Friday Links: The BSC, The Hunger Games and Google Poetry

New photos of Sam Claflin as Finnick, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in the watery arena (a.k.a. Hawaii) in Catching Fire have emerged. They look awesome. Also awesome: This Hunger Games/Mean Girls mash-up.

Flavorwire has listed 10 TV shows that are better than the books they're based on. I totally agree about True Blood and The Vampire Diaries, but I haven't read any of the others so I can't really judge. Even though that was my aim for this year, with my own challenge and all. Sigh.

If you like charts, you might want to check out this data on 50 Shades of Grey (specifically, the sex scenes). Apparently, the first book is 13 per cent sex, the second is 11 per cent and the third is eight per cent. But you don't have to wait as long to get to the sex scenes in the final two... so there's that.

Did you know David Levithan started out as an intern working on The Baby-Sitters Club? In honour of the BSC's 30th birthday, he's done a Q&A with Ann M. Martin for Scholastic. Super cute.

Who knew Google suggested searches could be so poetic? And hilarious - but we all knew that part.

I would really love to know how some people's minds work. Like what kind of mind goes, "hey, you know what would be a great idea? Taking celebrity mug-shots and giving them a 1920s makeover". An awesome mind, that's what kind. An awesome one.

I loved looking at these vintage photos of Australian kids, especially all the Christmas shots.

This super-cut of Barack Obama in relaxed moments will make you smile.

YouTube Clip of the Week
Poor puppy is never going to get his toy back.  

Friday Link Dump: So Many Trailers! And Some Other Stuff

Stephanie Meyer hasn't ruled out more Twilight books - in fact, apparently she's already plotted out a few more focusing on Renesmee and Jacob. Ick. No word on whether the rest of The Host series is coming any time soon, but the trailer for the movie has just been released. It doesn't look amazing, except for Max Irons. Dayum.

A UK charity for abuse victims asked for donations of 50 Shades of Grey so they could use it to wipe their bums. Which is kind of hilarious. Not so hilarious is the fact that one woman is blaming the book for the disintegration of her marriage. Oh dear...

Should I read Beautiful Creatures? For some reason it's passed under my radar until recently, but now the internet is kinda exploding over the movie trailer. The cast is great but the story doesn't totally grab me from the trailer alone. Bit over paranormal romance TBH, though it's good to see the guy as the mortal for a change.

Another trailer that's making the rounds is the one for Warm Bodies. When I first heard about it I thought it was just cashing in on Twilight (with zombies) but it actually looks kinda good. The comments about R having the kind of face that could mean he's in his 20s, but could also mean he's a teenager, are particularly funny in light of the author's minor tantrum over the fact that his book isn't YA, even though it looks like it is to a lot of people.

Then there's the City of Bones trailer (what is the, Trailer Week?). I wasn't a massive fan of the book, but the movie looks pretty good. The cast looks right - even Jamie Campbell Bower. I wasn't convinced when they cast him, but judging by the trailer he does a good job as Jace.

I'm not fussed on Sookie's new "love interest" for the next season of True Blood. I guess this means they're not using Quinn, which I can't say I'm sad about. I never really liked him in the books. But ugh, enough with the faeries! Just have hot vampire sex with non-amnesiac Eric already!

Speaking of Sookie, the synopsis for the final book in Charlaine Harris' series has been released. The stuff about Eric being distant is annoying but unsurprising. I just hope they end up together in the end. Because all the other guys blow. 

The Oatmeal's latest comic on writing and content creation is both hilarious and insightful. His analogy of inspiration as a river is great, as is his advice for reading feedback and comments online (basically, it's not a good idea *cough*SPAs*cough*).

The Oxford American Dictionary has named the word of the year: GIF. Given my love of gifs, I appreciate this, but it's especially great considering the other contender was YOLO. Which I think we can all agree needs to live up to its meaning and go die.

You know how action figures/celeb dolls often look kinda fugly? This guy repaints them so they're more realistic, and they're absolutely amazing.

Will Smith still knows every word to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air rap. And it's awesome. 

I'm pretty sure Andrew Garfield is my favourite human being right now. Watch him do 10 different dances - with no music - for charity on Ellen.


This gif set is pretty much the story of my life.

YouTube Clip of the Week

Bookish Buys: 50 Shades of Grey

Out of morbid curiousity, I typed "50 Shades of Grey" in to the Etsy search box. And... well, let's just take a look, shall we?

Purple Monkey Tees

Northwind Threads

Northwind Threads

Purple Monkey Tees

Victory Decals

I'm sensing a theme... Seriously, there was a buttload of this "Laters, Baby" stuff. I haven't read the book, so I have no idea what it refers to. I'm guessing it's, like, A Thing? How... eloquent.

Northwind Threads

Lions and tigers and bears?

Sassy Alice

She says, "Stay the hell away from abuser stalkers."

Purple Monkey Tees

Uh, is this supposed to be sexy? Coz it just makes me think of this.
 

Tako710

I just... I'm not even going to ask.

Klockwerk Kreations

OK, that one is actually kinda cool.

The Bud Bomb

 That's one way of looking at it.

Northwind Threads

Forget an inner goddess - I have an inner 13-year-old, and she sniggers every time she reads this.

Daisy Dot Designs

No. Just no.

Jilly's Mom Made That

Oh HELL NO.

Northwind Threads

Really?!

Aaaaaaaand I'm done. But while I'm on the topic, I have 50 Shades of Grey on reserve at the library. There are currently 14 people in front of me. I still haven't decided if I actually want to read it or not, but I put it on reserve "just in case". I have a sneaking suspicion I'll really, really hate it, but I kinda want to read it so I know what I'm talking about when I say how terrible it is. Although I kind of feel like I do anyway, thanks to Jennifer Armintrout's amazing, hilarious recaps. So tell me - should I or shouldn't I?

Bookish Fun: 50 Shades of Spoofs

I literally cannot get through a single day lately without hearing something about 50 Shades of Grey. Everyone in my FB newsfeed seems to be going gaga over Christian Grey. Which just makes me want to gag. On the plus side, like any craptastic cultural phenomenon, it's spawned some great spoofs. Here are some of my faves...

1. Barely Political's spot-on parody of E. L. James and her writing.

2. 3 Golden Sisters, the grandmas who previously watched Kim Kardashian's sex tape, discuss the, er, ins and outs of 50 Shades.

3. A 50 Shades of Grey musical. 'Nuff said.

4. Jimmy Fallon hosts 50 Shades of Grey karoake, which makes me want to get a copy of the book just so I can do something as hilarious as this.

 

5. Gilbert Gottfried lends his distinctive voice to render 50 Shades even more ridiculous (bet you didn't think that was possible!).

 

6. Ellen reads 50 Shades - with sound effects!