The Hunger Games

This is the first of many (I hope) Books Vs. Films Vs. TV programs. This is all about The Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. It is set in a futuristic USA where there are 12 districts. Due to an uprising in the past by the districts, every year there is a reaping where a male and a female are selected out of a bowl to fight in the Hunger Games. From the Hunger Games 23 of the tributes must die to leave one victor. The books are written about a girl, Katniss Everdeen who volunteered in place of her sister.

I read the first the hunger games book about 4 years ago and didn't read the rest of the series as it didn't appeal to me at the time. However when I found out there was a film to be released I re-read the book and found that I like it a lot more than I had previously, I then went on to read the second book, Catching Fire, and third, Mockingjay, both of which I enjoyed as much as the first book(the second time I read it).

What I liked about the film was that although they missed some of the important things out, like the mayor of District 12's daughter giving Katniss the Mockingjay pin, they replaced it with a gesture that was more heart warming due to the fact it was a special moment between sisters. I also liked the film because it stayed true to the story line and the author's ideas whilst also making it their own, whereas with some films that doesn't happen and it all gets a bit crazy.

The film got so much of the story line into the films which is unusual for such an action packed book, many of the key points were included but some of the main characters in the book have such small roles in the film and vise-versa for the smaller book characters. I can't wait til the next film comes out as I want to see if the storyline and characters develop when and how they are supposed to in the books.

If I was to rate both the books and the film out of I would give:
The Books - 4 and 1/2 stars
The Film - 3 Stars

This would be because I didn't get into the books the first time I read it and the film rate is lower as they missed some of the bits out of them that I like in the books.

Books Vs Films Vs TV programs

I've never really been a majorly big fan of TV (I'd rather curl up and delve into a brilliantly written new book) but recently (over the last 2 years) I've found myself liking more and more TV programs. What I find even more odd is the genre of the TV series/programs whether it be crime, drama, suspense, etc, and the genres of film I've liked are different the genre of books that I prefer.

Also I've started to watch more films on my own than I used to, I see the trailer of a film I want to watch and if I have the money then I will go see it. Whereas when I was younger I would go see what my family wanted to see and see it with them.

Now you maybe asking yourself why and how this relates to the title of this blog.....

Well, as I've run out of ideas to write about, I've decided to try and read a book and watch the film/tv program of that book within the week and review them on here. I'm open to suggestions of what to watch/read so comment with the ideas and I'll try to do as many as possible.

7/7 and 9/11 Poem

Last night I couldn't sleep I kept thinking of the people who lost their lives in the 7/7 and 9/11 attacks, and I wanted to put what I was thinking about into words and this is the product of those feelings.

Twisting Turning,
Running Burning,
Loss Sadness,
Anger Madness,
Jumping Falling,
Watching Stalling,
Country Tumbling,
Power Crumbling,
Grief Love,
White Dove,
The world as one,
Stood under the sun,
Hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder,
Our words and hearts daring ever bolder,
Now we stand even stronger,
Our hearts beating ever fonder,
Peace will be brought,
Against the terror war fought,
We fight together,
You'll be remembered forever.

Summer Holiday Boredom

I have been on holiday since the beginning of June as I had study leave to "revise" for the exams I had left to do. And what have I done in the first month?

Absolutely nothing!!

Except on Thursdays and Fridays when I went in to school to help in technology, where I tidied up the textiles cupboard and made examples for the recycled denim project. But other than that I haven't done much at all. June wasn't at all busy.

In complete contrast to that July was completely stuffed with things to do and I had so much to suddenly do I suddenly didn't think I had enough time to do it in. Firstly, I meet up with a group of girls that I will hopefully go to college with next year (and if not I'll still have a new group of brilliant friends and we went to Colchester and done some bowling, I lost as per usual and I managed to bowl the ball into the lane next to us. Then I had two taster days at my school's college then a week at another college. Then the Olympic Torch came through past the school and then 1610 people took part in a computer run aerobics class on the AstroTurf and we broke a world record :) I also had my prom on Friday 13th and that was brilliant but shattering

Then on to August..... other than the Olympics and helping at the summer reading challenge at the local library I have been thrown in to an even deeper pit of nothingness and boredom. The only prospect that makes me even slightly unbored is that I have a cricket match in 2 weeks.

Dotted through these last few months have been cricket matches that I have played in, most of our games have been rained off. In the last game I played I took 3 wickets in 4 overs, which I was pleased about as my bowling isn't exactly what you'd call consistent. During cricket week, I played in one game where I score the most runs I'd ever scored in a single game, 7, although this may sound stupid the most I'd ever gotten in a game was 2 runs and I managed to get 5 runs in half an over (3 balls).

Hope You Have A Great Holiday =D

Getting in the Summer Spirit

Now if this weather we're having at the moment isn't getting you in the summer spirit,then don't know what will.

Well, actually I might.

Homemade lemonade!!

Me and my brother made some of this deliciously summery delight and it was perfect. It started to really feel like summer (until it started raining...... Again!!!). So we thought we'd share the recipe with you.

The perfect lemonade recipe
Ingredients
1cup of water
1cup of lemon juice squeezed from fresh lemons (if you don't have enough then top up with lemon juice from a bottle)
1cup of sugar
And 3cups of cold water to dilute at the end 
1)make a syrup by heating the sugar and 1cup of water in a small saucepan, keep stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2)while the sugar is dissolving squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into a cup.
3)once the sugar is dissolved and lemons squeezed add both together into a jug then add 3cups of cold water to dilute. 


Et voila!! C'est fini!! 

Leave to cool then serve with ice and a slice of lemon.

Have a good summer!!

Bethan :)

Opinions please

I've started writing a story and want people's opinions on it so i know what to improve on, please comment with constructive criticism and things you liked.

Enjoy!!!!

Bethan

xx

Out of the Skies

All his life, Peridot had been told to stay in cloud cover. His father and grandfather had been told the same thing so had all the other Angels. They were told this because of the Hunters down below. Peridot, Aura and Obsidian had only ever dreamt of what a hunter looked like, Angels never saw Hunters and survived to tell the tale. Both Peridot and obsidian’s fathers were part of the fallen; those that were shot down out of the skies to the ground below. They had been blown out of cloud cover by the wind into the open where the Hunters could get to them. There was never a time in the Angel’s history where there were no Hunters or Fallen.

Aura’s parents were part of the Angel Royal family, King Mercury and Queen Tianna. Peridot and Obsidians families were the Royal’s closest friends. Peridot and Aura were together although neither of their parents agreed to the match. They had planned their whole life together even though they were only sixteen. Obsidian was their only and closest friend and had been since Element school, where they learn how to fly, heal and fight. The three of them went everywhere together.

The Angels were a dying race, more and more Angels were being shot down and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Once they were fallen there was no way back as the Hunters were everywhere and made sure that the Angels couldn’t contact anyone above. There were schools and hospitals being closed everyday due to the depleting number of Angels, less Angels were going out during the days and cracks were starting to show in their whole infrastructure. And although all this was happening the Angels were still educating their young, hoping to bring a brighter future for them and the next generations

One day they were flying towards their school on the other side of the valley, when the clouds suddenly dispersed. Before they could stop, they were in open sky.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Three Angels fell from the sky, spiralling down towards the ground.

Music For Summer 2012

The weather is amazing at the moment, bright blue sky and a burning sun. The only thing I have to have is a perfect sound track so here is some of the songs I like at the moment:

• Rita Ora - R.I.P ft. Tinie Tempah
• Fun. - We Are Young ft. Janelle Monae
• Tulisa - Young
• Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know ft. Kimbra
• Flo Rida - Wild Ones ft. Sia
• Kelly Clarkson - Dark Side
• Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)
• Jessie J - Laserlight ft. David Guetta

These are just a few of my Summer Soundtrack for 2012. Hope you listen to some of these and maybe even add them to your soundtrack. 

Have a wonder summer.

Bethan xxx

Paris 2012 Photos

 I went to Paris at the beginning of February, It was very cold during the day and even colder at night. We went to many of the major land marks around the city such as the Eiffel tower, Arc De Triomphe, Champs-Elysees and the Sacre Ceour. The trip was brilliant. Here are some of the photos I took (I would put them all on but I don't think you would want to look at 550 pictures).