy trilogy and I have loads of other ideas too, plus I've just started a Harry Potter Alice in Wonderland crossover fanfic but I don't know how far I'll get with that. I would love to be a published author like JK Rowling :D

12. When did you get into reading? 
I've always loved reading, my mum jokes that I used to climb over the other kids in nursery/school to get to the reading corner.

13. What is your favourite classic book? 
Black Beauty and Alice in Wonderland. And I'd say Harry Potter is a modern classic.

14. In school was your best subject Language Arts/English?
I'm guessing Language Arts is another name for English Literature i.e. all your Shakespeare and stuff... I wasn't very good at that. I was a bit better at English Language as that was more creative. But my best GCSE grades were actually for Art and History.

15. If you were given a book as a present that you had read before and hated... what would you do?
If it was someone I knew really well then I'd be honest. Depending on how long ago I'd read it I might try re-reading it to see if my opinion had changed. Beyond that I'm not sure.

16. What is a lesser known series that you know of that is similar to Harry Potter or the Hunger Games? 
Children of the Red King by Jenny Nimmo has similar themes to Harry Potter with boarding school, magic and sinister threats. They're targeted at a slightly younger audience, maybe 8-12 or something like that but I still love them. As for the Hunger Games, Divergent is another dystopian trilogy but of course fairly popular.

17. What is a bad habit you always do (besides rambling) while filming?
N/A

18. What is your favourite word?
I don't really have a favourite but I quite like magic, freckles, kitten, tree.

19. Are you a nerd, dork, or dweeb? Or all of the above?
A bit, yeah :)

20. Finally, full on romance or action-packed with a few love scenes thrown in? 
I can feel in the mood for both but on majority I prefer action-packed with a few love scenes.

My Smear Test Experience

I've read a few posts recently on people's experiences with their smear tests as both Becky Bedbug and Oh! Leona (currently inactive) have recently linked posts from young women about how it was for them. It was actually really good timing since I had my letter in March - I'm 25 in August - and was petrified. I ended up having to re-book my appointment as nerves meant I mis-read the time and I turned up an hour late.

I finally made it last Monday and I got there early so no worries about that. But they were running slightly late so I had more time to fret. The nurse I saw, Nicola, was really nice, she showed me the equipment and talked me through everything first. The only questions she asked were whether I was on any contraception (yes, the Depo Provera injection) and had I had a period recently (sort of, I had a slimy liver lump and some very light bleeding). I was expecting all sorts of awkward questions about my sex life or lack of...

 Then I went behind the curtain to remove my leggings and underwear. When I was ready and covered with a paper sheet she came round the curtain and donned a head lamp before raising the bed and positioning my legs.

The next stage was inserting the speculum which wasn't too bad and then the worst bit, the gradual opening which was quite uncomfortable for me personally since I've never have penetrative sex. However the nurse did stop or slow down whenever I said I was uncomfortable but of course there comes a point when you've just got to grit your teeth and bear it. I was certainly glad when the speculum was open fully because by that point I was thinking it would hurt way too much to go further. I barely felt the brush due to the discomfort (general feel of pinching at the top). I was told there was blood around my cervix which may have been a mini period I was unaware of or it may have been whatever existed of my hymen breaking. Because of the blood I was told it may be considered an inadequate sample in which case I'd have to go back and have it done again.

I was told to cough to help the speculum be removed and then the bed was lowered and I was left behind the curtain to re-dress. There were panty liners if I needed them but I wear one anyway (TMI, sorry!). That was that. I needed the loo pretty much straight away and there was a little blood when I wiped and for the rest of the day I felt like my insides were going to fall out which wasn't pleasant.

I had my follow up letter yesterday and the sample was not only adequate but normal so I'm all set now until 2018.

Quick Post on Sizing

My pet peeve for today? Inaccurate sizing/sizing charts.

Mum and I need new bathrobes. Here's is very thing on the butt area (tmi? Never mind) and mine is even older and generally ratty and stained with hair dye. I managed to find some on eBay here and according to the size chart it should have fit and the smaller size should have fit mum with room to spare. I ordered them, purple for me, teal for mum. They arrived this morning... Yeah not gonna work at all. The larger size only just works for mum so I'm returning the small one.

I then took to eBay again trying to find something a bit bigger but all that I could find was ones around the same size or if they did my size e.g. Yours Clothing they were fleece which while nice isn't the best material for putting on after your shower. Towelling all the way! So then I took to Google and it brought up a result for Amazon which was way too big (60"+ chest), way too expensive (about £40) and white - not advisable when you semi-regularly dye your hair dark purple - but there was a link below to the gorgeous Cadbury purple you see here which in XL is a bit too big but the only other size available is Medium which is too small so I'm going to do a sod it and buy the too big one and have done with it. If it's drastically too big my mum can take it in - she's a bit of a sewing whizz - and it adds to the cuddle factor anyway :D

Anyway til next time (whenever that'll be XD) actually it hopefully won't be too long as I do have another post planned which needs to be written but it's a case of working myself up to writing it as it's about women's health and my recent experience.

Leather Satchel Company Review

So due to working a lot of hours over Christmas my first wage slip at the shop was larger than I expected which meant I was able to get quite a few things I need - trousers, shoes, trainers, underwear - but I also had enough that I was able to splash out on a treat for me. I saw the Aster Satchel on The Leather Satchel company's website well before Christmas and had been obsessing over it, well to be honest I tend to obsess over leather satchels in general XD and I decided to make a purchase.

It arrived yesterday and it's absolutely stunning! The colours are so vibrant, the stitching is neat and tidy and the strap is more than long enough - long enough that I didn't need to purchase the strap extension that I did but I have too much experience with bag straps not being long that I thought the extra £3 was worth it.

The satchel in all it's glory! The blue leather is slightly darker than the website shows but I think it makes a better contrast personally, but it's something to be aware of. Funny story the satchel almost took longer to arrive because they thought they'd run out of the blue leather but then some was found last minute. I definitely appreciated the way they kept me informed.

The beautiful back in all it's colourful, printed awesomeness! I've no idea how the print the leather but it's absolutely marvelous.

A very bad close up of the stitching above the working buckle and along the edge of the handle.

Stamped logo on the back which I didn't even notice until I took the photo of the back.

Embossed guarantee type thing on the inside of the flap. The leather is quite stiff at the moment but that will improve with use. There is a smell to the leather which is something to be aware of for people with sensitive noses. The inside dimensions of the main pocket are 13.5 inches long, 8 3/4 inches high and 2 1/2 inches approximately in depth. The front pocket is 9 1/2 inches long, 5 3/4 inches high and 1 inch wide approximately. I haven't yet tested how much will fit but it's safe to say it's more a handbag than say a schoolbag, especially as the leather itself adds a little bit of weight.

Overall I highly recommend this product and this company. I beautifully made piece of genuine British craftsmanship.

New Years Resolutions 2015

Personal - Appearance

1. Lose a bit more weight, minimum 1 stone by moving more and eating better.
2. Get my right ear re-pierced.
3. Get my septum pierced.
4. Get both ears pierced again.
5. Start stretching bottom holes once healed.
6. Put dreadlocks in my hair once long enough - may be extended until 2016.
7. Refine my style.
8. Find a new purple hair dye - my current one isn't purple enough. Feel free to suggest, permanent colours only - less upkeep.

Personal - Other

1. Get my provisional license.
2. Learn to drive.
3. Decide a career.
4. Train for career if necessary.
5. Get a better job.
6. Help mum find a new job.
7. Write (finish!) a novel.
8. Go on a date.

Material

1. Buy new phones for mum and I.
2. Buy an external hard drive.
3. Buy a new desktop PC.
4. Buy an iPod Classic - used since they are now out of production (I hate years of bad finances).
5. Buy a Kindle.
6. Buy a laptop.
7. Upgrade the car.

Goals

1. Read at least 100 books.
2. Watch at least 100 films.
3. Finish the Gossip Girl series.
4. Read A Song of Ice and Fire.
5. Read Under the Dome.
6. Discover at least 2 new shows.
7. Discover at least 3 new bands/singers.
8. Improve my equine anatomy.
9. Improve my humans.
10. Draw a self-portrait.

Update April 2015:

A few things have been crossed off which I'm quite pleased about since we're only a few months into the year.

Update November 2015:
I've managed to cross some more things off but as we are now approaching Christmas I probably won't be able to cross off any others. The frustrating one is the weight loss one. I did manage to lose a bit but I've put it back on plus a little bit I think. *Sigh*

Christmas and Life Lately

This is going to be a long post so bear with me...

So things lately have been pretty busy. At the beginning of December I got a Christmas job at my local 99p Store, I'm still there so hopefully it's becoming permanent so I can drop the school cleaning. The hours are better, therefore equaling more money. The main downside is my boss. I just don't like him. He's been having a tough time lately in his personal life but that's no excuse for being a patronising git. Today for example I was expected to do about 7 jobs at once: put out 3 boxes of umbrellas, rearrange the batteries (didn't finish), put out filter tips (didn't even start), put up a stand for EE sim cards, move the anti-freeze, restock the deicer on the tills and serve customers in between. Phew. At least it wasn't as manic as it has been. December 22nd, 23rd and 24th I work 8am to 5pm (5:30pm for the close on the 24th) and it was so busy, especially Christmas Eve! I was absolutely knackered every day, starting to fall asleep on the sofa at 9pm. Insane. I have never done days that long in my life. The only thing that may come close is college on a late finish day when I've missed the bus but even then, over an hour each side is the bus journey which is just relaxing and reading, maybe having a light doze.

Mum's not been doing great. She's being made redundant in February when the Co-op where she works is closing down. They've been bought by Aldi but for anyone thinking she can just get a job there, wrong. They aren't planning on opening until November. Apparently if they re-open within 6 months then they have to take on the previous staff. The manager hasn't told the staff but a lot of customers are saying that they're taking over the Costcutter at the top of the hill, but then again the customers knew the shop was closing months before they told the staff. Yeah, slightly crap.

We've been having a bit of a nightmare with the Christmas decorations this year. It's always a nightmare thanks to Artex ceilings but this year more than usual. We've tried double-sided carpet tape, blu-tack (in white), the normal double sided sticky pads (must have been a bad patch), pins and wire holding tacks.

These things.

Nothing has worked and they keep falling down. There wasn't time this year but we're going to try and find some white duct tape for next year. I was going to take pictures of everything but none stayed up long enough so here's some photos from Christmas 2012:

The living room ceiling. Pretty much the same this year.

The TV in the living room, has changed for this year.

The cupboard by my desk - just visible cat treats - has changed slightly this year.

The hallway, pretty much the same this year. Excuse my reflection in my ratty old nightie.

The door phone with my owl picture. Pretty similar I think.

The cat picture, also pretty similar I think.

Our Merry Christmas sign, again pretty similar.

The reason I'm saying things are similar is because those cards stuck round things aren't necessarily in the same place each year.

Our Christmas tree this year :)

My presents this year, not shown are a bar of chocolate and some money from my aunt. The money we used for Polar Bear King, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Divergent. Polar Bear King we started watching, realised it was cheesy crap - the transformation sequence was a guy in a very bad costume - and returned it the next day. The bottom three and the book: The Shining, Two Bits and Pepper (horse film) and Gnomeo and Juliet were all from a charity shop. Harry Potter I already have but I think my copy is knackered since it didn't play properly on two different DVD players and was starting to go funny on the third when it finished. The owl hook is a set of three, two that colour, two with the foot colour as the main one. That, the two eyeliners and two of the nail varnishes were from Avon. The third one was a Glamour magazine freebie that mum decided to wrap up after accidentally duplicating the magazine.

My snowman cake that mum bought at the Co-op :D it was supposed to be for both of us but mum found the icing a bit sickly whereas I love icing! 

Scottie dog tin of shortbread from Sainsbury's! It says Scottie but I say it looks more like a Westie to me. The tin says the shortbread are Scottie shaped too but we haven't opened them yet.