Book Review | Ready Player One

Hi! I've done a review of a book I finished reading a little while ago now, I'm still thinking about it. Ready Player One is set at a time when resources are running out. People have abandoned reality and spend most of their lives playing on the Oasis, a virtual reality network. Energy resources started to run out and everyone headed to the nearest large city where power was still available so they can get a connection. Due to condensed population and deterioration of living standards most people now live in trailers stacked 50 high.

Ready Player One

Author - Ernest Cline
First Published  - August 2011

Page Count - 374

The story really takes off when James Halliday the creator of the oasis dies. A game is launched to look for a hidden Easter egg within the fantasy world, the person to find the egg inherits the Oasis. Wade the central character through who's eye the story is told and the other main characters are underdogs all trying to find somewhere they fit in, the oasis is that place. Having the chance to create alternative persona's gives them all a chance at living life to the full, finding the Easter egg becomes their goal. There are others out there known as the Sixers also playing the game with the motive of winning to destroy everything the oasis stands for.

This is a good geeky read but also easily relate-able for non-gamers, it references lost of old 80's pop culture. It's a fast paced story which keeps you guessing. Worth a read if you like to read books to then compare the film adaptation as the book is due to be made into a film directed by Steven Spielberg. I really enjoyed this book and managed to finished it rather quickly considering I'm a slow reader as the story drew me in and I couldn't put the book down.

Have you read Ready Player One?

Sam

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Primark Mini Haul | Summer Basics

Hi, I've got a selection of a few things I recently picked up from Primark to share with you. When in store I tried to pick up a range of items that worked together, I think I did quite well as all of the items featured would make a nice summer outfit.

Snake Effect Flats - £5 | Striped T-shirt - £4.00 | Shorts - £3.90 | 90's Choker - £1.50 | Sun Glasses - £2

I spotted the shoes, the shape was what caught my eye, I had to stop myself getting too excited as I never find a size 3 in Primark, but this time I was lucky and managed to grab the last pair. They are made of a matte leather effect snakeskin pattern, which looks way more expensive than they cost. They have an element of cushioning inside and look to have a reasonable amount of grip, I look forward to getting a lot of wear out of these.

The shorts where on offer from £5 to £3.90, I figured they would be good for sunning in the garden if nothing else. They are a khaki green, a colour I do not own in shorts. They are quite a short cut but I very rarely don't wear tights even during the summer.

The T-shirt is one of those ribbed tees which everyone seems to have. They are very small fitting and quite sheer so I sized up, it looks really nice and loose and just the right length to wear with high wasted jeans without been too cropped.

I always get my sunglasses from Primark as they have some pretty nice designs and I'm super clumsy. If I spent a lot of money on a pair I can bet they would be scratched, broken or lost before the summer was over. These are a great alternative and great to take to festivals.

I've wanted a 90's choker for a while but I didn't want to spend the prices Topshop is asking. Primark finally had a restock of these in the Leeds store so I finally picked one up.

 What has Primark had you spending your money on?

Sam

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Highstreet Haul | Toiletries and Other Bits

Hi, today it's over cast with the sun trying to show it's face but failing. Last weekend I headed into my local town to pick up a few bits which I've been needing to get for a while and decided to share my little beauty haul with you. Nothing exciting really but some really nice and super affordable products.

Nivea Hydro Care
I've been using the classic Nivea lip balm for ages and love how hydrating it is. I found this in Bodycare for the grand total of 69p so had to try it out. The reason I want to try this one over the classic is this one has SPF 15 so perfect for the summer months.

Wilkinson Hair Rollers
I was going to pick these up in Primark as I didn't know that anywhere else did them. I this pack in Wilkinsons which contain 12 rollers for £1, you only get 8 in the Primark sets so I saved a £1 as I didn't have to buy the third pack I thought I'd need.

Olay Day Fluid
I've been using this product for years so it's become a staple in my daily routine. It's a super light weight moisturiser which sinks into the skin really quickly, it also contains SPF 15.

Sure Invisible Deodorant
Another product that I have been using for years. When the whole anti white marks technology came out I couldn't have been happier, as I typically wear all black, bye bye white marks.

Garnier Summer Body
I'm of the English rose skin type, so I decided to try some gradual tan. I've seen this on a lot of blog posts recently and I couldn't be bothered to research any alternatives, so hopefully it works for me. I got this in light so I'll keep you posted on the results. I got this 400ml bottle for £3.50 from Morrison.

Superdrug Restoring Skin Oil
I have some stretch marks on my hips from teenage growth and have always been self conscious about it. Products like Bio Oil have been on my radar to try to see if it makes any difference even as a placebo. In Superdrug I found their own brand version of the product with a 1/3 off.

Superdrug Superberry Mud Mask
Yet another Superdrug home brand product but you really can't go wrong. I picked this clay face mask up as I wanted something different to products I already own. This product is interesting as it contains raspberry seeds which act as a natural exfoliating ingredient.

Vaseline Rosy Lips
I got one of these for Christmas and really enjoyed it for a light tint of colour on the lips. As always with Vaseline it's a super moisturising product with a slightly fragrant scent from the use of Rose and Almond Oil as ingredients.

Have you bought any summer essentials?

Sam

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Film Review | Spy

Hi, another film review for you today, this time I am reviewing Spy which I went to see a few weeks ago. The main character is Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) a qualified spy who has never seen a day at work that wasn't at her desk. She works along side Bradley Fine (Jude Law) as his intelligence while on missions, Susan has become a little infatuated with him over time. One day Bradley Fine is tracking the daughter of the previous owner of a bomb, Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne). Fine is killed in action when the mission goes wrong. This is when a heart broken Susan puts herself up to go out on the field and track the people responsible for her partners death.

With a selection of the worst possible undercover identities and even worse designed spy gadgets, Susan sets out on her first under cover mission. All she has to do is stay unknown to the target and report back to HQ. All the while a rogue agent Rick Ford (Jason Statham) is out to solve the case on his own. There are some really funny exchanges of words between the pair. The film is full of random moments which are massively cringe worthy in a funny way. The story is quick paced and full of funny moments. I enjoyed the film but I wasn't blown away by it, it was pretty much a classic spy film with the usual gun fights and some impressive choreography of hand to hand combat. There are also good elements of blossoming friendships and personal discovery by Susan. There is a pretty good twist at the end which I didn't see coming which is always nice.

I never know how much to talk about the plot of a film in a review so I hope I don't give too much away?

Sam

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My Weight Loss Experience | MyFitnessPal App

Hi, today I wanted to talk about my weight loss experience. Using the MyFitnessPal app over 2 months I have managed to loss 11 pounds, this was a really easy accomplishment and just required a little meal planning, recipe research and self restraint. I have never been on a diet previous to this health kick, I've just never needed too. I think I've been lucky in the past and my body and lifestyle have worked together to keep my weight at a good level. Now that I'm getting older I think my teenage metabolism is long gone and my job is a lot less active, everything I eat is now having a direct effect on my weight. Like I said in my previous post about weight loss (which you can read here) I have never considered myself to be over weight, but I definitely still had some extra weight hanging around from Christmas which I wanted rid of for the summer months.

Stock Photo - Unsplash

The app helps you keep track of the calories you are consuming on a daily basis, this in turn helps you select healthier options or cut down on portion size. Not once during this last two months have I ever felt I couldn't have something, if I had an indulgent day I'd just make sure to stick to it more the following day. I'm sure you could lose your desired weight quicker than I have if you stick too the calorie goal strictly all the time but you're more likely to binge on all the things you've been craving rather than just working them into a more overall healthy lifestyle. If you're planning on having a treat then plan to have a lower calorie meal during the day to balance out your daily calories.

I already loved to eat healthy, but I have been eating much healthier since I started my weight loss challenge by cooking with fresh ingredients and staying away from pre-packed foods (fresh ingredients are way tastier). When counting calories look at other nutritional values as well, such as sugar intake for example. That leads to the other good thing about the app, it works as a food dairy which calculates all the nutritional information from your food. This shows you if you are consuming enough vitamins and minerals as well as your daily sugar and protein intake. I would say that I actually get more goodness from the foods I eat now than I did previously.

There might be times when you don't want to take the time to fill in the app and others when you just fancy a takeaway but continuing to work towards your goal is so worth it. I can honestly say the best result from this weight loss challenge for myself was been able to fit into a pair of size ten jeans which where too small to fasten weeks before. Counting calories has worked for me and I don't think I'm the only one. I'd like to lose another 3 pounds to make it a whole stone lost and then I have some room to indulge during the summer without feeling that I have undone all the good I have accomplished.

Do you have a favourite low calorie meal?
Sam

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Film Review | The Age of Adaline

Hi, the other week I went to see The Age of Adaline with my parents, we went to the local independent cinema The Rex, in Elland. It's super cheap at £5 per ticket and only £4 on Mondays. The Rex is one of the oldest purpose built, structurally unaltered cinemas in the country. It opened as a Picture House on 12th December 1912. The cinema has a very vintage feel, it has a small screen complete with operational curtains ready to close for the interval when ice creams is available. My mum wanted to see the film because she's a massive Harrison Ford fan.

Adaline (Blake Lively) has been 29 years old for 8 decades, she hasn't aged a day, the cause an accident. She watches her family and friends age around her while she has to hide her true identity to keep them and herself safe. She lives her whole life keeping people at a distance so that no one makes the connection that she has not changed. Inevitably she can't stop being human and meets Ellis (Michiel Huisman) which complicates her solitary way of life. What is supposed to be a simple weekend away at his parents house becomes a trip down memory lane when she meets an old flame William (Harrison Ford).

The film plays out with a selection of flash backs and memories narrated in a very scientific and to the point manner. I really enjoyed the film, it kept me interested in both her past and where her story was heading. Finding out more and more about her past and how she has keeps renewing herself with new identities every ten years. There are elements of both happiness and sadness in this film in good quantities, a film that keeps you thinking once you've left the cinema. I would highly recommend this film as there's not too much mushiness with the romance, the film is more focused on the emotional state of Adaline and the sacrifices she has made over the years. A lot of people would give anything to stay young forever, but at what cost when everything around you changes into a place you no longer know and you start to lose the people you love.

Would you want to live forever?

Sam

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Sale and Wishlist | H&M

Hi, Signing up to email alerts from shops can be A. Good because you can make savings when they have discount days and be made aware of the sales, B. Bad because they make you spend money. This all leads to the fact I got an email from H&M to promote their mid season sale, £100 later and I have new stuff coming in the post. I'll do a little haul of the stuff I keep once it arrives. They also have some new lines and after a quick look I've put together a wishlist of some items for another day (I'm waiting for a good discount code).

Cotton Shorts - £14.99 | Moon Crop Top - £6.99 | Trainers - £14.99

Rings - £7.99 | Cushion Cover - £3.99 | T-light Holder - £1.99

Just a few bits but the crop top is really cute and the print screams 90's to me (I know the whole 70's thing is in but you're never going to see me in flares). The lace cotton shorts are perfect for super hot summer days so I'll probably only buy these if I book a holiday abroad, there's still time. The rings are a little over priced for my liking but they are statement pieces. The cushion cover is monochrome interior patterning at it's best for my taste and the T-light holder continues the lack of colour but with a really decorative pattern. Lastly are the trainers I have been after a pair of leather effect slip on trainers for ages but every where keeps selling out so maybe I'll grab a pair of these before it's too late.

Have you seen the new range, what's your favourite piece?

Sam

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