A million little pieces Review.

James Frey’s memoir ‘A million little pieces’ is a brutally honest, self critical review of an  addict’s road to recovery, or should I say survival. The memoir takes a beautiful poetic tone, revealing the raw emotion and vulnerability which Frey feels daily. "There is no fear. Absolutely no fear. When one lives without fear, one cannot be broken. When one lives with fear one is broken before one begins to live."   Emotion is a key aspect within the book; I felt as if I had experienced James’ life with him, tasted the humiliation, remorse and horror, and it left me wanting more.

Frey doesn’t glamorize the process of rehabilitation; he reveals the desperation and the need for the drugs that will eventually kill him.  As the memoir progresses, we discover a new James, who in turn is discovering himself.  He battles against his permanent struggle to uncover his inner peace, instead of taking refuse in a bottle or taking drugs. His process unravels through a few stages; anger, running and then opening up. "Be patient and wait. Your mud will settle. Your water will be clear."

The involvement of relationships becomes the concrete support base of Frey’s recovery. Frey begins as a plain talking, rude, trouble twenty three year old, whose tragic flaw is self destruction. “Alone here and alone in the world. Alone in my heart and alone in my mind. Alone everywhere, all the time, for as long as I can remember.” Frey begin to open up, taking part in the family programme, talking to Lilly; indulging in some gruesome details of his past that he usually keeps hidden in his subconscious memory.  Frey illustrates the reactions of those closest to him, revealing the disappointment, doubt and disgrace that his family feel. However, I found it intriguing how Frey reveals his family to love and care about him, when he felt that they shouldn’t.  It made me feel sorry for his family but realise the strength of the bond between a parent and their child.

There is no in-between within Frey’s writing; there is only black and white, light and dark, alcoholic and t-total. He understands that he is an addict, and gets frustrated when people don’t realise that fact, and with that he believes he is a total waste. I found his writing style a breath of fresh air; I haven’t read anything like this. Even though it literally is Frey completing his daily routing, fighting the urges to take drugs and drink it is a captivating and intriguing piece.

A million little pieces is an authentic account of a life which is accurately in a million pieces, and it is placed together with time-staking labour and support. This is a gripping novel which you will find extremely difficult to put down. 

BOOK REVIEW - Toast by Nigel Slater

Nigel Slater has written a strikingly honest insight into his young life, and it would seem in the process, casting aside the feelings of his step family in favour of stark truthfulness, something we see very little of in autobiographies of our age. His distinct style which we can see in his other publications (his much loved recipe books) has not been sacrificed when writing Toast, making it clear that when you’re reading anything by Slater, you are reading Slater in his entirety, not a version Slater dumbed down by editing or ghost writers. A fact which endears you to him quicker than you may anticipate.

Slater has written in such a way that you immediately feel as though he is in the room with you, regaling you with the humorous tales of his youth in person. If, like me, you have watched Slater on the TV, you will find it increasingly hard to not hear his voice ringing in your head as you progress through the book. His personality shines through so strongly in the piece that it can become quite hard as a reader to form your own opinions of any given situation.

Toast lays in front of you episodes in Slater’s life in relation to food stuffs/meals which trigger the memories in question. Rather than being in chapters, the book is organised into these food related memories, making it much easier pick up at anytime, read and not feel like you’ve been dropped straight into an in-joke, much like you do with some other autobiographies.  

So controversial was his choice to include his shockingly truthful feelings towards his step mother in the book, that his step sisters have accused him of “cruel lies” about their mother. Whether or not the accusations in the novel regarding his step mothers borderline cruelty and selfishness are truthful or fictitious, what we see is how a young boy viewed the woman whom he regarded to be attempting to take the place of his late, beloved mother.  

His early brushes with homosexuality and sexuality in general, are splashed nonchalantly throughout the book, with a lot of the references to sex coming out of nowhere and becoming quite shocking. Some may find this a little too much for a light hearted autobiography, but the casual references to sexuality through Slater’s young life is just another way he has echoed the innocence of the piece.

Slater has managed to conquer an area of literature which many view as pretentious with great ease, showing us that talking about one’s life purely for others can bring immense enjoyment, for both the reader, and the writer.

The Eagle

The eagle is a tragic tale of a sons quest to regain his families honor after his father lost the emblem of Rome, the eagle. Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) is the perfect commander, he is strong, intelligent and isn't scared of putting his life on the line for his men. After being honorably discharged from the army, Marcus decides to invoke on a mission to find the lost eagle, taking with him his British slave, Esca (Jamie Bell). The Eagle is an action packed film, which reveals the barbaric British.

I really enjoyed this film, although I don't think it is anywhere near as good as Gladiator. I felt that Jamie Bell played a better part than Channing Tatum. I would recommend this film.

Nici xxx

A million Little Pieces

"Aged just twenty-three, James Frey had destroyed his body and his mind almost beyond repair. When he enters a rehabilitation centre to try to reclaim his life, he has to fight to determine what future, if any, he has. His lack of self-pity, cynicism and piety gives him an unflinching honesty - a fearless candour that is at once charming and appalling, searing and darkly funny."

I bought this book for a Christmas present for my Grandma, and it has circled around my family, eventually it landed back with me. A million little pieces is a brutally honest, self critical review of an addicts path of recovery. So far I have not been able to put this book down; the language which Frey uses is a beautiful poetic style, using tripling and repetition to emphasize the disgusting recovery that unravels before him.

I haven't finished the book yet, although I will be writing a full review within the next two weeks.

Nici 

x

There are no words to describe how beautiful this song is. Listen.

FILM REVIEW - Hall Pass (15/3/2011)

So Nici and I had a bit of time to kill today and decided that we should go and watch a film (for a change!). Originally we planned to go and see The Adjustment Bureau, but we were a little late and settled for Hall Pass. The story of Rick (Owen Wilson) and his best friend Fred (Jason Sedeikis), who, after tormenting their wives to their wits end due to their obsessions with sex, are granted a "Hall Pass" - one week off marriage. Their wives part company with them for one whole week, and they are given permission to do in that week whatever they so please. Cue endless amounts of hilarity... or not.

The storyline was incredibly ridiculous and the gags woven into it were predictable and poorly delivered - definitely not one of Wilson's best moments. To give it it's dues, there were some very funny parts, but not enough to fill the 105 minutes of film you sit through. And cringingly, it would seem that the writer fell to cheap laughs to get any comedy what so ever (think huge black penis is Wilson's face and you'll get the picture). The ending didn't show up the rest of the film - it was predictable, and speaking about it between ourselves during the final scenes, there was so much room for some laughs that the writers just missed out on.

The one saving grace was the hilarious turn from our very own Stephen Merchant, and the funniest part of the entire film is during the credits, when Merchant has his own little scene. Why they put it there, when people can miss it entirely if they walk out, is beyond me.

Overall, it was a semi-decent "filling in time" film, but I wouldn't rush out to watch it, and would advise that you wait to watch it on TV rather than spending any money on it.

TTFN and all that jazz
Kim
xx

Battle: Los Angeles

I have heard mixed reviews about this; Action Packed or Battle Obsessed? A significant amount of people are saying that there is too much action in this film. However if we had been invaded by aliens, would we not have to fight pretty much all of the time? I feel Battle :LA gives a realistic view of the emotions and actions of the forces, and also of the intrigued civilians. 

From the very beginning we are placed in the action, we know that something has attacked Los Angeles. We are able to see the damage done, due to L.A being 'colonized'. Although, in my personal opinion I feel there is a balance between the story line and the action. We see Staff Sargent Michael Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) handing in his notice, as he feels he has done his time, and past his sell by date. Unfortunately for him, and conveniently for us, a cluster of meteorites are heading towards certain cities, with large populations. The forces prepare to evacuate, although when Nantz reaches the base, they realise it is not meteorites. They are metal  in structure and  slow down when reaching the Earth. 


Battle : Los Angeles is a must see film. If you like films such as; Cloverfield or Independence Day this is the film for you.


Rating 12A 

Hope you enjoyed the review - Nici x

Random Video

I don't usually go through youtube video's but I stumbled onto this. It is hilarious, really creative. I love Toy Story and also Taylor Swift. So this is just immense. If you like it, then comment.

Lots of Love Nici x

From Swan Queen to Sex Queen

From Black Swan, a unique, dark, gripping tale, to No Strings Attached, an average romantic-comedy, Natalie Portman has left us confused and yet intrigued by this drastic change in style.
Black Swan is the much anticipated story of a hard working Ballerina, Nina Sayers' (Natalie Portman) challenge to play the lead role in the upcoming performance. It reveals her constant struggle and dedication to produce a perfect performance. It isn’t long before all of the stress begins to affect Nina. With raunchy scenes and some which are terrifying. Portman has shocked us with this amazing yet controversial film.

So when we realised that Portman was staring in a Rom-Com, I thought “What in the world is she doing?” By taking the lead role in Black Swan, Portman has inherited a considerate amount of credibility, which it seems she has simply thrown away.

To say the least, I was dubious about No Strings Attached, I really hoped that Portman knew what she was doing, and if I’m being honest, it was hilarious. Portman plays the part of Emma, an overworked doctor who develops a plan for her and her best friend, Adam (Ashton Kutcher), to become ‘friends with benefits’. The whole audience know that it is inevitable for these two people to fall in love. One great disappointment was the ending. It was over bearing, cheesy and just made me want to puke! Take away the last 15 minutes and I feel Natalie Portman has chosen the correct film to star in, after Black Swan. We see that she is extremely capable of capturing a serious and playful character. My hat comes off to you Natalie Portman, you are an amazing actress.

So guys I'm going to leave you with both of the trailers and please feel free to give comments, what did you think of the films? Do you think Natalie Portman should have taken the part of Emma? Also what do you think of Ashton's part?

Lots of Love Nici x

 

No Strings Attached

Black Swan

Pancake Day

So once again Pancake Day has arrived and gone. I am not one for usually getting into the spirit for Pancake Day as I'm not a big fan of pancakes. Can you believe? Although this year I decided to go and visit my Grandparents along with my sister Laura. As we all know my Grandad makes beautiful pancakes. It was a really nice day as we all got to sit down and have a catch up. It was a shame my parents and boyfriend were all working (busy bee's) but hopefully next year we can do this again with them included. Here are a few pics.

My Grandad showing us his cooking skills.

Hope you enjoyed. We certainly did. Lots of Love Nici x

I MADE A PIE!!

Excuse the awful photos, I was in too much of a hurry to eat!!

It's so good. Om nom nom!

TTFN and all that jazz

Kim

xx

My World Book Night

This year World Book Night was celebrated by giving certain individuals 50 copies of some of the best books written. I was lucky to be friends with one of the 'chosen ones' and attended the event he put on.

The book he was given was 'Toast' by Nigel Slater (I've just finished it and it was amazing, review to come). Ian (the giver) held a tea party of sorts in order to give out his books, and we enjoyed some good music, good conversation and some hella tasty cake (the Rocky Road did not last long on my plate), all in the comfortable and cosy surroundings of a tiny little cafe in a tiny little local village.

I had a lovely time! Here are just a few of the pictures from the night...

TTFN and all that jazz

Kim

xx

The Product of My Baking Last Week

I had a little bake whilst Karl was away (mentioned in a previous post), so I just thought I'd show you the one success of the day...

This, my friends, is one of the tastiest things I have ever tried... Chocolate and Orange Loaf Cake (from a recipe in Nigella Lawsons Kitchen recipe book).

Give it a go. Honestly. Everything you need to make it is so cheap, and it lasts a really long time without losing it's taste. I had the last two slices smothered in Nutella with a glass of milk for breakfast. 

TTFN and all that jazz

Kim

xx

Flat boring hair - Goodbye

Hey guys,
I have always had extremely flat hair, if I curl it, it drops out straight away. Even if I spray it, mouse it, you name it I've tried it. Over the summer I went to the Trafford Centre with my lovely mum and boots were giving free make overs and restyling hair for free! As my mum and myself are in love with free things I got a makeover and I found the product that I love! Glam Hair Backcomb in a bottle - Umberto Giannini .

I ran around for the next two weeks trying to find it in every Boots and Superdrug but it was always sold out. I finally found my dream product along with the others in the collection. Glam Hair Rock 'N' Roll Extreme Hair spray and Glam Hair Massive Mouse. I use these products daily and would never swap from them. They  smell amazing as they are slightly scented with one of the perfumes that Umberto Giannini make. 

These are the pictures from the DAY AFTER my makeover - just remember, my hair usually falls out!

Lots of Love 

Nici 

x

I am number four Review

I can't say that I was thrilled from the trailer of I am number four. It really wasn't one of those trailers which gave me goosebumps, and made me want to go and watch it straight away... Or at all. However, my boyfriend thought it sounded really good so I went along. 

I am number four is a tale about a teenage boy who is constantly on the run from his 'enemies' who conveniently followed 'John Smith- one of the 9 left of his kind' to Earth to kill him. John ends up in a small town, and as on his first day finds the love of his life. John continues to be a fugitive, though doesn't want to leave his love. 


It would make a great family film, or a first date film. For those of you who dislike Twilight, stay way way away from this one. It is quite similar to X-men, though if it was set in a school, not as good special effects and not as good.


Overall I would rate the film as 7/10. 
Rating 12A

MATALAN HAUL!

Hey guys,
So this week I decided to go to Matalan, as I'd seen some beautiful skirts which were really beautiful. They had the body-con skirts, and also the ra-ra type skirts too (not too sure if they are called that anymore). Anyways, as    I walked in, what greeted me? Oh yessss! HALF PRICE SALE! Very happy Nici indeed. So the really beautiful skirts that were £6 to £9 were now really cheap. Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that I actually don't suit skirts, as even these beautiful £3 skirts didn't look right on me... But that's pear shape for you. 
But please don't be fooled. You may be thinking I bet she bought a few bits and bobs, well so did I until I got the shock of my life! £90! Thank Goodness for student discount eh? So I'll just show you a few things that I bought.

Firstly, my most prized buy. This cardigan has little bronze studs surrounding the edges, which make it look extremely intricate and pretty. It is quite light in weight which is good for the Spring Season. This set me back £20. But it's a star buy that will match with so many clothes. 

Secondly, my gladiator sandals, yes, I am eager for summer. Especially when it rains all the time, here in sunny Lancaster. The reason I bought these were because they have the same bronze type detailing as the cardigan that I had picked up. I've worn them for a little while so far, they seem comfortable. I don't usually wear sandals, but I thought because they matched that I'd have them. These beauties cost £14.

I am a complete lover of the bucket bag. I carry around so many things, that I couldn't get away with having a small bag. The thing that I love the most about this bag is the handle, it has a metal chain entwining with a silver colour strip of fake leather. There are also sequins all over the bag, so it really glistens when the sun hits it. This was £10.

I also bought quite a lot of jewelery. All of which was bronze. There was quite a large collection of jewelery in the sale, which was brilliant. But I can't say it was a good thing for my bank balance. If you are looking for somewhere cheap and cheerful, have a look in at your local Matalan! It's got some great stuff. 

I'm on my own tonight!

Karl's off to London on business (very posh) and my mum is away in Spain, so I'm spending the first night on my own in my new house tonight. I'm a touch nervous (I'm a huge scaredy cat), but I have many plans to keep me preoccupied.

I'm going to do a lot of tidying. A lot. We're just about to get starting refurbishing our home (Updates will come!) but we need to get everything organised before we can make a start. So I'm going to tackle some of the house today. Mostly the kitchen and living room.

THEN I plan to cook up a storm to cheer myself up at night. I'm a huge fan of cooking and baking, and when I'm feeling down I like to spend a few hours in the kitchen making something tasty to eat. To be honest, it's more the process than eating the final product that does the trick, but I'm not complaining about the end product! So I plan to make my self a tasty dinner (French Onion Soup and Buttermilk Chicken with root veg mash and some sort of tasty cabbage concoction) plus two cakes - one Red Velvet two tier with cream cheese frosting and one Chocolate and Orange loaf cake. Pictures and recipes will follow!

After I've pigged out and watched a film, I'm going to have a nice long soak in the tub and get straight into bed with a good book.

My question for you today is - How do you like to spend your time when you have a whole day or two to yourself? Do you get lonely, or do you relish the solitude? And, How do you battle your fears when you're on your own?

Fingers crossed I wont get so scared I end up walking down to my sisters, and if you're on your own tonight I hope you enjoy yourself!

TTFN and all that jazz
Kim
xx