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Showing posts with label susie day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label susie day. Show all posts

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Song of the Month: March: Chosen by Susie Day

In honor of St Davids Day, it is my pleasure to welcome the amazing welsh person, Susie Day, to Book Angel Booktopia. I asked Susie if she would like to pick this months Song of the Month , the guideline I gave was that it had to be something that remind her of St Davids Day/being welsh. Over to Susie:


When fellow Welsh lass Emma asked me to pick a song of the month to kick off St David’s Day, my thoughts naturally turned to the traditional. Sospan Fach! went my brain. Then my brain went Hang on, Susie, that’s a song about two saucepans. That might not be everybody’s jam.


You know I had to include the video right [ ; D ] 

But songs have a habit of taking on odd personal associations. Every March, my secondary school would hold an Eisteddfod: a cultural concert, to celebrate the arts. There were poetry prizes, and each school house would compete. I recall a lot of bassoon solos, and, alas, all the words of ‘My Grandfather’s Clock.’

One year, I was called on to perform in the ‘German Skit’. I had to sing a little song about shampoo. In German. (Well, ish. Mein Haar ist so shiny is perhaps not in any phrase book.) We rehearsed at another girl’s house, and between bouts of dubious German, she played (on a 7” single, natch) a new song from her cousin’s band. We all very politely said we liked it, and assumed she was delusional and had made the whole thing up. A couple of months later, it was a massive hit.

So, in honour of St David’s Day (sort of), I give you Transvision Vamp, featuring someone-I-was-once-in-an-Eisteddfod-with’s-cousin wearing an astonishingly tight pink frock.



Huge thanks to Susie for sharing her memories of St Davids Day

Saturday, 11 June 2011

Saturday Spotlight: NYC Books Challenge

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New York Book Challenge

In honour of Keris Staintons wonderful book Jessie Hearts NYC (review here) and the ladies obsession with NYC – Chicklish are running a New York themed reading challenge.


How fab is that.

For full details check out the Chicklish page here

Also for further book ideas and NYC themed book trailers check my Trailer Tuesday post here.

What are you waiting for go join in the fun.


Books I have read with an NYC setting:





 
I am really looking forward to seeing the books other people have chosen.
 
Go sign up now !!!!!!!!!!!
 
 

Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Celebrating Wales: Review: Big Woo (My Not So Secret Teenage Blog) by Susie Day


Title: Big Woo (My Not So Secret Teenage Blog)
Author: Susie Day
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books
Publication Date: 7 April 2008

Source: Library





Synopsis: From Amazon
Ta-da! My blog of lolarious brilliance has escaped from the internets. Into a book! BIG WOO! Omg behold my interestingness. But don't read it, tiny children. It is full of rudey bits and lameassery. AND SHOUTING IN CAPSLOCK which is bad for you, obvs.

Review:
If you need to learn text speak to understand your teenager nothing does it better than this book, providing an insight into the female teenage mind and all that entails while allowing the reader a good giggle.

Written in first person narrative from Seraphina perspective but in the visually dynamic format of blog posts even incorporating the comments section. Seraphina is coming to terms with the break-up of her parents, low self confidence and body image. She is completely easy to relate to even though it has been quite some time since I was a teen myself.

Sensitive issues are touched upon within the narrative such as eating disorders/divorce/new relationships/teenage sexuality/cyber bullying all impacting today's teenage life. Shown from Seraphina's view point making her sometimes funny, sometimes naive/immature/self-absorbed but all with a sense of uniqueness and inner strength. New boundaries and relationships have to be forged following her pattens split which are sometimes painful to witness,  I found myself cringing at the same time as sympathising. Having been a teenage and now a Mother it is easy to see both sides to the relationship, along with the mistakes made and blame shared.

I loved the ending showing that when the 'chips are down' family really do pull together even if it is only fictional.

A wonderful humourous coming of age/journey of self discovery. If you haven't read it yet - you really should.


Reviewed as part of Celebrating Wales - Susie is completely awesome and from Penarth [ : D ]

Follow Susie on Twitter  @mssusieday

Susie's website - the brilliantly named - Everyday should be a Susie Day
 
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