Friday Link Dump: Bookish Cocktails, Instagram Paraodies And Tom Hanks Being Tom Hanks

-Shameless self promotion: I joined BuzzFeed recently and have written a few posts if, you know, you want to check them out... There's History According to Tumblr, 100 Parks and Recreation GIFs, 21 Signs You're Anne Shirley, 25 Times Disney Face Characters Were Adorable, 10 Australian Celebs Before They Were Famous, and The 39 Stages of Being a Bride. (BuzzFeed)

-Closer to home (as in, this blog), I'm getting caught up on book reviews and wrote three this week for books I loved: Stardust by Neil Gaiman and Six Impossible Things and Wildlife by Fiona Wood. (This blog!)

-Reynje from Wordchasing did an awesome post about the Melbourne locations seen in Six Impossible Things, which author Fiona Wood expanded on. (Wordchasing, FionaWood.com)

-Find book recommendations similar to what you've read and liked on Go Book Yourself. (Tumblr)

-I would like many of these bookish things in my home. (BuzzFeed)

-And I would like many of these bookish cocktails in my belly. (BuzzFeed)

-Apparently they are remaking Little Women and this could be really bad. (Crushable)

-Jamie Dornan, a.k.a. the incredibly hot Huntsman from Once Upon a Time has been cast as Christian Grey. Which makes me actually want to see the movie. Oh god. (Hypable)

-Here are some web series that will appeal to fans of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, apparently. (Hypable)

-Pitchfork Review Generator: in case you need inspiration for your snark. (Pitchfork Review Generator)

-I love Hocus Pocus and I was very happy to find out I am Winifred. Which Sanderson sister are you? (BuzzFeed)

-This artist has been doing drawings of Disney characters dressed up as other pop culture icons and it's awesome. (Tumblr)

-Hot guys of history. Oh yeah. (Tumblr)

-MamaMia Spoilers is my new fave Twitter. (Twitter)

-I am in awe of this Deadspin writer's ability to monitor 10 screens at once and get work done and wow. My eyes hurt just looking at a picture of his set up. (The NY Times)

-Here are some people that are already winning at Halloween. (Junkee)

-10 reasons why TV is better than film right now. I kinda have to agree - I watch waaay more TV shows than movies these days coz the latter just haven't been as good. (The Guardian)

-I'm loving these two Instagram parody accounts: Satiregram and Thisisrealstagram. (Instagram)

-Salted caramel is the best. Make ALL the recipes. (BuzzFeed)

-Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock playing chopsticks on a big (or, er, Big) piano is my favourite thing ever. Followed closely by Sandra Bullock rapping. (YouTube)

-I am super excited to watch The Grand Budapest Hotel. It looks so fun. (YouTube)

Friday Link Dump: Hiddles, Kitties And Giggly Ron Swanson

-First up: TOM HIDDLESTON IS COMING TO SYDNEY AND I WON TICKETS TO SEE HIM! SQUEEEE! Ahem...

-This is what it's like to ghostwrite popular YA series. (Refinery 29)

-Want to know what David Bowie reads? Here's his top 100. (Open Book)

-Can you guess the famous author by their face? I got two wrong, not too shabby. (BuzzFeed)

-This parody Sex and the City Twitter account is pure golden hilarious genius. (Twitter)

-This glimpse at Into the Woods makes me sooo excited to see it. (Pajiba)

-I was fascinated by this account of a brave young girl who rebelled against the Nazis. (The Toast)

-Another fascinating story is that of the transgender model who was one of the first people to undergo gender reassignment surgery. (BuzzFeed)

-I would like to go to pretty much all of these haunted places. (iO9)

-Vulture has literally compiled every time Chis Traeger said literally on Parks and Recreation. There's actually less there than I thought there'd be. (Vulture)

-Meanwhile a giggling Ron Swanson is my favourite Ron Swanson. (Pajiba)

-Hyperbole and a Half has a new post up, yay! (Hyperbole and a Half)

-Usher sang a new kind of ABCs on Sesame St and it will put a smile on your face. (YouTube)

-A pug. In wigs. You're welcome. (Instagram)

 

-One of my co-workers set up an Instagram for her two adorable cats, Sassy and Purrl, and you should totally go follow it because did I mention they're adorable? (Instagram)

 

-This cat with a toy ice cream on his head amused me way more than it should have. (YouTube)

-Interspecies friendships are the best. (BuzzFeed)

-I really want this blueberry cheesecake stuffed French toast in my belly. (Spicy Icecream)

Friday Link Dump: Trailers, Bookshelfies and Mash-ups

-The best fictional libraries. I want all of them. (Paste)

-Now this is a selfie trend I can get behind. Bookshelfies. As in, selfies with your bookshelf. Love it. (Tumblr)

-This fundamentalist preacher accidentally used an image of Modern Family for the cover of his self-published book and was quite concerned when he found out it was a show that featured a gay couple. So in his eyes, homosexuality is wrong, but using Google images to source a cover for your book, thereby publishing something you don't own the rights to, is totally OK. Riiiiight. (BuzzFeed)

-Aziz Ansari is releasing a book and I for one can't wait. (EW)

-Where do you stand on the New Adult genre? The Huffington Post published opinion pieces for and against. Both make good points. (The Huffington Post)

-Flavorwire lists 40 trashy books that are "worth reading", although they have a very loose definition of trashy. (Flavorwire)

-The Toast did some awesome mental illness-related essays this week, including this discussion on medication and this personal story about how reading Georgette Heyer helped the writer to cope with anxiety. (The Toast)

-If you don't mind the illusion of movie magic being destroyed a little, check out this peek behind the scenes of the special effects on Game of Thrones. (Jezebel)

-After watching Orphan Black over one weekend recently, I am totally obsessed with the show and its actors. So I'm super excited that Tatiana Maslany has been cast in Parks and Recreation (Vulture) and Big Dick Paul Dylan Bruce is going to star in... wait for it... Flowers in the Attic as none other than Bart Winslow! (The Huffington Post)

-So many trailers were released this week. I am most excited about The Book Thief, which is one of my favourite books. I was really nervous about it being adapted, but from the trailer it looks brilliant (YouTube). The Divergent teaser looks decent. (YouTube). And Zac Efron looks mighty fiiiine as a doctor, (Just Jared) and Jon Snow's abs revealed themselves in the teaser for Pompeii (YouTube).

-I know I'm relieved that Alexander Skarsgaard (and his penis) will return to True Blood next season (AV Club). And in case you were wondering (I know it's the reason you were looking really closely at the screen), this is the book he was reading in THAT scene. (EW)

-What do you get when you cross Beyoncé songs with Cinderella? Amazingness. Meanwhile this Disney Dudez video amused me way too much. (YouTube)

-I am obsessed with this Mean Girls musical parody. I wish a Mean Girls musical would really happen. It would be so fetch. (YouTube)

-These comics shed light on exactly what the creative process feels like. (BuzzFeed)

-Nine shows that really should have quit while they were ahead. (The Vine)

-I really need to use some of these internationally-sourced insults in my life. (BuzzFeed)

-I love me a mash-up - especially when it's as awesome as Mad Rock (Mad Men + 30 Rock). (Tumblr)

-Some amazing comedians auditioned for roles on The Office - and didn't make the cut. But you can watch their auditions here! (Junkee)

-Vintage photos that make you go "WTF". I just wish this was a Tumblr instead of a Twitter. (Twitter)

-Baby + dog = cutest friendship ever. (BuzzFeed)

-The real places that inspired Disney movie settings. Gorgeous. (BuzzFeed)

-Tumblr gets deep - and weird - at night. It's all documented for our amusement here. (Tumblr)

-I love the Teens React series, and this week they discuss Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" with funny and impressive results. (YouTube)

-Reality Bites is being adapted for TV and I'm not sure how I feel about it. (Gawker)

-Chocolate. Peanut Butter. Cupcakes. I need these in my tummy right now. (Bakerella)

-These parents win at Facebook. (BuzzFeed)

-Bunny Mamma is my new favourite Instagram. And I really, really want a bunny. (Instagram)

-1999 really was the best year for summer songs. (BuzzFeed)

-These corgi gifs made my week. (BuzzFeed)

Friday Links on a Sunday: Catching Fire, Amy Poehler and Vintage Hotties

-I am sorry for the delay in links - on the plus side it means I can include the Catching Fire trailer. Oh. Em. Squee.

-I used this Thug Notes clip to try and explain Pride and Prejudice to the husband. Handy.

-Goodreads has released an infographic about what makes people DNF a book. The most frequently abandoned don't really surprise me.

-Where do you stand when it comes to upcycled book art? I'm torn. I hate to see books cut up but I love book art. I think if a book isn't rare and/or readable, it's OK.

-Amy Poehler talks feminism, cults and who she would be on Game of Thrones.

-I am super excited to watch Saving Mr. Banks.

-Here's a daily dose of dishonesty that we're all guilty of.

-These photos from New York City in 1969 are stunning. As are these images of vintage brides.

-Speaking of vintage, here's a collection of timeless hotties from old-school Hollywood.

-I also love these lovely photos of Julia Gillard.

-This list of people who became successful in their 30s is encouraging and inspiring.

-The Thoughts Room is an awesome place to dump unwanted thoughts.

-Animals are real jerks sometimes. Here are the GIFs to prove it.

Friday Link Dump: Zombies, Captain Planet and Pugs

-10 books every zombie fan should read, apparently. (Lit Reactor)

-How reading makes us more human. (The Atlantic)

-What everyone needs to know about YA. (Book Riot)

-I want these Parks and Recreation versions of children's books to be a real thing. Now. (Flavorwire)

-Having trouble remembering the last book in a series and can't be bothered to reread? Recaptains to the rescue! (Blogspot)

-This insight into an old-school sex manual made me giggle like a 12-year-old in sex ed. (Jezebel)

-BuzzFeed compiled the upcoming book adaptations - so much YA! (BuzzFeed)

-These behind-the-scenes movie photos are kinda mind-blowing. (Imgur)

-The Oatmeal explores the similarities between the World War Z movie and book. (The Oatmeal)

-Some options for Google Reader replacements. Still don't know which way I'm going to go. Eek! (GigaOM)

-By your powers combined... Captain Planet is going to be a movie! (Junkee)

-This comic series takes a look at what websites would look like as people. Fun! (Tumblr)

-Hollywood is notorious for casting pretty old (and by "old" I mean my age) people to play teens. Here is what they looked like when they were actually teens, contrasted with the teens they're playing. (Tumblr)

-I am way too excited about watching G.B.F. (YouTube)

-And way too entertained by Exploding Actresses. (Tumblr)

-This is what it might have looked like if John Lennon had auditioned for The Voice. (YouTube)

-Poncho the Pug is my new favourite internet animal. (BuzzFeed)

-Toy Stories is a photo series by Gabriele Galimberti that explores the toy collections of children around the world. It's incredibly moving and fascinating. (Gabriele Galimberti)

-Australian politics have been a bit cray lately. At least it provided great meme fodder. (Pedestrian)

-Expectaions vs reality of the real world. Accurate post is accurate. (BuzzFeed)

-Suspect your friends on Instagram are faking their #nofilter photos? Now you can catch them out. (Filter Fakers)

-On a serious note, here is what you can do to influence companies to use ethical manufacturing. I find the idea that boycotting is not actually a good thing very interesting. (Junkee)

-Wendy Davis is my new hero. And I really want these nail decals. They're just so exxy. Sigh. (Etsy)

Friday Links: Judy Blume, Giraffe Butts and Game of Thrones

-Judy Blume did an AMA on Reddit. Best ever. (Reddit)

-I've been in a bit of a Game of Thrones Google binge since it ended this week. In my travels I came across this awesome Hitler reaction vid on the Red Wedding. Spoilers if you haven't read/watched it (YouTube). I also discovered Game of Kittehs, which is ridiculous but made me giggle (Tumblr). Then there's ah-mazing 80s-themed character posters (Society6), along with this 80s-style Jon Snow training sequence that totally needs to happen IRL (YouTube). Finally, a fan who is also a dwarf gives his perspective on the character of Tyrion, and it's brilliant (Reddit).

-The worst from the slush pile - or, what NOT to do in a query. (Tumblr)

-The actress of one of my all-time fave movies, Matilda, reveals her inside knowledge on why child actors go crazy so often. (Cracked)

-One child actor who didn't go too crazy (unless you count his obsession with skeletons and ghosts) is Ryan Gosling, who, speaking of skeletons and ghosts, had one of his earliest roles in the Goosebumps series. Watching it makes me all nostalgic. (Vulture)

-Mean Gurlz is the best Mean Girls parody I've seen in a long time. "You can't twerk with us!" (YouTube)

-I'm obsessed with this cinemagraph blog. Just stunning. (Tumblr)

-One photographer takes the 'Dear Photograph' concept to another level by going to the places old movies/TV shows were filmed and juxtaposing new photos with old shots. Awesome. (Tumblr)

-If you've been living under a rock and haven't yet watched The Greatest Event in Television History, you should probably go do that now. (YouTube)

-Here is a gallery of everything Ron Swanson has eaten on Parks and Recreation. It's a lot of meat. (Vulture)

-ZOMG ZOMG ZOMG ZOMG new season of Skins is out soon and here is the trailer. Sad that Sid isn't in it while Cassie is, feel pretty meh about Effy, but interested to know what happened to Cook. (YouTube)

-A new show that I'm excited about is The White Queen, based on the series by Philippa Gregory. I haven't read the books but the trailer looks great, so I'll have to read then watch. Max Irons, hello! (YouTube)

-Pomeranians are probably are the key to world peace. Meanwhile, did you know giraffes use their BUTTS as pillows?! If that's not adorable/hilarious enough for you, these gifs should do you in. (BuzzFeed)

Friday Link Dump: Puppy Gifs, Book Lists And Food Porn

Hello lovely readers! Sorry for the lack of posting in the last couple of weeks, it's been quite hectic in my real world. For instance, I turned 27 AND celebrated my first wedding anniversary. Cue musings on the shortness of life and other fun stuff. But you're here for links, and by golly, do I have some for you:

-BuzzFeed lists some books you should read in your 20s.

-Prepare to have your mind blown by the handwritten outlines of famous authors.

-The Review Locker compares the cast of three The Great Gatsby adaptations. It seems like the new one has some winners. I can't wait to see it!
 

-I'm really keen to see About Time, which looks like The Time Traveler's Wife in that it involves time travel and stars Rachel McAdams, but it's British and therefore more awesome.

-I've been watching so much Parks and Recreation, and it's great food porn. And amazeballs in general. You know what else is amazeballs? A Storm of Swansons, which is what you get when you cross Parks and Recreation with Game of Thrones.

-You can now insert Tobias from Arrested Development into your own photos and video. It's incredibly addictive and entertaining.

-Here are 100 insightful and often hilarious behind-the-scenes shots from famous movies.

-I wish the Disney Princess Academy would happen. I want to go to there.

-Taking your bra off at the end of the day really is the best feeling ever.

-When I discovered Owl Turd comics I was entertained for hours (well, many minutes, at least). Meanwhile here are what random tweets look like as a comic.

-Fashion in History is a pretty AND informative Tumblr.

-Pets on Roombas makes me really want a Roomba. And an adorable pet to ride it. 

-Richard Armitage with Cats is probably the best Tumblr in existence. Next to Puppy Gifs, of course.
 

-This dog waiting patiently for a treat made me giggle like crazy. So much adorable.

-George Takei is awesome. That is all.

Friday Link Dump: Gatsby Research, Shakespearean Insults And My Latest Obsession

TFIF.

-Some designers sketched their interpretations of Katniss' wedding gown. Is it November yet?

-Here's a peek into some of the research that went into the upcoming The Great Gatsby movie. Is it May yet?

-Jason Segel is writing a YA trilogy. I don't know how I feel about this.

-The second edition of the Game of Thrones Facebook feed is as hilarious as the first.

-Shakespearean insults combined with cat photos are surprisingly awesome. Or perhaps that's not so surprising.

-This Tumblr compiles movie and TV costumes that have been reused across multiple productions. I'm obsessed.

-Speaking of Tumblr, I finally watched the awesomeness that is Parks and Recreation, and naturally went on a Tumblr hunt. I found Tom Haverfoods, Cats that look like Ron Swanson and Hipster Parks and Rec. And then I giggled. A lot.

-Prepare to have your childhood ruined/mind blown by these current pictures of the actors in your fave 80s and 90s movies.

-One Disney fan created some Princess-inspired rings and they're mostly pretty and all expensive. 

-This artist gave famous paintings the Photoshop treatment and it's quite disturbing.

-Baby + puppies = squeegasm.

-You may have noticed a big blue button on the right hand column urging you to vote for this blog in the Best Australian Blogs competition. In case that was too subtle, I'm urging you again. Consider yourself urged.