Chucky.

GAHHHHH I HAVE FINISHED EXAMS!!!!!!
...I don't actually feel this excited about it. In fact, I don't actually feel that excited at all. It's really just a relief to be, you know...finished. Finally.
It's a bit weird though. I still can't quite wrap my head around the idea that I never have to go to school again. Ever. In my life.
Weird.
Anyway, I've been trying my hardest to make the most of my time off (even though it's only been about four days) instead of just doing the tempting thing and, y'know, lying around in the sun now that it's actually sunny. I've been trying to read a lot of books for my course next year, so that I don't get there and just freak out about how much I have to do. (And, yeah, I admit, so everyone else doesn't just show me up. I don't wanna be the one kid who doesn't know anything. Like I was on my open day. It isn't fun.) A couple of weeks ago, I read Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk, and it was amazing. Seriously. I think it's now my second-favourite book ever, knocking 'Gatsby' into third. (Behind The Bell Jar, my all-time favourite book. I know I know like every angsty-teenage-girl says that. Wah wah wahh.)
It's kind of hard to describe IM to someone who hasn't read it, but it's basically about modelling and revenge there's a really cool scene where someone burns down someone else's house, and omg it's just amazing and you should all read it.
There are two things I particularly like about Palahniuk's style. The first is the disjointedness of it all. He wrote an Afterword in the back of Fight Club where he says how he wanted to write only key moments, so basically all the build up and down is cut out. There's the key event. End of chapter. Next chapter. Key event. End of chapter. No sort-of guiding chapters to help you through, just bam bam bam.
The other thing I really like is how he doesn't really give away the main character's name. I think that's really cool.
Anyway, reading IM really inspired me for the book I'm working on currently. It got me thinking about just the way a book is written, the voice. And the narrative is all jumbled up, so you're jumping about through time trying to work out how things happened, and at first stuff keeps getting missed out to throw you off, but then you go back and fill in all the blanks and... it's just amazing, really. Read it. Go. Now. Stop reading this. Read it.
Anyway, so I got sidetracked. I was talking about FC. Well after IM it occurred to me that I only ever really read one book by an author that I like, and that struck me as odd. Like Gatsby. I love that, but I haven't read anything else by Fitzgerald. (Tender is the Night is staring longingly at me from my shelf though. Maybe that'll be the next one.) So I decided I'd read FC because y'know why not. I wasn't sure I'd like it was much as IM, wasn't really sure it was my cuppa tea.
Long story short: it is also amazing. Like gahh. I'd never seen the film which made everything better becausebecausebecause it's all going along really amazingly and then...THAT TWIST. I did NOT see that coming. Who did though? Why did nobody warn me?
I haven't seen the film, but I'm not sure I want to now. I feel like a lot of the aspects of the book work because it's a book. I'm not exactly sure you could translate it to film. (I mean, I know they did so that doesn't really make much sense. But still.) Although apparently the film does have a different ending, so I might have to check it out to see...
But both these books have definitely gotten me thinking about the book I'm writing at the moment. I like writing books for teenagers (probably because I am a teenager. I mean...what do adults even think about? Haha.) but why should that mean my book couldn't be experimental, or weird? It got me thinking a lot about the timeline too. Why should it have to be told in a linear fashion? I'm gonna have to go back to Slaughterhouse 5, read that again.
I'm reading one of Palahniuk's newest ones atm. Pygmy. Yeah he hasn't got any more normal... I let ya know what I think of this one when I've finished. Then onto maybe... Dracular?
Anyone have any classic-book suggestions for me to add to my summer reading list? Preferably not romances. I'm trying to widen my horizons but still... romances? Bleh. Pride and Prejudice was enough for me! What's on your reading list this summer? (If you even have one. If not and you're just lying in the sun - good on you. Sounds idyllic!)
Oh, and before I go, a few other things:
1. Everyone read those books, they're great. IMHO. People never seem to agree with me on books......
2. If you're a bit stuck for writing ideas, check out this website: http://writingprompts.tumblr.com/ I have nothing to do with it I promise. But I was looking for some prompts and the creative writing ones on there are really cool!
3. I wrote this weird thing...about the circus...and love... If you have time, or would like to, I'd appreciate it if you checked it out :) http://ourbraveheroine.deviantart.com/art/Circus-Girl-376945392 
...I'm so shameless...
But thank you!

A While.

Sorry. It's been a while, I know. I've just been doing my (hopefully) final exams (unless I have to resit. Haha.) I'm quite tired too. But I've only got one left now, so the end is in sight!!! And then, to do all the fun things I've planned to do this summer: read and write, basically. I'm working on a few serialised-book projects, just of little ideas which only make up short stories, that I'm hoping to post online somewhere. Not sure where yet. Recommendations would be appreciated :)
And right now I'm reading Fight Club. I've never seen the film, but so far the book is amazing. Like a-ma-zing. It reads like a film too, like it only shows the key parts of each scene, not all the build up. I think that's what I like about it so much. I haven't been able to put my finger on it 'til just now.
And I wrote this little poem about exams, feel free to check it out here:
http://ourbraveheroine.deviantart.com/art/The-Seven-Year-War-376138748
Now, I think I'm going to sleep (or write. Tiredness has become someone the epitome of writing for me.) but hopefully I won't leave it as long next time. How're you all? Well I hope? :)