June Non-Beauty Favourites 2015

June Non-Beauty Favourites 2015

Thursday, 2 July 2015

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I had so many Non-Beauty Favourites this month that I thought they really deserved their own post. So let's talk Non-Beauty Faves!

Pitch Perfect 2

I love this film! I kinda thought I would because I was already a huge fan of the first one, and obviously the insane girl crush on Anna Kendrick continues, but I was surprised by how much I liked it.  It's so funny, it has some really amazing music in it and is all about the girl power. It's awesome, and really stands up alongside the first film. Roll on Pitch Perfect 3! This brings me to my next favourite...

Crazy Youngsters by Ester Dean

I am obsessed with the Pitch Perfect 2 soundtrack, obvs, but this song is one of my absolute favourites from it. I've been listening to it pretty much constantly because it gets me so PUMPED! If I went to the gym (I'm working on it) this would be my new favourite work out song. I seriously love it. 

Wish I Was Here

I've been a massive Zach Braff fan for years and Wish I Was Here has been on my to watch list for ages but I'd just never got round to watching it. Well I finally did and it's fantastic! It's funny, bittersweet and completely heartbreaking with a terrific soundtrack. It has a fabulous cast including the incredible Kate Hudson and the so-talented-she-makes-me-feel-like-I-need-to-get-my-shit-together Joey King as Braff's daughter Grace. Plus if you're a Scrubs fan, like me, there are loads of cameos from former cast members. It's such a good film, definitely give it a watch if you're a fan of funny, awesome, indie movies or Zach Braff. You know what just watch it. 

99 Days by Katie Cotugno

I was a HUGE fan of Cotugno's first book How to Love, it's actually one of my favourites, so I was desperate to get my hands on her latest offering and I'm happy to say that it is fantastic! 99 Days is about Molly, a young girl who has returned home for the summer after escaping to boarding school a year earlier. Before she went away Molly had been in a relationship with this guy Patrick for years, they had grown up together and everything was great until the day they broke up and she slept with his very handsome older brother Gabe. To make matters oh so much worse Molly's mother, who I hated btw, is a famous novelist and wrote a book about the whole thing. After returning to her small home town over a year later Molly has to survive 99 days of summer and the wrath of Patrick and his bitchy sister Julia before she can leave for college and never look back. Luckily handsome Gabe is also home for the summer to make things a bit better. Now I really, really loved this book, I also had a bit of a crush on Gabe but that's beside the point, it's heartfelt and very moving and really highlights society's hypocrisy of applauding guys and shaming girls when it comes to sex. It's a fabulous, fabulous book and I will be reading it again very soon. 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

Speaking of fabulous books... I've had The Rosie Project on my kindle for ages but hadn't had the chance to read it so when my lectures finished for the summer and I had a bit more time for reading this was the first book I reached for and I loved it. The Rosie Project is about Don Tillman, a geneticist with Aspergers Syndrome who has no idea that he is on the Autistic Spectrum, who after a series of disastrous dates starts 'the wife project' in order to meet his perfect match. Instead he meets Rosie, a bar maid who brings chaos into his neatly ordered world. For any Big Bang Theory fans out there this is very much a love story told by a Sheldon Cooper-esque figure. It's excellent, well written, very funny and actually quite sweet,  the best part  though is the fact that it's the first in a series and the sequel The Rosie Effect is really good as well. 

What were your Non-Beauty Favourites? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

*Disclaimer* I own all images except for those of  Pitch Perfect 2, Wish I Was Here & the music video for Crazy Youngsters. All media used for entertainment purposes only. Images/Videos Via, Via, Via

The Fault In Our Stars: A Movie Review

The Fault In Our Stars: A Movie Review

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

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(Picture courtesy of thefaultinourstarsmovie.com...how adorable is Gus/Ansel Elgort's face?! Seriously!)

Before we get started this review contains spoilers! You have been warned! I saw The Fault in Our Stars on Thursday and I thought I had to review it for you guys. Since I first read this book (I've read it 5 times and am now on my 6th) I, and the rest of the world, have been obsessed with The Fault in Our Stars. Because I loved it so much I was a teeny bit skeptical when I heard this was being made into a movie. How on earth could a movie capture the magic of this book? - It totally managed it by the way- That's the problem with film adaptations they can't please everybody. Particularly when it's an adaptation of such a beloved book. Some fans were bound to be disappointed with the movie but I am happy to report that I was not one of them. 

To say that I loved this movie is a HUGE understatement. It. Is. Amazing! It stays true to the story without being cheesy. It has a kickass soundtrack (more about that later) and it manages to achieve the perfect balance between hilariously funny and heartbreakingly sad. I will definitely be buying the dvd, in fact I can't wait for it to come out. I was really worried about the casting of Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort (because I have too much time on my hands) but they were absolutely perfect. When I initially saw that Ansel Elgort had been cast I was a bit dubious for 3 reasons. 1. I hadn't really heard of him before so I didn't know if he was capable of stepping into the impressive shoes of Augustus Waters. 2. Nat Woolfe, who was in contention for the role of Gus before taking on the role of Isaac (above middle), was closer to how I imagined Gus and 3. He had played opposite Shailene Woodley in Divergent AS HER BROTHER and because of this I didn't think they would have the right chemistry. How very wrong I was on all counts. Ansel Elgort was GLORIOUS as the beautifully tragic Augustus Waters. As for Shailene Woodley, despite being very confused about what feminism actually is, she was pretty amazing and exactly the way I'd pictured Hazel. As for the chemistry between the two of them... 

(Picture courtesy of thefaultinourstars.wikia.com)

I think this picture says it all! I mean seriously? Who looked at these two and thought hmm they'd be good as brother and sister? They're even adorable together in real life. I'm totally shipping Ansel and Shailene/Gus and Hazel, yeah we're on a first name basis, but they aren't the only amazing cast members Nat Woolfe was brilliant as the tortured and blind Isaac, particularly in the trophy smashing scene which was both very funny and incredibly poignant. Of course Willem Defoe was excellent (obviously) as the embittered, alcoholic and borderline insane Peter Van Houten. The lady from Jurassic Park (Laura Dern) and Sam (Sam Trammell) from True Blood were also really good as Hazel's parents. All in all the casting was top notch, yeah I just said top notch non-ironically, not ashamed. 

(Picture courtesy of thefaultinourstarsmovie.com) 

Not only was the casting excellent and the film very well acted but the soundtrack is marvellous. It's no secret that I am something of a music lover and a major film fan. But what I love the most are films with amazing soundtrack. TFIOS definitely meets this criteria. I downloaded the soundtrack pretty much immediately after I saw the film and then completely forgot about it. Then the other morning on my way to work I came across No One Ever Loved by Lykke Li and was hooked. Since then I have listened to the album repeatedly and it is awesome. My favourite songs are Simple As This by Jake Bugg, No One Ever Loved by Lykke Li and Wait by M83.  Having said that there isn't one song on the soundtrack  that I don't like. 

This film was superbly executed, look at me I've gone all posh now! I can definitely see it becoming a firm favourite. I loved it, I thought it was fantastic and I can't wait to see it again! And spend the last hour weeping until my top is soaking wet and my make up has been wept into oblivion. 

Have you seen TFIOS yet? What did you think? Did you love it? I did! Let me know I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Right I'm off to sleep now because I have work in the morning (BOO!) but will be back tomorrow with this week's 2 Stars & A Wish - it's the 6th one I'm so proud! - Until then I am on every possible social media site, and some impossible ones too (facebook anyone?). Check me out on twitter, facebook, BlogLovin, instagram & pinterest for your daily fix of Me...I know no one really needs one of those but it's nice to have the option. Anywho nighty night!

Love love love xx