What I've Been Watching In June

Hey guys!

For my second post today I will be sharing my thoughts on some of the films I have been watching this month.

1. God Help the Girl
 

I had heard good reviews about God Help the Girl so I searched it on Netflix. I'm so glad I found it as it turned out to be a really great film. God Help the Girl is very different to the films I am used to watching. Emily Browning was fantastic and I liked the songs.

2. Daydream Nation

Kat Dennings is a good actress but this film was quite disappointing. It could have been so much better, but there was too much going on in such a small space of time.

 

3. Finding Neverland

This is undoubtedly one of the best films I have watched so far this year. Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet are brilliant, while Freddie Highmore is adorable! Finding Neverland is a moving film about the family that inspired Peter Pan. I can't believe I've only just watched it!

 

4. Soul Surfer

Soul Surfer is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a champion surfer who was attacked ny a shark, changing her life forever. Bethany, who is portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb, is so brave after the accident - she's determined to get back on the surfboard no matter how difficult it is for her. Soul Surfer is a truly inspirational film and I would recommend it.

5. The Craft

I kept putting this off, since I thought it would be very scary, and I'm rarely in the mood for horrors. However, The Craft seemed to only have a handful of moments that made me jump.. I'd say that the film was more weird than scary.

6. Breathe In
 

Both Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones were brilliant in Breathe In. However, I found the film a bit slow at times, and I wasn't so keen on the ending. Nevertheless, the story itself was good.

7. Blue Lagoon

As I enjoyed the 2012 remake of Blue Lagoon, I decided to watch the original. Luckily, it was on Netflix. I'm glad I watched the original - it's such a lovely film. Some bits were fairly unrealistic but overall Blue Lagoon is a heartwarming film.
 

8. Charlie Bartlett
 

Another film starring Kat Dennings. I also watched this on Netflix. Charlie Bartlett is a funny, but silly, film. Robert Downey Jr plays the headmaster, which seems quite odd.

What films have you been watching recently?

 

Hasta luego!

Serena



Tune Tuesday: My Favourite Songs

 

Hey guys!

  

For this week's Tune Tuesday, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite songs ever. It was so hard to pick just 10 songs, but here they are:

 



1. Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer

 

 

This has been one of my favourite songs since, like, forever.

 

 

2. Dilemma - Nelly and Kelly Rowland

 

 

Crazy how Nelly appears in one of my favourite songs.

 

 

3. Year 3000 - Busted

 

 

Of course.

 

 

4. Beautiful - Christina Aguilera

 

 

It's a beautiful song. Hehe

 

 

5. Wonderwall - Oasis

 

 

I only really discovered this song about ten years ago, when a girl sang this for the end of term concert at secondary school. I loved it straightaway.

 

 

6. A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton

 

 

I've loved this song since I was around 8 or something.

 

 

7. How You Remind Me - Nickelback

 

 

<3

 

 

8. Rather Be - Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glyne

 

 

Amazing song.

 

9. Love Song - Sara Bareilles

 

 

Great voice.

 

 

10. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

 

 

I honestly don't think I know anyone who doesn't like I'm Yours. It's such a great song.

 

 

 

What are your favourite songs of all time?

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena 

Mini Book Reviews: June

Hey guys!


I've been off uni for one month now! Wow, time has gone by fast! I've managed to read FIVE book since my last exam! TBH, I did start two in May, so I've only really read three whole books, but still, that is quite a lot of reading for a short amount of time! To make life easier, I will review all five books in one post, like I did back in April.


1. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

(Goodreads link)

I was planning to watch the film version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants sometime over summer, so I thought I'd read the book first. With its pink cover, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is clearly aimed at a young female audience, though I think it could appeal to women in their twenties too. The book is about four best friends who are spending their first summer apart. Lena is jetting off to the Greek island of Santorini to see her family, while Bridget has gone to soccer camp in Mexico. At the same time, Carmen is spending the summer with her father, and Tibby is working at a shop in the girls' hometown. Before their adventures begin, the four girls find a pair of jeans which seem to fit all of them, despite their different body sizes. These jeans soon become known as the 'Traveling Pants' and Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby promise to wear them for a certain amount of time during their holidays and then send them on to the next girl.

I quite enjoyed The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It was different to what I expected. As I said in my review on Goodreads, I thought that the characterisation in this book was great - I could really connect with the girls, particularly Carmen. Overall, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a lovely book about friendship. At just over 300 pages, it makes a quick and easy holiday read.


2. Lola and the Boy Next Door

(Goodreads link)

I read Anna and the French Kiss a while ago and really enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading Lola and the Boy Next Door. However, this book unfortunately failed to live up to my expectations. I wanted to hear more about Anna and Etienne, but Lola and the Boy Next Door focused on an entirely different character - Lola - and her crush on childhood friend, and neighbour, Cricket. Lola didn't really feature much in Anna and the French Kiss, if at all (I vaguely remember her name being mentioned one or twice). I was disappointed to find out that Lola and the Boy Next Door wasn't even set in Paris. Having said all the above, I think that I would've enjoyed Lola and the Boy Next Door more if it had absolutely nothing to do with Anna and the French Kiss. I'll probably read Isla and the Happily Ever After at some point, though not any time soon.


3. Stolen: A Letter To My Captor

(Goodreads link)

I can't believe it took me so long before reading this book! It's brilliant! Although I wasn't so keen on the use of the second person at first, it actually made the story more vivid and captivating. I ended up feeling sorry for not only Gemma, but Ty too. It seemed that he'd had a really tough life and just wanted to escape to the middle of nowhere with only one other person - he just went about it the wrong way. I would recommend Stolen 100 per cent - it's a unique book that will captivate you from the very first line and take you on an emotional rollercoaster for the next 300-odd pages.


4. Bright Young Things

(Goodreads link)

I was drawn to Bright Young Things for two reasons: firstly, I enjoyed The Luxe by Anna Godbersen, and secondly, I loved the cover of the book. In Bright Young Things, Anna Godbersen has successfully captured what it was like to live in New York during the 1920s. The reader is drawn into a world of parties and flappers. Bright Young Things is a great historical novel for fans of Gossip Girl.


5. The Host

(Goodreads link)

Hm...I don't really know what to say about this book. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good either. And does a book seriously need to be over 600 pages long? It's just so unnecessary! The premise is kind of strange too - an alien who inhibits the body of a human girl? Erm, ok...Perhaps it's because I don't usually read sci fi, but still...I think The Host would be so much better if it were 200 or so pages shorter. The story is dragged out when it doesn't need to be. As a fan of Twilight, I was expecting more from Stephenie Meyer, and this turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.



Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?


Hasta luego!


Serena

11 Things Tag

Hey guys!

I was recently tagged in the 11 Things Tag and have finally got round to doing the post! I was tagged by the lovely Hannah at floralinspiredlife.

Here are the questions I was asked:

1.What's the reason behind your blog's name? 

There isn't really a specific reason behind my blog's name, I just came up with it randomly last year! I chose student because I'm obviously a student, and ramblings because this blog is about my thoughts.

2. How long have you been blogging? 

I've actually been blogging on and off for almost a decade! I started with Piczo back in Year 7, when I saw a girl on the computer next to me using it and I thought it looked really cool! I've had this blog for just over a year though!  

3. Do you have any hobbies?

Apart from blogging, I like singing, listening to music, reading and writing.

4. What did you want to do for a job when you were younger? 

I wanted to be an actress at one point! That doesn't seem likely now!

5. If you had unlimited money for just ONE week, how would you spend it? 

I'd probably go on holiday to one of the destinations on my Top Five Countries I'd Love To Visit post. I'd go on a shopping trip and buy all the clothes (and books) I want. Then I'd put some money aside which I'd divide between presents for my family and friends and donations to charity.

6. What beauty product is your most used? 

Mascara!

7. What do you want to achieve by the end of 2015? 

 I want to do an essay that actually gets marked more fairly than my previous ones!!! The teachers seem to find the tiniest faults with every essay I do. In terms of blogging, I'd love to go to more blogging events. I think I've got two lined up soon, one in July and the other in September :)

8. If you could move to a different country, where would it be and why? 

Spain because I can speak Spanish and it's a lot warmer than England.

9. What do you think is the best thing about having a blog?

Everything! Blogging is just great in general!

10. What 3 things do you like about yourself? 

I'm quite hard working and I always start coursework weeks before it's due.

I like my hair :)

11. Do you have any embarrassing nicknames (current or past), if so what is it and why did you get it? 

In my first primary school, my friends called me 'Seeny', but I don't think it's really that embarrassing.

Here are the people I tag:

Katie at www.katesbeautifulblog.com

 Hayley at www.budgetfoodmummy.wordpress.com

Anna at www.annainwonderland.co.uk

Danielle at www.ashiploadofpolish.co.uk

Cecilia at www.brandobeauty.uk

Lena at www.forayintofashion.com

Hollie at www.hollieloulou.blogspot.com

Caragh at www.ramblingsofanunqualifiedparent.com

Here are my questions:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What is your favourite book?

3. What is your favourite ice cream flavour?

4. If you had to give up pizza or chocolate for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

5. What superpower do you wish you had?

6. What is your favourite song?

7. What subject did you enjoy the most at school?

8. Who / what inspires you?

9. Who are your favourite bloggers?

10. Have you ever met anyone famous? If not, who would you most like to meet?  

11. If you could time travel (either to the past or present), what era would you visit and why?

 Hope you enjoyed reading this tag!

Hasta luego!

Serena



15 Chick Flicks I Want To See Part 2

 

 

Hey guys!

 

 

There were some chick flicks I wanted to include in my last post, but didn't manage to, so I thought I'd do another post.

 

 

1. Uptown Girls

 

 Looks hilarious!

 

 

2. Sixteen Candles

 

 

3. Daydream Nation

 

 Kat Denning is great! I recently watched Charlie Bartlett and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and she was fantastic in both!

 

4. Blue Crush

 

 

5. One Day

I was going to order this on DVD back in February but didn't get round to it! I really enjoyed the book!
 

  

6. Love, Rosie

 

 

7. Sense & Sensibility

 

  

8. The Jane Austen Book Club

 

  

9. A Walk to Remember

  

 

10. Princess

  

 

11. The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud

I read the book and it was so good!
 

  

12. Queen Sized

  

 Looks quite funny!

 

13. The Longest Ride

 

  

14. Save the Last Dance

I love films about dancing!
 

 

15. Chocolat

The book is brilliant!

 

 
Would you recommend any of these films? Let me know in the comments :)


Hasta luego!


Serena

 

 

 

Tune Tuesday: 28 Guilty Pleasures

Hey guys!

As part of today's Tune Tuesday, I thought I would share with you some of my music guilty pleasures. These are songs that I secretly like but really shouldn't!

 

 

1. Leave (Get Out) - JoJo

 

This is one of my favourite songs from when I was younger. I used to play it so often! I didn't even realise that JoJo was actually not much older than me when this song came out!

 

 

2. Babycakes - 3 Of A Kind

 

Babycakes wasn't very well known when it was released and I didn't hear it much. I listen to it sometimes when I'm in a 'cheesy' mood!

 

 

3. Kiss Me - Sixpence None The Richer

 

One of my fave songs ever! New Found Glory did a cover not so long ago and I love it too!!

 

 

4. Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen

 

Terrible song but just so catchy!

 

 

5. Mamma Mia - ABBA

 

How could I not include ABBA?!

 

 

6. Dancing Queen - ABBA

 

Another ABBA song!

 

 

7. Hero - Enrique Iglesias

 

Oh, Enrique <3 <3

 

 

8. Who Owns My Heart - Miley Cyrus

 

This came out quite a while ago but I still listen (and sing along) to it occasionally!

 

 

9. Dilemma - Nelly & Kelly Rowland

 

I've loved this song ever since I was about 8 or something! It's one of my ten favourite songs.

 

 

10. Superstar - Jamelia

 

The fact that I still know most of the lyrics to this is just shocking!

 

 

11. C'est la Vie - B*witched

 

I just want to go to Popworld now!

 

 

12. Murder On the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

 

I made up a dance to this years ago and I can't remember it! *insert sad face*

 

 

153 The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) - Ylvis

 

I'm listening to this at the moment and I can't believe how annoying it is! Yet I still find myself singing along...

 

 

14. Potential Breakup Song - Aly and AJ

 

Probably not as well known as some of the others on this list but I still like it!

 

 

15. Wannabe - Spice Girls

 

Another song that makes me want to go to Popworld!

 

 

16. One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks) - One Direction

 

I wasn't sure whether to include this or What Makes You Beautiful, but I actually prefer One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks). It's better :p

 

 

17. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift

 

Love Taylor! You should listen to the cover Alex G did with Alyson Stoner (remember her?). It's so silly!

 

 

18. Reach - S Club 7

 

I used to love S Club 7 so much when I was in primary school!

 

 

19. Scandalous - Mis Teeq

 

Another song I made up a dance to that I (unfortunately???) can't remember.

 

 

20. AM to PM - Christina Milian

 

I wish they'd play this in clubs!

 

 

21. Sound of the Underground - Girls Aloud

 

One of the [very few] decent songs by Girls Aloud.

 

 

22. Toxic - Britney Spears

 

I couldn't not include Britney, right?!

 

 

23. Heaven - DJ Sammy ft Do

 

I definitely prefer this to the original version by Bryan Adams.

 

 

24. All Summer Long - Kid Rock

 

Great summer tune!

 

 

25. Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus

 

Who doesn't like this?!

 

 

26. Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavinge

 

One of my fave songs!

 

 

27. Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake

 

Old Justin was good! I wish they'd play this too in clubs!

 

 

28. Ever Fallen In Love - Stiff Dylans

I love this cover!



What are your guilty pleasure songs?


Hasta luego!


Serena
 

 

 

Eleventh Graze Box: Nibble Box Number 8

 

Hey guys!

 

I wasn't actually expecting a Graze Box this week but it was a nice surprise! I thought I'd cancelled my box from this week until I come back to York after the summer holidays, but I'm not complaining!

 

 

Here's what I received in my box:

 

1. Sticky Chocolate Pudding

 



I received this before, in my chocolate box back in January. It was delicious!

 



2. Smoky Chipotle Dip

 



 

I thought I received this snack before but I can't actually find it anywhere amongst my picture files! It looks tasty though!

3. Strawberries & Cream Granola Topper

 



 

I clicked on the 'try' option for this on the Graze website. I absolutely love strawberries and yoghurt-coated fruit! I think I'll have this with some plain yoghurt!

 

4. Tomato & Basil Pizza

 



A bit unfortunate that this isn't an actual pizza! It consists of cheese flavoured cashews, basil crunchini and mini tomato breadstick, so I guess it'll taste like a pizza, just without the added thousands of calories!

 



 

I'm going to miss getting Graze Boxes over summer!! :( They are so fun and delicious, of course!

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

My Summer Reading List

 

 

Hey guys!

 

As I have finished all my exams and university work, I have plenty of time to read for pleasure. There are many books I want to read and here are the ones I am planning to read this summer:

 

 

1. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

I've actually finished this book (already!) and it's quite good.


2. Stolen

I'm reading this book at the moment and I find it so hard to put down!


3. Bright Young Things

This has been on my list for a while and I'm planning to read it after Stolen. I love the cover. Bright Young Things is by the same author as The Luxe, a book I enjoyed reading a few years ago.

4. The Host

I've read pretty much all of Stephenie Meyer's books except this one. The Host is such a huge book so I keep putting it off! However, it's been on my shelves for quite a while so I'm going to read it this summer.


5. Safe Haven

I loved The Last Song so I've been keen to read another Nicholas Sparks book. Safe Haven looks like quite a good book and I want to see the film.


6. Ash

Ash is a retelling of Cinderella but it's very different since the protagonist falls in love with a huntress rather than the prince. It sounds like an unusual book and I'm looking forward to reading it.

7. The Summer I Turned Pretty

Seems like a good summer book.


8.  Entangled

This is quite a dark book. I was drawn to it by the cover.


9.Ransom My Heart

I've been waiting so long to read Ransom My Heart!

10. Torn

Another book I've wanted to read for a while, and the second book by Cat Clarke I'll be reading this summer.


11. Perfect Chemistry

I guess this is kind of like a modern version of West Side Story. It's about a girl who falls in love with a gang member.


12. The Miniaturist

This book looks so good! It's set in Amsterdam in the late 17th century.

13. The Invention of Wings

The Secret Life of Bees is one of my favourite books. I'm keen to read one of Sue Monk Kidd's other works. I love the cover of The Invention of Wings.


14. Easy

I haven't read many new adult / college books, only Losing It, but it's a genre I want to read more of.


15. Emma

I've read most of Jane Austen's books apart from Emma and Mansfield Park. I want to read Emma first as I quite like the story (and I absolutely love Clueless!).

16. The Scorch Trials

After reading The Maze Runner, I was aching to find out what happens next to Thomas and the other boys (and girl). I'm so glad there's a sequel! Can you believe I still haven't seen the film?!


17. Romiette & Julio

Modern retelling of Romeo and Julio? Yes please!


18. Where She Went

This is a sequel to Gayle Forman's brilliant If I Stay. It's told in Adam's point of view. It would be interesting to see what has happened since the accident.

19. Sister, Missing

I must've read Girl, Missing over seven years ago! I'd definitely like to read the sequel!


20. Before Midnight

This is a retelling of Cinderella and it looks like something I'd enjoy.


21. Solace of the Road

This has been on my to-read list for ages! I was just searching this book on Google to find images and I didn't realise there was a stage production of it! Rebecca Ryan, who played Vicky McDonald in Waterloo Road stars as the main character! I wonder if I could still see it after I've read the book!


22. Every Day

Every Day sounds really unusual. It's about a boy who wakes up in a different body every day. Strange!



I realise that 22 is a lot of books to read in just under four months, but I should get through most of these books :D What books are you planning to read this summer? Have you read any of the ones I have mentioned? What did you think of them?


Hasta luego!


Serena

 



The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Web Series

 

 



Hey guys!

Today's post will be a review on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I discovered this web series around this time last year and absolutely loved it.

 

 

 

Brief Summary

 

 

For those of you who don't know, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is an updated version of Pride and Prejudice. It focuses on Lizzie Bennett (Ashley Clements), a student who has her own vlog. Lizzie shares with the audience the things that go on in her life. We find out about her family and friends, including her bestie Charlotte (Julia Cho) and her sisters Jane (Laura Spencer) and Lydia (Mary Kate Wiles). Charlotte helps Lizzie with the vlog, while Jane and Lydia appear in the episodes. Jane is the sweet older sister, who is described by Lizzie as "practically perfect in every way". On the other hand, Lydia is annoying, like most younger siblings. She's immature and obsessed with parties.

 

 

 

 

 

The Plot

 

A young man, Bing Lee, moves into a nearby mansion (called Netherfield). He brings with him William Darcy, who exactly like the character in Jane Austen's book. They all attend a wedding and Jane seems to have an instant connection with Bing. However, Lizzie doesn't get on with William. Over time, this changes, and Lizzie soon realises that William is not such a bad person.

 

  Here's the first episode:

 

 

 

 

My Views

 

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is fantastic. It's funny and fast-paced. I really enjoyed watching it and would definitely recommend it to fans of Pride and Prejudice. The characters are well-adapted to fit the modern age. Although the episodes are fairly short (some are less than four minutes), I found this to be more positive than negative as it meant that I could watch several episodes in a day. I am so glad I came across The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Have you watched The Lizzie Bennet Diaries? If so, what did you think?

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

 

 

What I've Been Watching Lately

 

Hey guys!

 

 

Hope you've had a great week! I've just been enjoying the sun and my freedom! :D Today I'm going to share with you the films and programmes I've been watching recently.  

The Duff - I missed this in the cinema so I was relieved when I managed to watch it on my laptop. The Duff was better than I thought. It's a silly concept, but there was a lot of humour.

 

The Sisterhood of Night - This film was a bit odd, but better than I'd expected. I thought it would be scary but it really isn't. The Sisterhood of Night is loosely based on The Crucible, and focuses on a secret 'cult' led by Mary Warren (Georgie Henley). Emily Parris (Kara Hayward) is a new girl at the school and soon becomes jealous that she is not part of the sisterhood. She spreads rumours about it, getting the whole town involved.

 

What A Girl Wants - FINALLY got round to watching this, after about 29545673 years!!! It's not the best film I've watched, but still quite good. What A Girl Wants probably would've been one of my favourite films ten years ago (though it's definitely not on the same level as She's the Man, Clueless, Mean Girls, Freaky Friday and A Cinderella Story). Colin Firth and Amanda Bynes are great, and Oliver James is so cute (he's also in Raise Your Voice)

 

So funny!

 

 

First Daughter - This was a fairly decent film, though nothing special. I thought it would be better, but it ended up being very silly.

 

 

The Spectacular Now - I've wanted to watch this film since before it came out over a year ago. I saw the trailer and it looked like the kind of film I'd enjoy. I was right. The Spectacular Now is a lovely film. It focuses on Sutter (Miles Teller), a popular guy with a slight addiction to alcohol, who wakes up in the middle of Aimee's front lawn after a night out. Although Aimee (Shailene Woodley) recognises Sutter from school, he doesn't know who she is at first. Sutter asks Aimee to tutor him and they soon get closer. I really liked The Spectacular Now - it was sweet and moving, and a great coming-of-age story.

Bridesmaids - This is so hilarious!

 

Once Upon a Time - I heard positive reviews about Once Upon a Time so I decided to check it out. I can't believe I've only just started watching it! One Upon a Time is brilliant! I like the idea and the characters are great! Henry is adorable and Rumplestiltskin is so creepy!

 

 

 

Side Effects - I found out about Side Effects whilst browsing Youtube a few weeks ago (I was actually looking for a film of the same name). The trailer looked intriguing so I searched it on IMDB for more info and then started watching it on Youtube. Side Effects is a web series about a girl who experiences hallucinations about her siblings singing after their father disappears. It's rather on the short side, with only four episodes, but so much happens. The songs are brilliant too - I love the covers of Safe and Sound and Try. Side Effects is definitely a show to watch if you're a fan of Glee.

 

 

Royal Crush - This is another Youtube series I've watched recently. It stars Youtubers Alex Aiono, Meg DeAngelis and Carrie Rad. Desi (Meg) and Katelyn (Carrie) are on holiday on a cruise and are interested in meeting cute guys. Desi bumps into Sebastian (Alex) and instantly likes him. However, Carrie also has a run in with Sebastian a little later and he gets the wrong idea about her, thinking she's more like Desi. Royal Crush isn't as good as Youtube shows like Side Effects and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, but it is fairly decent. Alex is really cute too :3 You can watch the trailer here.

  

 

 

Shipping Julia - I'd say that this is quite similar to Royal Crush. Youtubers Meghan Rienks and Oli White play the main characters. Shipping Julia is okay but I prefer Royal Crush.

 

 

 

Have you seen any of these films or programmes I've mentioned? What did you think of them?



Hasta luego!

 

Serena