Picture your day then picture the polar opposite of pretty much everything you are, and stick it in an alternate reality (which you live through every second day). You’re effectively living your days twice, but from completely different points of view. Confused yet? I hope not, because not only is this book amazing, it is going to be hitting my top 5 of the year at this stage.

Sabine lives two lives, a rich socialite, and a social misfit. One life is full of excess, the things a girl may want but doesn’t need, where as her other life is crammed with the things every girl needs, but may not want. When she goes to sleep she alternates between the two lives.

It isn’t until she breaks her arm, and it doesn’t transfer into her other life, that her brain starts to tick over about the opportunity to choose which life she’d like to lead. It certainly isn’t an easy life lives (?) to live, but which would you choose?

Jessica Shervington has completely messed with my head, and I don’t quite know why it affected me so much. I love Sabine. I love the other characters. I even loved the characters we were supposed to hate… (except that one poop head. I can never forgive him.) The relationships between characters are complex and believable. The situations ring true.

Though Between the Lives is set in the US, it could just as easily be set in the more affluent areas of any Aussie major city, and in contrast, any of the outer suburbs. I actually think it is a bit of a shame Jessica didn’t decide to give a nod to Sydney or Melbourne.

I honestly don’t think I’d enjoy living two lives, no matter which way you want to slice it.

Jessica Shirvington hit a home run with this gem of a book.

http://www.jessicashirvington.com/

Paperback, 336 pages

Published May 1^st 2013 by HarperCollins Australia

ISBN 0732296269 (ISBN13: 9780732296261)

The wall looms over the people of Amarias through the days and nights. Joshua knows that it is meant to be there to offer them protection from the people on the other side of it – the people who used to live where Amarias is now. The people in Amarias are strange though, and every day his mother becomes more like them and less like the woman that he grew up loving. So when he finds a tunnel leading under the wall, it is a chance to discover for himself whether the people on the other side are as dangerous as the government says.

Lost and afraid in a society different to his own, a girl does him a kindness that will have repercussions for both of them.

Cruel regimes are a pretty big theme in teen fiction right now. In The Wall, dystopia is taken from the realms of sci-fi and fantasy and translated to reality. Rather than reading about an imaginary reality, we are offered a glimpse of a real and current one. One that is partially of our making. The depiction of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict here is raw and desperate. Split physically by only a wall, in the minds of both societies, there are so many other barriers between them. Fear and hatred exist on both sides of the wall.

Sutcliffe’s writing style is wonderful. He captures the voice of an inquisitive and intelligent thirteen year old boy perfectly. His ideals, however, are what took me from liking this book to loving this book. Though this isn’t an imaginary world, it does have a similar feel to the dystopian teen fiction books I’ve been reading lately with one important difference. Violence is not fought with violence. Ever. Joshua resists the horrible situation around him with as much courage as any hero I’ve read, but he combats the destruction with construction. He builds a relationship with the people he is meant to hate by nurturing an orchard they once owned. Pouring love into the world, rather than saturating it with more hatred. It’s a strong and essential message to send, that resistance can be non-violent and productive.

In this sort of a story, making an ‘us and them’ dichotomy can be all too easy. Sutcliffe, however, avoids it. There are some truly terrible people on both sides of the wall, and some good ones, and some who are lost and frightened. Opening up dialogue and a willingness to understand each other is shown to be the key to ending the violence and misery that exists in both societies.

Beautifully crafted with amazing and realistic relationships, The Wall is a wonderful read for teens and adults alike. Ultimately uplifting, it’s books like this that create more kindness and understanding in our world.

The Wall – William Sutcliffe

Bloomsbury (April 1, 2013)

ISBN: 9781408838426

Chris Kneipp answers the tablet versus PC dilemma for us by comparing the new hybrids!

Recently, my faithful old Toshiba netbook began to show signs it had some sort of computer dementia, losing things and developing memory problems. It was obvious the time had come to replace it.

Now when you’re buying any new tech it’s always a good idea to work out what you need, what you want and what you can afford before you head out to face the mind boggling variety of options on offer. If you don’t, you may fall victim to the Tech equivalent of the impulse buy chocolates they put at supermarket checkouts.

So I made my list of wants and needs, and began the search for my new electronic buddy (Yes, I do get too close to my machines). Very quickly I realised there was one more question I needed to ask. Tablet or PC? (Want or Need?) Now I do a lot of writing so a keyboard is a must. A REAL keyboard (on screen keypads just don’t cut it and you lose half your screen). You can buy compatible keyboards for most tablets but most felt like using a toy.

About then I got my first look at one of the many Tablet PC crossovers that have started appearing on the market over the last year and there were a lot. So began the task of narrowing the field. Windows 8 or Android? For me Microsoft won, so I could use my old files on the new tech without learning a new office program or having to deal with the potential conversion problems. This decision cut my choices way down and sticking to my $1000 budget reduced it further until only a couple of real contenders remained. The SAMSUNG ATIV Tab 5 and the ASUS VivoTab.

It seemed like a tough choice and at first glance you might think they were much the same.

• Both have an 11.6 inch touch screen that detaches to become a tablet.
• Both run on the 1.8Mhz Intel® ATOM™ processor (Z2760),
• have 2GB’s of ram
• and 64GB of storage, front (8MP) and rear (2MP) cameras
• and both come with a stylus.

In fact, if it wasn’t for going away and doing a little research, I would have thought “Hey, the Samsung is a couple of hundred bucks cheaper, problem solved.” Ten minutes on the Internet made it clear why the price difference.

Behind the sleek silver-grey exterior, the ASUS has a couple of features that the Samsung doesn’t, and none of the problems.

Removing the tablet from the keyboard dock of the Samsung can cause you to lose whatever you’re working on. This would be less of a problem if it weren’t for the repeated complaint that the tablet undocks itself when you least expect it. Obviously this has caused more complaints than anything else, though users also seemed disappointed with things like its restricted viewing angle when docked and glitch ridden keyboard.

The ASUS, on the other hand , has a much more secure docking lock, and does not have any issue with being docked or undocked while you are working on something. On top of this, the build is generally sturdier and the design seems to have had a lot more thought put into it. Especially impressive is the dual battery, one in the keyboard and one in the tablet giving you 16 hours plus of use between recharges. I’ve been using it all day and I still can’t kill it. Recharging takes a while, but plug it in at night and it’s ready to play all the next day.

Needless to say, I ended up buying the ASUS. By shopping around I managed to get it for a price not that much different from its competition.

So if you’re in the market for something that can meet your tablet and portable PC needs, the ASUS VivoTab may be just what you’re looking for.

(aka The Lasagne Saga)

So, one thing I’ve learned since writing up these recipes for Escape Club is that you guys tend to like the super rich and decadent chocolately ones the best. So when a friend suggested over Facebook (*waves to Deb*) that I give Chocolate Lasagne a go – who was I to refuse? There’s heaps of recipes out there online, but I decided to go with my own invention. The only tip I stole was to use instant pudding for some of the layers… read on and you’ll see how that went!

So hopefully, with all my trial and error, I’ve saved you the drama, and even though this is a time consuming dessert to make (that time is chilling between layers, not actual work), it’s really simple when broken down into steps.

Preparation:

Grease and line a tin with baking paper. Be careful with this step, and make sure you’ve lined the tin well. I used a cake tin measuring 22cm x 28cm and 7cm deep. You don’t need to make yours as mammoth as mine, but do make sure your tin is deep enough for all the different layers.

1^st Layer is Dark Chocolate Fudge:

Melt 50g of butter with a 395g tin of condensed milk. Stir constantly over a low heat – you can’t leave it or you’ll burn the pot. Once the butter and condensed milk are combined, add 400g of finely chopped dark chocolate. Continue stirring until all combined and thick. Then carefully spoon the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan, making it as level as possible. I added sliced ‘Chomp’ chocolate bars sprinkled on top for texture. Chill in fridge while you prepare the next layer.

2^nd Layer:

Is marshmallow! Add 2 tablespoons of gelatine to 1 ½ cups of boiling water. Stir until combined. Place 3 cups of sugar in a large mixing bowl, and add the dissolved gelatine mix. Mix with an electric beater for at least 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add a couple of drops of vanilla essence, and mix for another couple of seconds. If you wanted to add some colour, now is the time to do that, too. Spread carefully over the top of your chilled chocolate fudge and chill again. You’ll most likely have waaay too much marshmallow, so use your leftovers by spooning into a greased cake tin (you’ll use it another layer).

3^rd  Layer:

Is caramel. Now, I’d planned to cheat here and use the tinned version, but didn’t have enough. So I made my own like this: Add 200g of butter to 200g of brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat slowly and stir constantly until they combine to a smooth paste. Then, add a 395g tin of condensed milk and keep stirring for about 5 minutes, but don’t allow the mix to bubble. Cool at room temperature for about half an hour (or if you’re impatient like, me – 10 mins in the fridge). It’s important your caramel is cool so it doesn’t melt the marshmallow when you spread it over the top.

4^th Layer:

So, this is where my problems started. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say I tried using instant chocolate pudding. It was a disaster and I had to scrape it off the caramel (which I’d allowed to set well, thank goodness) and start again. I started with about a cup and a half of leftover marshmallow, to 2 tablespoons of butter. Melt together in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once combined, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa and continue stirring. Pour mixture over 4 cups of Coco-pops, and mix really well until the Coco-pops are covered. Press firmly into your tin with the back of a spoon, over the top of the caramel layer. Then, just because too much chocolate is never enough, I sprinkled white chocolate buds over the top.

5^th Layer:

Now, when I make this again, I’ll probably leave this layer out, but it’s up to you how much is enough, or how rich you like your decadent desserts. I added a thin layer of milk chocolate ganache by mixing 250g of milk chocolate with 3 tablespoons of cream and heating over a low heat until the chocolate is melted and combined.

6^th and Final Layer:

Is the same as the first! Yes, more dark chocolate fudge, and more sliced Chomp Bars for decoration. Allow your finished Chocolate Lasagne to set for a couple of hours before turning out of the tin (VERY carefully – and this is where you thank me for reminding you to line that tin well). You might need to give it a bit of a tap on the bottom, to coax it out, but be patient. Slice with a very sharp knife. You could serve this with whipped cream – but honestly, you probably won’t need it!

Now… time to go for a run. Or do some sit-ups. Or something. 

The Registry saved the country from collapse. But stability has come at a price. In this patriotic new America, girls are raised to be brides, sold at auction to the highest bidder. Boys are raised to be soldiers, trained by the state to fight to their death.

Nearly eighteen, beautiful Mia Morrissey excitedly awaits the beginning of her auction year. But a warning from her married older sister raises dangerous thoughts. Now, instead of going up on the block, Mia is going to escape to Mexico—and the promise of freedom.

All Mia wants is to control her own destiny—a brave and daring choice that will transform her into an enemy of the state, pursued by powerful government agents, ruthless bounty hunters, and a cunning man determined to own her . . . a man who will stop at nothing to get her back.

Paperback, 336 pages  Published June 11th 2013 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published May 28th 2013)

On Mia’s wedding day, her sister makes a sudden appearance back home, begging her family to help protect her from her husband. She says that the training Mia is going through now is all a lie. Mia’s parents continue to tell her that being married is the best thing for young women and her sister is overreacting. But later, Mia is notified that her sister has died. She panics and decides to run.

Mia and her best friend Whitney disguise themselves as boys and steal the car, only to run into a local boy who is heading the same way. They decide to travel together. With his help they are able to travel a fair distance. However, the man who has been optioned to marry Mia decides to go through with the arraignment despite her absence and he begins to pursue her in her travels. The trip soon becomes very deadly and a bounty is issued for anybody that brings her home.

The car doesn’t get them very far, and they end up hitch-hiking to Mexico. For a girl who is running from all she has learned about men, and a forced marriage, Mia doesn’t keep them out of her mind. The people she turns to for help become romantic interests as well.

Whitney who changes her mind and decides she wants to go home, is the smartest of the group. Women are not encouraged to go to school and Mia has little education that goes beyond housekeeping. But Whitney has been raised otherwise and soaks up knowledge like a sponge. We learn most about the world and how it became this way through Whitney’s stories, as well as through some of the strangers they meet in their travels. With our main character a naive, fearful and uneducated girl, Whitney is the shining light that helps the world-building and plot, pushing the narrative to being more than just a survival story.