Top 10 Video Games.

I'd say quite a good majority of any free time I have is spent playing Video Games. I've played A LOT of games, and my collection is quite extensive. I'm a fan of lots of different genres, mostly Noir-type games and I like story based games, I like having something to follow. I decided to do a short list of my favourite games so as to recommend them :)

1. Beyond: Two Souls

This is a Noir game, made by the same developers of Heavy Rain, which will be number 6 on this list. It's basically a story, told like an interactive film where you can make decisions and those decisions affect the way that the story plays out, but you also get to take control of the character and interact with your surroundings and get to take part in situations like in regular gameplay for example shooting etc. It follows the protagonist Jodie, right the way through her life from early childhood to now, when she is in her 20's. This is such an incredible game, I've played Noir games before and they're always my favourites but this surpasses all of them. The story is gripping and I never wanted to stop playing 'till I got to the end. I would definitely recommend this if you like this style of game, or if you're new to gaming this is a great way to start off. I'd give this game 10/10.

2. The Last of Us

This game is like an open world game to a certain extent, but you're always on a path going somewhere. It follows characters fighting their way through a new world, filled with zombies, of all different kinds, and where the living are segregated by walls and gates and military personnel. There are many obstacles which prove difficult to overcome but the gameplay is absolutely beautiful. The story is great but the scenic backdrop of the story is amazingly life-like and looks incredible. All in all this game isn't an easy one, and I wouldn't recommend for beginners, but for anyone who likes a challenge, I would definitely suggest this be the next game you buy. 9.5/10.


3. Assassin's Creed

Most of you will have heard of the Assassin's Creed series, which follow individuals throughout history trying to figure out the answers to age-old questions. You get to play as an array of characters and get to increase your skills and wealth. The stories are great and the intricate character details too. I would definitely recommend these to anyone. 9/10.


4. Red Dead Redemption

Probably one of my favourite games of all time. This is a fully open world game, set in the 1800's you get to play as a reformed criminal who is ordered by the government to atone for his sins by capturing his old criminal companions. You get to complete an array of side missions too. This game play is very similar to the likes of Grand Theft Auto except there aren't many cars and you get around on horseback travelling through 'New Austin' on the border of Mexico, and then in Mexico too. There is also a DLC game, or you could buy the disk, where the world becomes overrun with zombies and you have to fight your way through that with only antique weaponry at hand. I've played this game over 3 times and it's still my favourite, and I can't wait for the rumoured sequel. All in all, 10/10.


5. L.A Noire

From the title of this you can rightly assume that it is another Noir game. You play as Cole, who is the guy in the image, he is a police officer working in LA in the 40's/50's. It follows Cole's career from constable through to detective, solving crimes and working with other police officers, but it also shows large chunks of Cole's personal life and how things happening at home affect him and his career. You even get to 'solve' one of the most famous unsolved murders in real history, that of Elizabeth Short or 'The Black Dahlia'. This is a brilliant game, and one where your decisions affect the progression of your character. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in a good story, and I give it a 9.5/10.

6. Heavy Rain

Yet another Noir type game, I mentioned it briefly when talking about Beyond: Two Souls because they are from the same creators. The graphics in this aren't quite as amazing, obviously given that it is a few years older, yet the story and interactions you get as the characters are just as great. You follow four different characters, all in some way connected the the disappearance and murder of children. One character is the father of a boy taken, one a police officer investigating, one a private investigator and one a journalist. Depending on how you play the game and your choices, you may or may not solve who the 'Origami Killer' (aptly named because he/she leaves a piece of origami with each body) is. It all depends on which characters are still alive at the end of the game. This game is great and I love how my decisions sculpted it in to what it was. I'd give this game 9/10.


7. Tomb Raider

When I was a kid I was always terrified of Tomb Raider games because every time I tried to play I'd get killed by a tiger or a wolf and it would be such a shock I never tried again, until a couple of years ago when I got given a Tomb raider game on PSP and I loved it. More recently I played the 2013 version on PS3, and I thought it was amazing. You get to play as Lara Croft when she was just starting her exploring, at 21 years old. On her first real expedition, you get to explore an island off the coast of Japan and you find yourself alone and lost, and have to reconnect with your team whilst facing many challenges (including the occasional wild animal!). 9/10.


8. Saint's Row Series

Saint's Row is a game I've been playing for years. The first game was good but they've got gradually better and better. You start off joining a gang, and then you progress and lead the gang in two different cities, one in game two and another in game three. By the fourth game you're president and the world is being taken over by aliens. They get more far fetched the further you go however, still so much fun to play. Especially given that you get to fight your rivals using super powers. I love the character creation part of the game and the option to dress your character to look how you want. I've played these multiple times and I'd rate them 9/10.


9. The Walking Dead

 This isn't like a usual video game. It's a story which is decision based but there isn't much else. There's not much interacting with surroundings, and no open world features. Basically it's just following a story. I'm a huge fan of The Walking Dead in all of it's forms. The TV Show is probably the most popular and is so incredible I've watched it through twice, but I've also read the comics, and then played this game. The game follows a different set of people, navigating their way through the post-apocalyptic world like on the tv show, but facing different obstacles and you have to help overcome them. The came is split in to chapters, and there are actually 2 games. I'd give these an 8.5/10.



10. Grand Theft Auto IV and V

I've been a fan of GTA for a very long time, since the original Vice City. I think though, that games four and five were by far the best, no only due to improved graphics (especially in five) but also because of the story and the open world, and the social side to things too. In four, you play as Niko Bellic, an immigrant trying to make it in the US. You get to have an online dating profile, meet new people, and hang out with friends. In five, you play as three different characters, Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Whilst there isn't the option to date, and you can't hang out with many people other than the main cast, the story missions are much more intricate. There is also a couple of DLC Games for GTA IV. 'The Ballad of Gay Tony' and 'The Lost and the Damned' can also be purchased in disc form. In these you get to play as different characters, with cameos from the characters we know from GTA IV. I loved these extra stories so much as you get to understand more about things that happened in the original story. I'd definitely recommend these, however don't forget they can be pretty violent so no playing if you're under 18! ;) 9.5/10.

Do you have any favourite games that didn't make my list? Let me know in the comments because I'd love to check them out. Also let me know if you've played any of these and whether you loved/hated them :)

World Book Day! My Book Recommendations.

Today (March 5th 2015) is World Book Day!

As a huge literature fan, and just a fan of all things story-based, World Book Day is kind of a big deal. One day I hope to celebrate WBD with my own published novel, but until then, I'm just going to do a run-down of the best books of three genres in my opinion, and why I recommend them :)

You can read about my favourite book from 2013 and 2014, where there are some more in-depth synopses and reviews of some of the books I am going to talk about.

Children's Literature

This is a big category for me, I think it's so important that children read while they're growing up, because they can learn so much and have so much fun doing it.

1. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling.

Always always always will I recommend Harry Potter. Starting at the beginning is crucial, however don't start them too young because the books get much darker. By the end, they're not really children's books anymore.

2. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis.

A controversial one amongst scholars who study children's lit, some may not recommend on the basis of heavy biblical referencing. However, as someone who isn't religious, I must say that even I think that there's not much issue here. There are subtle links but nothing too serious that a child would pick up on, and they can just be left to enjoy the story and the whimsical characters.

Teen Fiction

1. If I Stay - Gayle Forman.

This is such a beautiful book. Every time I read it, it totally put life in to perspective. I would definitely recommend a read of this before you watch the film.

2. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green.

Everyone knows how much I loved this book. Most people will have already seen the film, which I loved, but sometimes I think if you watch the film and don't read the book, it takes away from the experience. So again, if by any chance, you haven't seen the film, read the book first.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky.

My all-time favourite book. It's so wonderfully written and completely hits the nail on the head when it comes to coming-of-age, introspective, intelligent teens. I actually saw this film before I read the book, and I had a completely different experience. The film is amazing, and anyone can watch it, the book, even more amazing, but it's not an easy read. With its sophisticated language, and heartbreaking storylines, it may not be easy but it's totally totally worth it. I've read it 3 times and I'll read it many more times in the future.

YA Fantasy Fiction

For me fantasy fiction was what I was reading when I discovered just how much I loved it, so very important to me, which is why there are 5.

1. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer.

I know a lot of people love this and a lot of people hate it, it's the marmite of literature, but I loved it, and when I read it in 2010, it was the first time since Harry Potter, that I'd read something I couldn't put down. These are great books, and I'd recommend them to anyone.

2. Divergent Trilogy - Veronica Roth.

These books are incredible. Fast-paced, exciting, and gut-wrenching at the same time, it's not wonder people love this series so much. The second book's film is being released in a couple of weeks and I can't wait. Plus, Veronica Roth, the author, wrote the first book when she was on Christmas break in her third year of College. She was published at 22, and is an amazing role model to all aspiring authors like myself.

3. Shadow Falls - C.C. Hunter.

This series is 5 books, about a girl who gets sent to a camp for delinquent teens, but it turns out to be something completely different. So good. I read the first three before the 4th and 5th came out and the wait was excruciating because they're just so brilliant. I'd definitely recommend these to anyone who enjoys fantasy fiction and is looking for an amazing series to read.

4. Hollow Trilogy - Jessica Verday.

I've read this trilogy twice because it's so beautiful. The story is wonderfully intriguing and had me turning the page over and over. These books incorporate the story 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' by Washington Irving into them and it all wraps up together so well. They're well thought out and well written, so much so that I did a presentation about the author Jessica Verday on my degree course.


5. Morganville Vampires - Rachel Caine.

The last of my recommendations, but by no means the least. These were the first books I bought after Twilight, when I realised that I loved the genre so much. These I haven't really talked about before. I shared my love for them with someone who, at the time was a friend, I lent her my copies of the first two books three years ago and I've never got them back. I'm quite attached to my books, and when I had to wait for a new one in the series to come out, I wanted to re-read them all and I couldn't because I was missing some, so I haven't read these for a long time. However, they are amazing. Set in a town that seems normal at first but there's a big difference. The main character is so relatable and the story hops between fast-paced adventure and every-day life and it's such a great element because it makes the read so interesting. As my first real experience with fantasy fiction, I'd recommend these to anyone, however there are 15 books now so, be ready for a challenge! (I've included pictures of only the first 3 otherwise the list would be endless. :)

I hope I've made some good recommendations. And I hope you love them if you read them because of my reviews. If any of you have read these and loved/hated them, let me know, I'm always interested to find out what other people think :)

10 TV Shows I Want to See in 2015.

I'm a massive fan of TV shows, and I spend a good chunk of my life watching shows that I love. I'll try almost anything and if I don't like it I stop watching and if I love it I can't stop! There are a lot of shows I have yet to watch and I thought I'd list them, both to receive your comments if you've seen any and also so I can refer to it :)

1. Angel the series.

As a huge lover of all things Buffy, it'd be just a complete fail if I didn't watch this at some point. I only finished Buffy recently, but it'd be great to re-watch them and watch Angel along side in the right order.


2. Pretty Little Liars.

Everyone raves about this show. I've read up and know what it's about and I think it sounds like something I'd love so, a Netflix marathon is in order. :)


3. Veronica Mars.

I watched a few of these in a very fragmented order when it was on tv originally, and I used to love it (and Monk!). After the release of the new film I purchased a box-set with every episode of the series and the film, so I can't wait to get started.


4. Heroes.

A show I've actually never seen. It totally sounds like my thing, so I bought the box set from Amazon on 'Black Friday', and I can't wait to watch. :)


5. Gossip Girl.

Another show I have never seen, although I have wanted to watch it for years! It's next on my list on Netflix.


6. Top of the Lake.

This was recommended, it's a BBC Drama, and I'd never even heard of it! I was very interested and so I bought the box set of this too. :)


7. Breaking Bad.

I started watching this on Sunday. My first impressions were that it's a little bit strange, I don't know how this will go.


8. Desperate Housewives.

I watched the last series of this when it was on TV, but I've never seen the rest. The plan is to watch them all right from the beginning. :)


9. Once Upon a Time.

I saw the first two series of this, but unfortunately in the UK, Channel 5 (where it was aired) dropped the show, and now we can't see it! I need to get hold of series three etc so I can carry on my viewing!


10. Teen Wolf.

This is another show that was dropped by the channel in the UK. It was shown on MTV and we got the first two seasons and then no more! I must find a way of viewing the rest soon!

YouTubers Interview President Barack Obama.

This is a spur of the moment post.

"Fox News’ Kurtz: Obama YouTube Interview Was BENEATH THE DIGNITY OF THE OFFICE"

I have a few things that I want to say.

Children, Teenagers, and Young Adults don't all take an interest in politics. They probably should, but they don't because it's too confusing or it's too in depth or they're simply not interested. It's always been that way and it always will be. When Obama is on tv, making speeches, or on the news, young people don't tune in to catch up with the latest in politics. By participating in this interview, Obama has opened the door to millions, LITERALLY MILLIONS of people to get involved and to understand what he's aiming for and what he wants. Those millions of people wouldn't normally have access to political information and through the internet, have managed to access it.

Young people might now have a growing interest in the running of their country, and that is all thanks to YouTube as a platform and the YouTubers as content creators and positive role models. It's such a positive thing that they have done and it's going to encourage so many people to get involved, have an opinion, and maybe even to vote.

I want to say thank you, to Hank Green, Glozell, Bethany Mota, YouTube, and of course Barack Obama for doing something so positive that might just change the country.

As a British Citizen it doesn't affect me directly, but the USA is such a huge part of every economy in the world and the fact that this has happened is insane, and brilliant.

The media reporting negatively only goes to show their narrow-mindedness and their lack of willingness for change. It says more about them that anything else.

You can watch the full video on 'The White House' YouTube channel HERE.