We all delight in seeing our favorite books brought to life on the big screen. We cringe at casting. We scoff at release dates. All the while, we're gearing up to see if the director's vision lives up to the world we've conceived in our own imaginations. Sometimes it does...and sometimes it doesn't. We could lament the movies that don't measure up, or we could return to the books for a re-read, possibly with a slightly different mind-set. All's fair when it comes to artistic vision, right?
First up, a review of
Stardust. It's been showing on cable a lot lately, and I finally caught the whole thing. :)
Title: Stardust
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer
Release date: August 10, 2007
Based on: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
In a countryside town bordering on a magical land, a young man makes a promise to his beloved that he'll retrieve a fallen star by venturing into the magical realm.
Okay, so I'm kinda pissed at myself for not reading this book first. I
love Neil Gaiman, as many of you do. I've only read
Coraline and
Neverwhere, but I've also seen
MirrorMask, which I loved. And I have the audio of
Anansi Boys...I just haven't gotten around to listening yet. I've wanted to read
Stardust for a while, but you know how it is. And then I saw the movie on tv and it was so pretty and I just couldn't pass it up.
It was visually stunning, which I kind of think of as a prerequisite for any movie based on a story by Neil Gaiman. After all, he does craft these spellbinding and beautiful worlds that just beg to be made real. But I also love the complexities of his characters, the trials and adventures they must undertake. I don't think I've ever fully reviewed a Neil Gaiman novel, but I think they'd probably all seem relatively similar. Not that his books are all the same -- they are undoubtedly not -- but he always manages to make the story come alive for me. I didn't have an inkling to read
Neverwhere when it was pushed on me by an older male friend who adores everything Gaiman. And it took a bit for me to get into it, but I was sucked in after that.
This movie, though...I loved it from the very onset. Yes, it was beautiful. But the characters and those cast to play them...perfection. I've always loved Claire Danes, even back in her
My So-Called Life days. I wasn't familiar with Charlie Cox, but I liked his character a lot more once he got that long hair. :P But best of all was Robert De Niro as a cross-dressing pirate. That. Was. Priceless. And I'm not the hugest De Niro fan, but I think more highly of him now. :D
I thought this movie was rather brilliant, and I want to read the book even more now.
Rating:
Okay, after ComicCon, everyone's talking about
Catching Fire, and while I'm wildly excited about the release of that movie in November -- especially after seeing the
new trailer -- there's another movie that I'm just
dying for:
Title: Veronica Mars
Director: Rob Thomas
Stars: Kristen Bell, Chris Lowell, Jason Dohring
Release date: 2014, i.e.
not soon enough
Based on: the beloved TV series of the same name
Feature film adaptation of the TV series, 'Veronica Mars'.
I told my hubby they were making a full-length movie based on the show, and he said, "Why?!?" You see, he was never a fan, and it annoyed him to no end that he'd come home every day and find an episode on. One I'd probably seen a hundred times. What? Veronica Mars is awesome...she's that kick-ass girl who I wish all YA heroines would endeavor to be. Plus some.
I am beyond excited about this movie. BEYOND. From my vantage point at the office, I can see a yellow Xterra pass by on the street below at roughly the same time every day. And my thoughts immediately turn to Logan Echols every single time. Obsessed much? Maybe. But I wasn't ready for that show to end when it was cancelled.
So news of the movie and the release of a sneak peek have me keyed up again. The only thing that will make the wait bearable is knowing that there are going to be two Veronica Mars novels released after the movie. Okay, maybe that doesn't help with the wait. But for fans of the show, it's pretty exciting stuff.
Have you seen
Stardust? Are you ready for Veronica Mars to take over the world?
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
{Audiobook} Review: Proxy by Alex London
Author: Alex London
Narrator: Andrew Sweeney
Series: Proxy, book #1
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Publication Date: June 18, 2013
Source: purchased audio
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
Syd is a Proxy. His life is not his own.
Then again, neither is Knox’s. Knox and Syd have more in common than either would guess. So when Knox and Syd realize that the only way to beat the system is to save each other, they flee. Yet Knox’s father is no ordinary Patron, and Syd is no ordinary Proxy. The ensuing cross-country chase will uncover a secret society of rebels, test both boys’ resolve, and shine a blinding light onto a world of those who owe and those who pay. Some debts, it turns out, cannot be repaid.
Proxy caught my attention with an intriguing premise and that very science-fictiony cover. It takes an interesting concept -- the whipping boy -- and throws it into a futuristic setting, rife with nearly incomprehensible technological advances, making the barbaric act of doling out punishment to a substitute seem even more archaic.
The ethical issue of using a proxy weighed heavily on the novel, just as it did on the characters. When Knox and Syd meet, they do so as virtual enemies, using each other for their own means: one to infuriate his father, the other for mere survival. But as the boys journey outside of the city to escape their harsh realities, a shaky alliance morphs into true friendship. The two boys grow to see each other as more than the roles they've played in society thus far, more than just Patron and Proxy, and they start questioning the system and everything it stands for.
This is not just the story of two boys who change their positions in an unchangeable world. They're faced with moral and ethical dilemmas galore, as well as what it means to sacrifice oneself for the good of all. (Syd's full name is Sydney Carton, a la Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, so it seemed inevitable that the theme of sacrifice would appear in this novel.) Knox and Syd make friends -- and enemies -- along the way, but this is one of those stories where you're not sure who to trust and who to stab in the back.
It wasn't until closer to the end of this book that I was able to connect with the characters at all and really rally behind them. And that had to do a lot with Knox's own personal growth and how it was perceived by others. The characters in this story were complex and dynamic, continually growing and changing as the circumstances warranted, which was rather fun to observe when one started out as a rich playboy and the other as an ostracized homosexual ne'er-do-well.
Andrew Sweeney did a great job separating each character, giving each a voice of their own. Knox and Syd were like night and day, and Sweeney did a good job of conveying that in the voice he used for each. And when it came to narrating female dialogue, he didn't take his voice up a few octaves as some narrators are wont to do, which is much appreciated by this listener.
I liked Proxy...I didn't love it, but I liked it. And I'd still definitely recommend it for those who are still on a dystopian kick but are looking for a new entry in the genre. Proxy is definitely different, and I mean that in the best possible way. I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for this odd couple, assuming there is more in store for them with that ending. *bites nails*
This GIF is so apropos, it's not even funny...but it kinda still is. You guys probably aren't even old enough to remember The Odd Couple -- the old movie with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon or the tv series of the same name. Shoot, I'm not really old enough either, but my dad made sure I caught all the "classics". Ha! But those guys were day and night...kinda like Knox and Syd.
Rating: 1/2
Alex London writes books for adults, children and teens. At one time a journalist who traveled the world reporting from conflict zones and refugee camps, he now is a full time novelist living in Brooklyn.
Find Alex:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Waiting on Wednesday: Enders by Lissa Price
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
Author: Lissa Price
Series: Starters and Enders, book #2
Publisher: Delacorte BFYR
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
I feel like I've been waiting on this book forever. Probably doesn't help that it got pushed back. Also, I should've known they'd change the covers. I don't mind the new covers, but I liked the original cover for Starters better. I actually might DL the audio for Starters since it's been so long...I feel like this is one book where I definitely need a refresher. I do remember the Old Man being pretty freaking creepy, though.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
{Blog Tour} The Liberator by Victoria Scott: Review + Giveaway
So, it probably doesn't seem that long ago that I was excited to introduce you to the fabulous Dante Walker...oh, wait! That's 'cause it was only April when I was touting that 2013 Belongs to Dante. Well, he's back, baby, and he is better than ever! Check out my review of The Liberator and scroll down for a giveaway!
Author: Victoria Scott
Series: Dante Walker, book #2
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.
With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.
Dante's character took a little getting used to in The Collector. But I grew to love his swagger and his self-absorbed ways. And he showed tremendous character growth in the first book. That said, it took a lot to get used to this new and improved Dante in The Liberator. He's not himself. He doesn't know how to be a liberator, but he's trying his best. And yet, this dude stays locked inside his own head for a good portion of the first half of the book.
Talk about a complete 180. Dante worries -- a lot -- about his relationship with Charlie, about his status as a liberator, and about how he's going to keep Charlie safe. It was actually kind of cute. And then he's given this new mission, which takes him away from his beloved Charlie, and he worries even more. Dante can't fathom how he's supposed to liberate the soul of a girl who is his equal in every way. It's enough to drive a guy crazy. But after Dante has his little pity party, he's back to being awesome. Annoyingly so, but still. :)
There are quite a few new additions to the cast of characters, as well as the return of some old friends. ;0) And if you're worried about the possible love triangle hinted at in the synopsis, fret not. Aspen is awesome and spunky and fierce, but more than anything, she is a friend to Dante and Charlie. Dante sees some of himself in her, but he never looks at her the way he does Charlie. Charlie is his world, and that's that.
I was happy to see that the villains were more prevalent and took on a more sinister role this time around. Not that they were non-existent before, but they were lurkers. In this sequel, those bad guys have upped the ante and have added to their ranks. This is truly a story of good versus evil, a battle between Heaven and Hell, and the bad guys aren't ready to give up just yet.
The Liberator got off to a bit of a slow start for me, but once it hit its stride, I was reminded of why I enjoyed the first book so much. This installment is more action-packed and intense, I think, but it also packs a more emotional punch, as everyone seems to be battling their own demons. I'm really enjoying Victoria Scott's take on angels and demons and what they're ultimately fighting for, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.
Rating:
I’m a teen fiction writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. My work is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger literary agency. I have a master’s degree in marketing, and currently live in Dallas with my husband, Ryan.
My first series started with THE COLLECTOR, and was published by Entangled Teen in April 2013. The second book in the trilogy, THE LIBERATOR, will release August 2013. My next series kicks off with FIRE & FLOOD and is being published by Scholastic, February 2014.
Find Victoria:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Goo
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Be sure to check out the rest of The Liberator blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!
Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!
Teaser Tuesday #68: Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Author: Francesca Lia Block
Series: n/a
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company BFYR
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who holds hope and love in her hands and refuses to be defeated.
I know next to nothing about this book, but comparing it to The Odyssey is pretty promising. I loved studying that in school. What I can tell you is that this cover is just as awesome in person, and the images inside the pages of the book are just as beautiful.
Know what else? You can download the first five chapters of this book for free right now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble.
What are you teasing this week? Share it in the comments or leave a link so I can visit!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke
Author: April Genevieve Tucholke
Series: Between, book #1
Publisher: Dial
Publication Date: August 15, 2013
Source: ARC from publisher for review
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.
Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea was one of my mostly highly anticipated titles this year. I screamed like the fangirl that I am when an ARC arrived on my doorstep. I know that practically all of the reviewers I trust have devoured this book, and yet I made myself wait till now to read it. I wanted to forget everything I'd read about the novel so that I could go into it with a clear head. And it absolutely lived up to my expectations.
Far and above everything else, I think my favorite aspect of this novel was the moral questions it asked of the reader. River is deliciously devilish, and it would serve Violet well not to believe a word he utters, but his actions are not always those of malice. Give a boy a god-like power and expect him to become addicted to what he can do and trust that he will take it too far. Except, is it morally and ethically wrong if his actions are those of retribution on souls who've committed great misdeeds? If it wasn't his place to judge the wrong-doers, why was he given this power?
Violet knows better than to give her heart to this boy. Even before she knew what River was capable of, she was wary of him. And yet...there's something about him that draws her in. Vi resists her feelings for River, especially once she seriously has to consider how evil he might be, but her will is no match for River's magnetism. That is, until the truth of that magnetism is revealed, and then we're all left wondering whether any of it was real.
Throughout this novel, I continued to question why I was okay with River as the love interest. He is not inherently evil, but his actions do speak loud and clear. Knowing what he has done, what he will probably continue to do, how is it that I still ship this romance between him and Violet? I think it speaks to the beautiful prose that I can almost accept River and his sense of justice, no matter how misbegotten it is.
The setting of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea gives this novel a very gothic feel, with the White's extravagant house -- named the Citizen Kane by their deceased grandmother -- on a cliff, the crashing sea below it, and a graveyard full of children fending off the devil. Very macabre indeed. The White children are isolated from the rest of the town, left on their own at the Citizen over the summer while their parents travel abroad. Yet, Violet is even further ostracized, partly by choice. She doesn't fit in, and her brother makes every attempt to ensure she knows it.
Despite initially despising Luke for how he treated Violet, he did grow on me. And it was nice to see River give him his comeuppance a time or two. All of the characters in this novel seemed a bit morally ambiguous in the beginning, but each endeared themselves to me in one way or another...eventually. (Well, except that one guy.) Even Frankie, dead as she was, was an ever-present facet in Violet's life, and I found myself wishing for more than just her old letters and clothing to get to know her by.
I wanted to love this book so badly, and I'm relieved and ecstatic that the story was everything I'd hoped it would be. The eccentric dialogue and the easy banter pulled me into this little circle of strangeness from the very first page, and I'm excited to see where the author takes the story in the next installment, especially after seeing the title: Between the Spark and the Burn. I'm officially creeped out by what this title implies, but I'm also very, very intrigued. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a stellar debut, one sure to conjure up its fair share of nightmares.
Rating:
April Genevieve Tucholke is a full-time writer who digs classic movies, redheaded villains, big kitchens, and discussing murder at the dinner table. She and her husband—a librarian, former rare-book dealer, and journalist—live in Oregon. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is her first novel.
Find April:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter
Movie Monday #12: Stardust & Veronica Mars
We all delight in seeing our favorite books brought to life on the big screen. We cringe at casting. We scoff at release dates. All the while, we're gearing up to see if the director's vision lives up to the world we've conceived in our own imaginations. Sometimes it does...and sometimes it doesn't. We could lament the movies that don't measure up, or we could return to the books for a re-read, possibly with a slightly different mind-set. All's fair when it comes to artistic vision, right?
First up, a review of Stardust. It's been showing on cable a lot lately, and I finally caught the whole thing. :)
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer
Release date: August 10, 2007
Based on: Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Okay, so I'm kinda pissed at myself for not reading this book first. I love Neil Gaiman, as many of you do. I've only read Coraline and Neverwhere, but I've also seen MirrorMask, which I loved. And I have the audio of Anansi Boys...I just haven't gotten around to listening yet. I've wanted to read Stardust for a while, but you know how it is. And then I saw the movie on tv and it was so pretty and I just couldn't pass it up.
It was visually stunning, which I kind of think of as a prerequisite for any movie based on a story by Neil Gaiman. After all, he does craft these spellbinding and beautiful worlds that just beg to be made real. But I also love the complexities of his characters, the trials and adventures they must undertake. I don't think I've ever fully reviewed a Neil Gaiman novel, but I think they'd probably all seem relatively similar. Not that his books are all the same -- they are undoubtedly not -- but he always manages to make the story come alive for me. I didn't have an inkling to read Neverwhere when it was pushed on me by an older male friend who adores everything Gaiman. And it took a bit for me to get into it, but I was sucked in after that.
This movie, though...I loved it from the very onset. Yes, it was beautiful. But the characters and those cast to play them...perfection. I've always loved Claire Danes, even back in her My So-Called Life days. I wasn't familiar with Charlie Cox, but I liked his character a lot more once he got that long hair. :P But best of all was Robert De Niro as a cross-dressing pirate. That. Was. Priceless. And I'm not the hugest De Niro fan, but I think more highly of him now. :D
I thought this movie was rather brilliant, and I want to read the book even more now.
Rating:
Director: Rob Thomas
Stars: Kristen Bell, Chris Lowell, Jason Dohring
Release date: 2014, i.e. not soon enough
Based on: the beloved TV series of the same name
I told my hubby they were making a full-length movie based on the show, and he said, "Why?!?" You see, he was never a fan, and it annoyed him to no end that he'd come home every day and find an episode on. One I'd probably seen a hundred times. What? Veronica Mars is awesome...she's that kick-ass girl who I wish all YA heroines would endeavor to be. Plus some.
I am beyond excited about this movie. BEYOND. From my vantage point at the office, I can see a yellow Xterra pass by on the street below at roughly the same time every day. And my thoughts immediately turn to Logan Echols every single time. Obsessed much? Maybe. But I wasn't ready for that show to end when it was cancelled.
So news of the movie and the release of a sneak peek have me keyed up again. The only thing that will make the wait bearable is knowing that there are going to be two Veronica Mars novels released after the movie. Okay, maybe that doesn't help with the wait. But for fans of the show, it's pretty exciting stuff.
Have you seen Stardust? Are you ready for Veronica Mars to take over the world?
Sunday, July 28, 2013
{Short Story Sunday} {New Adult} Review: Keeping Her by Cora Carmack
And so, every Sunday for the foreseeable future, I would like to highlight short stories and novellas set in worlds I've already come to love and learn a little more about some of the secondary characters in my favorite novels. I'll be underscoring some of my favorite aspects of these short works of fiction, in addition to offering up a mini review of each work.
This week I'm featuring an alternate perspective from the Losing It series:
Author: Cora Carmack
Series: Losing It, book #1.5
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: August 13, 2013
Source: from publisher via Edelweiss
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.
As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.
Oh, Garrick. What is there not to love about this guy? He's sweet, totally enamored with the klutzy, blushing Bliss, and then there's the accent. *sigh* And now we get to read from his point-of-view! Well, technically, *I* already read several of the pivotal scenes in Losing It from Garrick's POV, as well as the first chapter of Keeping Her, so I already knew what I was getting myself into with this one. Or so I thought.
But Keeping Her isn't just from Garrick's perspective. It's also split with Bliss's as she freaks out at the mere thought of meeting Garrick's mother. It's actually hilarious to go back-and-forth between Garrick's seemingly calm facade and Bliss's anxiety. At first, I was kinda sad that it wasn't all from Garrick's POV, but I think it worked out better this way.
Best of all were all of the new characters we get to meet, even if they are fleeting. Garrick's best mates were charming and funny, and I especially liked the razzing they gave Bliss about being "hot for teacher". And then Garrick's mother...she was scary at first. And I was absolutely certain this trip to meet the parents was going to end in disaster, especially when Garrick's exes showed up, but the story ended on the perfect note.
I love Bliss and Garrick and their whole relationship, even if it was a little taboo in the beginning. I was glad to see them turn up in Faking It and I hope we get another glimpse of them in Finding It, though I don't know how likely that is with Kelsey halfway around the world. Which is why I was so glad to get this novella from Cora Carmack. Such a fun series!
Rating:
I'm Cora Carmack, a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. I've done a multitude of things in my life -- boring jobs (like working retail), fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). I enjoy placing my characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. My first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller.
Find Cora:
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Saturday, July 27, 2013
In My Mailbox #92
I need summer to last a couple months longer -- I mean the time between school years, not just the season. (We pretty much have six months -- at least -- of summer here in North Texas.) So I can take another vacation. So I can get more books read. And so I can stop freaking out about my baby starting kindergarten at the end of August. I'm just not ready!
For Review:
Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst - Amnesia? Magic-wielding serial killer? I am all over this one!
White Space by Ilsa J. Bick - The Matrix meets Inkheart? That. Sounds. AMAZING! I love her Ashes trilogy -- I'll be reading the final book in that series VERY soon -- and can't wait to see what she does with this new series!
The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain - I'm gonna be honest...this will be my first Bree Despain book. But I love the Persephone myth, so I couldn't pass it up. :)
Purchased/Audiobooks:
Reviews:
Promotional/Discussion Posts: SYNC's 2013 Week 9 offerings are up for download, with Grave Mercy and Hamlet up for grabs this week -- FOR FREE! The Truth AND Dare Blog Tour hosted by Paper Lantern Lit has kicked off. And I helped reveal the cover for Secret, the fourth book in Brigid Kemmerer's Elementals series! Also, I teased Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and waited on Evertrue.
Jen's Currently Reading/Listening To:
I was having trouble deciding on my next listen -- too many choices -- so I decided to re-listen to an old favorite. Check out my review to see why I love it so.
Reviews: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Proxy (audio), The Liberator
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