My Current TV Addictions: Vikings, Revolution and More

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Emma

My name is Emma Meade and I’m a TV addict.

Vikings

The moody opening credits give me chills.

vikAnd it’s filmed in Ireland, so check it out if you’d like to see some lovely scenery. Alexander Skarsgard’s (Eric Northman from True Blood) brother plays Floki. What surprised me while watching Vikings is the position of women in their society. They had a lot more power and freedom than anywhere else in the world at the time. Lagertha, the renowned shieldmaiden is admirable. She’s a formidable leader and warrior.

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revRevolution

I came late to this show, tuning in now and again to an episode of this post-apocalyptic programme. I think it kept me going when I was missing The Walking Dead.  The most intriguing relationship for me was Miles Matheson and Sebastian (Bass) Monroe‘s. Of course just as I was getting into this show, I found out it has been cancelled. 😦

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shameShameless (US Version)

I watched some of the first series of the UK Version years and years ago. I can’t remember why I didn’t stick with it but when I found out about the US remake, I thought I’d give it a go. Shameless is hilarious, disturbing and heartbreaking at times.

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scaScandal

One of my favourite new shows. I’m a couple of years late coming to the party but Kerry Washington rocks as Olivia Pope and I enjoy the rest of her team also. It’s probably the show my friends, sisters and I discuss the most these days. The president is played by Tony Goldwyn who was Patrick Swayze’s best friend and the bad dude in Ghost. Remember him?

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100The 100

Interesting premise. Almost a century after a nuclear disaster made Earth uninhabitable, the residents of the Ark, a space station that orbits the planet, find themselves running out of air. They send 100 teenage criminals to the ground to see if they can survive. I love post-apocalyptic dramas. I wasn’t expecting much from this show – it’s on the CW and has a set of typically good-looking “teens” and insta-love going on, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. It’s a lot more violent, gritty and graphic than I would have expected. So far, so enjoyable.

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gameGame of Thrones

I’m almost up-to-date with season 4. Wow. Epic. I didn’t think I was much of a fantasy person. While I loved The Lord of the Rings movies, I can’t say I’ve ventured into reading fantasy books, but after watching Game of Thrones, I need to give this genre a proper go. And Ser Jorah Mormant played by the sexy Iain Glen is always a treat.

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What TV shows have got you hooked these days?

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Book Review: Dark Angel by Virginia Andrews (A Favourite Teen Read)

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Emma

Okay, this is a cheat post. I’m heading away for the weekend and ran out of time to write a polished, original post, so I’m going back to a review I wrote here on this blog 3 years ago. Back then I had like 5 followers (including myself) and I’m pretty sure 3 of them have since jumped ship. My friend Laura is still hanging in there. Thanks girl xx.

Dark Angel was one of my favourite books to read time and time again when I was a teenager. Here goes my three year old review of Dark Angel by Virginia Andrews, an author who died in the 1980s but still publishes new content! I hope Ms. Andrews isn’t turning in her grave.

Book Review: Dark Angel by Virginia Andrews

Dark Angel is the secondark angeld novel in the five part Casteel family series.  However, this gothic horror tale can be enjoyed as a stand alone book.

17 year old Heaven Leigh Casteel goes to live with her paternal grandmother, Gillian, and her younger husband, the wealthy and distinguished Tony Tatterton, head of the successful Tatterton Toys empire. Heaven is determined to triumph above her poor, hillbilly roots in West Virginia and make a success of herself in Boston.  Despite the beautiful mansion, trips to the most exclusive boutiques and access to all the trappings that money can buy, Heaven finds herself bored and lonely trapped within the walls of the gothic-like, Victorian style mansion of Farthingale Manor.  Deciding to explore the maze outside in the gardens one cold day, Heaven finds herself outside a tiny cottage that looks like a toy house from a children’s book.  She lets herself in and meets Troy, Tony’s younger, loner brother who prefers to make toys rather than deal with people.  Reluctantly Troy allows Heaven into his life and they begin a bittersweet romance with far reaching consequences.

As a fan of Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, I was happy to give the Casteel series a chance and am glad I did.  Heaven is an emotionally starved girl yearning for love and acceptance having endured nothing but hardship and betrayal throughout her childhood and adolescence.  The tentative relationship between Heaven and Troy is thrilling to read as is the disturbing, controlling nature of Tony over all those in his life.  As with all of Andrews’ books, disturbing elements of incest linger beneath the surface so when the big reveal comes about, the reader is not entirely surprised.

I first read this book in my early teens and am happy to report that my most recent reading of it hasn’t diminished my enjoyment. Dark Angel is an exciting tale of psychological terror and rousing romance owing to Andrews’ ability to evoke an ongoing sense of both dread and hopefulness in the reader.

Check it out on Amazon & Goodreads

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Anyone a Virginia Andrews fan? Flowers in the Attic was one of the books I’d try to hide from my parents back in the day!

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