Apocalypse Now

The end of the world is nigh.

Well at least according to some.

So it makes sense that if we are going to go out with a big bang or some other cataclysmic event to get update to with as much apocalyptic fiction that you can find so that you can be ready to face whatever may come.

It's kind of handy that apocalyptic fiction is so in vogue right now.  The end of the world has never been so popular which probably says something about the human psyche, I'm just not sure what.

Are we all doomsayer's or is it a more hopeful notion that it could never happen to us so reading about it is some kind of life affirming thing.

Maybe it's just all just a  guilty pleasure.

Whatever it might be there's plenty of scenarios to choice from; exploding volcanoes, virus's ravaging the population, asteroids and meteors hurtling towards the earth, there is something for everyone.

How to spend your summer with John Green

I have to be honest with you dear reader: I am utterly in love with the written word. Whether it be books, plays, poetry, song lyrics or just a really great episode of Community. To me there is a magic to a great piece of writing that is somewhat similar to eating a piece of cake. I love it so much that I kind of want the written word to become a person so I can take it to Las Vegas and marry it.

This being said, you can imagine that when I stuck my nose into a new book by one of my favourite authors, I was pretty excited.

Turns out, I had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is, quite simply, a work of art. I don’t think I have ever read a book that was this beautifully written whilst perfectly poignant. It’s funny, smart, raw, honest and I loved every word. I know that every reader’s experience with a book is different but for me this book was truly an education in what it means to be human. 

Now, I know that MJ has already written about The Fault in Our Stars and has encouraged you to read not only this book but his other work as well (I whole heartedly concur) so I thought I would point out some of his other books for you to enjoy over the summer.

The Fault in Our Stars  

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.  

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Looking for Alaska

Before: Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big non-event, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After: Nothing is ever the same.

An Abundance of Katherines 

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. He's also a washed-up child prodigy with ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a passion for anagrams, and an overweight, Judge Judy-obsessed best friend. Colin's on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which will predict the future of all relationships, transform him from a fading prodigy into a true genius, and finally win him the girl. Letting expectations go and allowing love in are at the heart of Colin's hilarious quest to find his missing piece and avenge dumpees everywhere.

Paper Towns 

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues - and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer Q gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson Written with David Levithan 

One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens—both named Will Grayson—are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.


Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humour that have won both them legions of faithful fans.

Happy 12/12/12 everyone. DFTBA. 

Bah Humbug

Christmas in New Zealand is just a little... disappointing.

It's either raining so hard that the last thing you feel like is getting out of bed and dealing with cooking Christmas dinner and a household of guests; the lure of staying put with a glass of good wine, a plate of Christmas mince pies and a good book having far more appeal.

Or if it's not raining, it's so hot that instead you want to retreat to a deck chair under a shady tree, wearing as little as possible with the mince pies, cold drink and a good book close on hand rather than stand over a hot stove cooking a 10 pound turkey with all the trimmings.

Either way it just doesn't feel like Christmas.

Where's the carollers wandering the streets, the mulled wine, the roaring fire, the reindeer and more importantly, the snow.

This is the Christmas of my dreams.  The Christmas that every holiday season movie and TV Christmas special has fueled,

One day I'm going to have my Christmas fantasy but until them I'm going to enjoy the time off work, visit friends and family, read a ton of books and watch my fill of Christmasy movies.

Christmas music that doesn't suck.

I really, really love Christmas and I really, really love music but I almost never listen to Christmas music. I find a lot of it to be really repetitive and unimaginative. However there are some good Christmas albums so I thought I'd share a couple with you.


A Christmas Carole Carole King
One of the greatest song writers in the world had released a Christmas album....where she didn't write any of the songs. It's still quite an original album with some of the songs written by her daughter Louise Goffin. Carole has more than proved herself as a song writer so it's nice to just chill out and listen to her sing.



A Very She and Him Christmas Zooey Deschanel (from the TV show The New Girl) and musician M. Ward make up She and Him. If you like your Christmas music to be a bit more folksy and indie-cool give this album a listen. No original music but they have made each song their own.

Christmas Duets Elvis Presley
Elvis singing Christmas songs with biggest stars in country music today. Featuring the likes of Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, LeAnn Rimes, Olivia Newton John. It's the King, you can't really go wrong.

On This Winter's Night Lady Antebellum
One of my favorite bands in the world (they're AMAZING live). Lady A have put together an album that pretty much has the exact same set list as most other Christmas albums but they have changed the arrangement on a lot of the songs and the harmonies are incredible. They wrote the title track of the album so make sure you check that one out.

Christmas fiction for non-Grinches

Yes, yes, a post with a Christmas theme. What else would I be doing in December? (Aside from vacuuming tinsel off the carpet at regular intervals.) Thank goodness my family has gone to a ballot system for Christmas presents - one name, one present. So much easier.

Anyway, suppose I should talk about books, given that's what my masters let me out for. Christmas-themed anythings tend to bring me out in hives - especially holiday films and Mariah Carey albums - but I realise not everyone is as Grinchy as I am. Some of you even listen to Cliff Richard year-round. There is no hope for you.

To put fellow Grinches in the festive mood, here is a holiday assortment of Christmassy titles - some romance, some family dramas, some with a gripping mystery. To cater for those who love Christmas lists, I have attached the same.

We are an all-inclusive organisation.

By the way, you may notice extended loan periods kicking off around now, meaning you get to relax and take your time reading your holiday books. Our present to you.

With Love at Christmas

Juliet Joyce adores Christmas. She loves the presents, the tree, the turkey, the tinsel, everything. But this Christmas things are starting to get out of hand. Her son Tom is out of work and bringing home a slew of unsuitable partners; pregnant daughter Chloe and her little boy have moved back in; Juliet's father, Frank, is getting over a heartbreak of his own and Rita, her eccentric mother, is behaving more erratically each day. And has the chaos got too much for Juliet's husband Rick? With the big day fast approaching, Juliet hopes that she can stop everything spiralling out of control.

A Christmas Garland
The year is 1857, soon after the tragic Siege of Cawnpore. In the British garrison, a guard is killed and an Indian prisoner escapes, which leads to yet more British deaths. Cries for revenge are overwhelming. Despite no witnesses and no evidence, British medical orderly named John Tallis is arrested as an accomplice simply because he was the only soldier unaccounted for when these baffling crimes were committed. Chosen to defend Tallis, young Lieutenant Victor Narraway is not encouraged to try very hard. But with the help of a simple Christmas garland Narraway is determined to persevere.

Twelve Clues of Christmas
While serving as an assistant to the hostess of a large Christmas house party in Tiddleton-under-Lovey, Lady Georgiana Rannoch calls in her retired copper grandfather after dead bodies begin showing up in this fun 1930s crime caper.

Married by Christmas

All she wants is the perfect Christmas Eve wedding. It's been on Anna's wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she'd ever experienced. But now - only two weeks before her big day - her husband-to-be drops a bombshell...Only nothing's going to stop Anna's plans - not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife.

Merry Little Christmas
With four children, a Christmas cookbook to write, and her mum suffering from dementia, Cat Tinsall has plenty to juggle. When her eldest daughter, Mel, starts going off the rails, Cat has even more on her plate. Pippa Holliday adores her family, although often finds her hands full. When Dan is involved in a terrible accident, Pippa's world is suddenly turned upside down. Balancing her job as a school teacher with twins and her step-son Steven, isn't easy for Marianne North. With her husband's ex causing trouble, life is getting even trickier. As Cat, Pippa and Marianne help each other through a difficult year, they're all hoping for a much brighter Christmas.

Winter Flame
Eve has never liked Christmas, not since her beloved fiance was killed in Afghanistan on Christmas Day. So when her adored aunt dies, the last thing she is expecting is to be left a theme park in her will. A theme park with a Christmas theme. However, her aunt's will stipulates that Eve must run the park with a mysterious partner, the exotically named Jacques Glace. Who is this Jacques, and why did Aunt Evelyn name him in her will? But Eve isn't going to back down from a challenge. And maybe Jacques and his crazy ideas to make Winterworld more Christmassy than Lapland can melt Eve's frozen heart?

Deadly Patterns

Bliss, Texas, is gearing up for its annual Winter Wonderland festival, but when a mysterious Scrooge ends the merriment with murder, it'll take more than a ghost from Christmas past to set things right.

Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
It's Christmas Eve and Detective Alex Cross is called away from his family to resolve a horrific hostage situation that is spiralling out of control.

What Happens at Christmas
Camille, Lady Lydingham, wants an official engagement to a handsome, dashing prince for Christmas, but her plans go awry when she organizes a party for him to meet her unconventional relatives--and a former love interest also shows up.

Twas the Night After Christmas
Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, has been estranged from his mother for most of his life. When his mother's new companion, Mrs. Camilla Stuart, writes to tell him that his mother is seriously ill, he goes home. But when he learns that the lovely widow tricked him in order to effect a holiday reconciliation, he refuses to stay unless she meets his "terms".

Some Kind of Fairy Tale

It is Christmas afternoon and Peter Martin gets an unexpected call from his parents. They have a visitor. His sister Tara. Twenty years ago Tara took a walk into the woods and never came back. The family have assumed that she was dead. Now she's back, dirty, dishevelled, but happy and full of stories about twenty years spent travelling the world. But her stories don't quite hang together. The intervening years have been very kind to Tara. She looks no different from the young woman who walked out the door twenty years ago. Peter's parents are just delighted to have their little girl back, but Peter and his friend Richie, Tara's one time boyfriend, are not so sure. Some would say it's as if she's off with the fairies. And Peter begins to suspect that the woods are not finished with Tara and his family.

As the Baron cried out: "Merry Christmas, my friend!"