“I still can’t get the mental image of ponytail blonde popping the granny’s eyeballs out of my head”
Real TTers like you but a bit more proactive nominated themselves to review Ashes, the book that’s been paying our bills for the last month. Did they enjoy it? You bet they did! Here’s their real, honest reviews of what exactly they thought of the gore-fest.
Now you’ve read the book – first impressions? Rebecca Lever: At first I thought the book was slightly strange and not the type of book that I would normally read, so I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was! Georgina Edwards: Such an addicting book! Every chapter left you wanting more and there were plot twists that I really didn’t expect! So much better than I expected. Although I did think there was going to be more of a love story. Naomi Shammas: I really liked the book. It drew me in at first with Alex, as she was a character who really wasn’t perfect, but she was determined and not at all clichéd – I really liked that. Ellie was realistic, which was good, though I wish her grandad hadn’t died so quickly, he seemed really nice :( It’s more rough than most books of its type, which was cool. It was kind of grittier, but I like that it’s not trying to be like others similar to it! Emma Pollard: My first impressions were the book cover looked really scary. I wanted to know who the girl was and what she was going to be getting up to. Rebecca Cannings: I didn’t know what to expect when I first started reading Ashes, but from the first few chapters I could tell it was going to be a great read.
“The way it was written was just right. Not like other books, it has its own style.”
Is popped eyeballs and half-eaten bodies enough gore for you? Rebecca Lever: There was quite a bit of gore in the book but in Ashes, the more the better. Georgina Edwards: I think there was enough gore to make it creepy but much more and I think the book would have freaked me out a bit! Naomi Shammas: Hell no! The gory vivid descriptions were definitely all that I could handle :D Emma Pollard: I think that the scary bits were enough for me as I’m not the sort of person that can sit down and watch a horror movie without closing my eyes. The way it was written was just right. Not like other books, it has its own style. Rebecca Cannings: The amount of gore in Ashes is just enough for me, I think that if there was any more included then it may have been over the top, the bits of gore that were in the story were perfectly described and it balanced the story out.
So… THAT ending. Jaw-to-the-floor cliffhanger or fiendish plot to get you to buy the sequel? Rebecca Lever: I thought the ending was perfect and was a mega cliffhanger… I never expected that to happen. I will definitely be buying the sequel!! Georgina Edwards: Both but it’s going to work! I will definitely be buying the sequel. Naomi Shammas: A little mixture of both, I love a killer cliffhanger but they make me soo desperate for the next book! Emma Pollard: I wouldn’t have put the ending like that. I would make it more scary so I would have wanted to read on and find out what will happen next. Rebecca Cannings: The ending was a great way to end the story on a cliffhanger and it definitely make me want to go and buy the sequel to find out what will happen to Alex and the rest of the human race.
Have you been admitted to a psych ward, or have the nightmares stopped now? Rebecca Lever: The nightmares have stopped and I haven’t been admitted to a psych ward… Yet! Georgina Edwards: Nightmares! What nightmares? Naomi Shammas:Well, I still can’t get the mental image of ponytail blonde popping the granny’s eyeballs out of my head… Emma Pollard: I had nightmare thoughts before I went to bed but I haven’t actually dreamed about it. Rebecca Cannings: I haven’t had any nightmares or have been admitted to a psych ward but if there are any chapters in the sequel that include more popped eyeballs I’m sure I’ll probably need to be admitted to a psych ward ASAP.
Congratulations on a set of very well written and at times quite disturbing Zombie survival guides; our post-apocalyptic future seems guaranteed. Our favourite ideas included frying pan bashing, stair climbing, and an old classic – running very fast. We were less keen on the person who suggested covering their body with garlic – you’ve got your mythical creatures mixed up love.
But the winner whose if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them plan was not only hilarious but worryingly well thought through is Jenni Carlisle. Your Kindle is on its way. We’ve also emailed the 10 runners up who get a copy of the book – so check your email now.
Remember you can get 3 free chapters of Ashes in your email by subscribing here.
A Kindle would probably be one of the least useful items to have on you during a zombie apocalypse, but we’ve got one to giveaway to the TTer who shares their best survival plan with the rest of us.
And why do we want your zombie survival plans? Well we’ve been reading new teen horror novel Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick, and let’s just say it’s been keeping us up in the dead of night wondering what the hell we would do if we were sharing the tube with some flesh-hungry folk…
So you come third in the X Factor and go on to release a Number One single that becomes the most pre-ordered song in Sony Records’ history. Your debut music video is on the way to 16 million views, you’ve just released your second book and your army of fans are trending topics about you on Twitter 24/7… How on earth do you follow all of that up?
We’re no psychics, but we reckon One Direction must have had that question on their lips – and this morning new single Gotta Be You got its first radio play… But is it any good? Hit ‘continue reading’ to find out more.
Parrot-loving girl duo Oh My! are finally releasing their first proper single, Dirty Dancer on November 14th. You’ll have to pay for this one though, so make sure you keep some cash spare. This event has been added to the TT events calendar, hit like if you’ll be downloading.
Forget dance floor make overs and half-arsed dance routines, there’s albums to be sold. The Saturdays return with the third single from new album On Your Radar – the ballad My Heart Takes Over. The song is pretty if not quite up to their best, and the video is pretty if not quite up to their best – a Britain’s Next Top Model photoshoot set to music. Watch My Heart Takes Over below:
Earlier today a lucky TTer and her friend joined quite good trumpet-loving pop duo Rizzle Kicks for lunch at Nando’s courtesy of Transport for London and teentoday.co.uk. We were asked to join them to meet the band and help support the cause. Instead we got an eduction in awful pop star opinion including the following major points:
They massively regret recording the Children in Need single, admit it was “rubbish”, rolled their eyes and said “who” when the other people who took part were named, and claimed they thought the lyrics had been written by a “child in need”. The spent at least 5 minutes bashing it, adamant they only took part because they couldn’t say no, and then asked us not to say anything. Ooops.
They say that there isn’t enough ‘real’ music in the charts, girl group Parade are “plastic” and find the concept of fun, escapist pop awful. Basically they hate Cher Lloyd, Parade, X Factor, your mum…
They went into some massive defensive rant about Brit School-bashing ginger pop bore Ed Sheeran being the saviour of mankind.
They liked their chicken really spicy.
They called our opinions and manners “awful“ and said we’re childish on twitter. We said “I know you are you, but what am I?”.
Basically a not very good way to spend half an hour that won’t be repeated any time soon. Lesson learned.
We're a 50% amazing 50% rubbish teen site. You should come back often so we can make moneys and you can get closer to your favourite pop stars. Here's some reasons we're epic.
SWAGGER JAGGER: Is it worth a coveted place on your iPod or headed straight for the recycle bin?[FIND OUT]
T4OTB. THE BEST PICS ON THE WEB*
*Taken by teentoday.co.uk. Parade, Cher Lloyd, The Wanted, TOWIE, Made in Chelsea, the little one from BGT. Enjoy. [EPIC PICTURES]
LOVATO IS BACK! SHIT OR HIT?
The only real question is whether this song serves as a benchmark for what’s to come or if she’s fallen at the first post-rehab hurdle. [FIND OUT]
AMAZING ALBUM ALERT
The question is: will When The Sun Comes Down complete the hat trick of great pop albums for Selena and co? [THE ANSWER]
YOUR BEST SUMMER EVER
TT to the rescue. This Summer is going to be your *best* ever. Click here to find out how, what and why?
POP STAR FANMAIL WARS
We sent fanmail to 10 major British pop stars pretending to be a 7 year old girl called Emma. What came back? Do pop stars love their fans as much as they love their fans' money?
Let's find out... Twenty Twenty /
Parade /
The Wanted /
Soundgirl
Mike travelled the country with latest-girl-band-on-the-scene Oh My! Here’s what an average day on their schools tour looked like - there’s screaming fans, late night hotel mischief and a bit where one of them falls over in slow motion.
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BOP IT LEAGUE
Ranking and rating celebs based on their Bop It skills.
We're a 50% amazing 50% rubbish teen site. You should come back often so we can make moneys and you can get closer to your favourite pop stars. Here's some reasons we're epic.
LATEST POP GOSSIP FROM MP!
SWAGGER JAGGER: Is it worth a coveted place on your iPod or headed straight for the recycle bin?[FIND OUT]
*Taken by teentoday.co.uk. Parade, Cher Lloyd, The Wanted, TOWIE, Made in Chelsea, the little one from BGT. Enjoy. [EPIC PICTURES]
The only real question is whether this song serves as a benchmark for what’s to come or if she’s fallen at the first post-rehab hurdle. [FIND OUT]
The question is: will When The Sun Comes Down complete the hat trick of great pop albums for Selena and co? [THE ANSWER]
TT to the rescue. This Summer is going to be your *best* ever. Click here to find out how, what and why?
We sent fanmail to 10 major British pop stars pretending to be a 7 year old girl called Emma. What came back? Do pop stars love their fans as much as they love their fans' money?
Let's find out... 
Send pop stars stuff. Try not to freak them out. Here's the TT pop star fanmail address book.
We're more generous than your granny after she's stocked up on Werther's Original. Get yourself some free shit and track what we're giving away here:
Helen shares every detail of her life in the form of weekly vlogs. We put them up here because they're amazing.
Oi you! Stop picking bum fluff -lots more stuff is happening outside your window. Find out what's going on with the teen events calendar.
Mike travelled the country with latest-girl-band-on-the-scene Oh My! Here’s what an average day on their schools tour looked like - there’s screaming fans, late night hotel mischief and a bit where one of them falls over in slow motion.
Ranking and rating celebs based on their Bop It skills.
