TGIF #8

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads!  In this weekly feature, Ginger poses a question to her followers and then asks everyone to link up at the end of the post, sharing their responses.

This Friday's Question:

Books to Television: Which books would you love to see made in to a tv series? Or movie? 

It seems that every book I read or add to my TBR has already been snatched up for movie rights or it's at least in the works.  Two that come to mind immediately are Divergent and Blood Red Road, both of which were optioned for movies before they were even released into the wild.  Divergent was picked up by Summit.  (You know, the one that put out those sparkly vampire movies based on Stephenie Meyer's series?)  And Blood Red Road is on its way to even more awesomeness after having been optioned by the legendary Ridley Scott.  (Just thinking his name makes me want to watch Bladerunner for the millionth time.)

So, I find myself hard-pressed to imagine a book I'd love to see optioned for tv or film that isn't already in the queue.  Therefore, I will forego research (gasp!) and just give you a run-down of some books made of awesome that would be just as awesome on the big screen, or little screen in some cases.

Books that would make great movies:

- The Curse Workers series by Holly Black

- The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan

- Eon & Eona by Alison Goodman

- Almost every dystopian/post-apocalyptic book I've read

Series I would love to see on tv:

- The Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent

- Vampire Academy/Bloodlines books by Richelle Mead

For the most part, series with more than a few books make for better tv shows than movies in my opinion, but there are exceptions, like Harry Potter.  And sometimes the big budget of the movie industry enhances the quality of a project, so for some series, like those with serious action throughout, it makes more sense to go straight to the silver screen.

Sometimes it's scary to find out a favorite book is heading to the big screen.  As a book, it was open for interpretation.  As a movie or show, you're seeing just one person's vision.  That's never ruined a book for me, but I can't say it hasn't altered my perspective at times.  It's kind of like watching a favorite childhood movie as an adult and realizing it's kind of lame now.  At least for me.

But all seriousness aside, you know what the best part of all the speculation of books being turned into movies is?

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Labels: dystopian, from book to screen, tgif

Review: Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Title:  Tris & Izzie
Author:  Mette Ivie Harrison
Series:  n/a
Publisher:  EgmontUSA
Publication Date:  October 11, 2011
Links:  Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: 

From Goodreads:

A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school.

Review:

Okay, I admit it. I haven’t actually ever read the original story of Tristan and Isolde, but a quick Wikipedia search tells me that, yes, this could be considered a retelling, though I’m not entirely convinced. I’ll still need to read the original legend to have a good grasp on this. I thought not knowing the original legend very well might make reading this version more intriguing, though. Hey, it worked with Entwined. (Who was responsible for reading me fairy tales when I was a kid, right?)
 
That said, I had really high hopes for this novel. I mean, that cover is gorgeous! If ever I bought a book simply for the cover, it would be this one. Alas, I read a copy provided by Netgalley, and so I probably won’t ever own that beautiful cover.

Alright, I’m done lamenting. On to the actual review. This book definitely had its ups and downs. One minute, I agreed with every reviewer who came before me when they admonished the author for butchering this tale, even with my lack of knowledge for the original story. Then, I’d read a little further and wonder, How could they say that? This novel has promise. But a few pages later, I’d be in despair again, realizing that, Man, this book could have been soooo much better. (I really did want to love this book.) *sigh*

You can’t really go wrong with a retelling, right? The story’s already been told; you just need to add your flair to it. What you can do wrong is write flat, irritating characters that make me want to pull my hair out. Not one of the characters in this story had any depth. I found that Izzie’s naiveté was just insulting, and it was hard to believe that she could be so clueless when it came to her relationships, platonic or otherwise.

Not only was the story itself executed poorly, but it could have used a better editor to catch some of the plot holes. Within the first pages of the novel, I noticed that at one point, Izzie is whining about Branna having arrived (or departed?) separately because she was lucky enough to have her own car, but not much later, Branna is riding the bus home from school with Izzie. Then a few chapters pass and Branna is driving them to the homecoming game in her own car. I don’t know any self-respecting teenager who would suffer a bus ride for a friend when they had their own wheels. Wouldn’t said teenager just give their friend a ride? Another instance that could have used some editing was a discussion that takes place between Branna and Izzie early in the book about graduating in two years, but later they’re discussing when Izzie started dating Mark – two years ago – when they were sophomores. So, are they seniors or sophomores? Who knows.

Overall, I was obviously disappointed with this novel, even after reading several mediocre reviews and still deciding to give it a shot because of that stunning cover. So, the blah story gets two stars and the cover itself gets its own star. That’s fair, right?

I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.

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Labels: beautiful covers, disappointments, reviews

TGIF #7

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads!  In this weekly feature, Ginger poses a question to her followers and then asks everyone to link up at the end of the post, sharing their responses.

This Friday's Question:

Making a Difference: Which book(s) would you put in the hands of today's teenagers in hopes of making a difference in their lives? 

Honestly, it would have to be one of those books they "forced" us to read in high school, like Fahrenheit 451 and 1984.  I enjoyed each of these books immensely as a teen and found that they had a lesson that went far beyond what I was expecting to take away from the books.  Namely, question everything.  Never let others tell you that this is simply the way things are.  Instead, decide for yourself how things should be, how you want them to be.  And then start changing the world.

I can't fathom a world where rather than acting as our saviors, firefighters BURN books without question, which is exactly what Guy Montag does in Fahrenheit 451.  But the premise of 1984 is no less scary:  the government is watching your every move and any infraction will result in swift punishment.  These books are not only classics, but they incite powerful thoughts and invite debate about how much control is too much.  They also suggest that when one person decides to stand up against standard beliefs and practices, they can make a difference.  And it's worth it, everytime.

Also, if you haven't guessed, these books ignited my love for dystopian/post-apocalyptic reads.  I don't think there's another genre out there that could make me feel as strongly about changing the world for the better.

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Labels: classics, tgif

Review: Bargains and Betrayals by Shannon Delaney

Title:  Bargains and Betrayals
Author:  Shannon Delaney
Series:  13 to Life
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date:  August 16, 2011
Links:  Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: 

From Goodreads:

Locked away at Pecan Place, Jessie finds her situation to be even more dangerous than she feared. While she struggles to maintain her sanity and discover answers about the group that seems less and less like any legitimate government agency, Pietr fights to keep their relationship alive. But very aware that his mother’s time is running out, Pietr makes a deal he doesn’t dare tell Jessie about. Because the deal Pietr’s made could mean the death of far more than his tenuous relationship with the girl he loves.

Review:

Please note: minor spoilers for the previous novels may follow.

The 13 to Life series is so much fun and so different from any other werewolf story I’ve ever encountered. But it’s not just about the wolves. Shannon Delaney owns this story with the inclusion of the Russian Mafia, Cold War experiments gone wrong (or right?), and renegade “CIA” operatives. Not to mention the bittersweet love story.

This plot is just full of crazy. After the events of Secrets and Shadows, you’ve got Jessie locked away in a mental institution. The Rusakovas are trying to figure out how to rescue their mother from the CIA. And Jessie’s dad has started up a relationship with Jessie’s former enemy. Like I said, full of the crazy. But the story is so character-driven and so well-written that the crazy doesn’t seem so crazy. It just seems like another day in Junction for Jessie and the Rusakovas.

In this third installment, the author decided to split the POV between Jessie and Alexi. I thought this complemented the storyline, especially seeing Alexi’s reaction to how his family treats him now, knowing he’s not their true sibling. And very much like Max in the previous novel, Alexi provided the comic relief in Bargains and Betrayals, even if it was mostly sarcastic and self-deprecating. I don’t necessarily like him more now that I’ve seen things from his side, but I definitely have a newfound respect for him.

All of the characters have matured since the story began in 13 to Life, but if I had to pick one character who has matured the most, it would have to be Max. When he took a shining to Amy, he put aside his playboy ways and made a real effort to get to know her. Things aren’t always easy for them, but he doesn’t give up on her. And in this latest book, he really proves how much he cares. I can’t wait to see how that relationship develops, especially in light of the events at the end of the novel.

Much craziness ensued throughout this novel, and there may have been as many as five overlapping minor plots when all was said and done, but the author expertly tied them all together in one nice, explosive package. I can’t seem to find how many books are expected in this series, but I, for one, hope the author never runs out of ideas for it. Next up is Destiny and Deception, due out at the end of January. (She cranks these things out quick, doesn’t she?!?)


***Oh, one more thing, and this is just a personal observation. I remember reading a review for 13 to Life, back when I first started the series, where the reviewer remarked that the author didn’t do her research because Rusakova is a female surname in Russian. I don’t want to berate that reviewer because everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I thought it was interesting that the author finally explained in Bargains and Betrayals why they all share the Rusakova surname. I always try to give the author the benefit of the doubt because they're really the only ones who know where their story is going and where it's been.

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Labels: 13 to life, reviews, werewolves

Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Title:  Bloodlines
Author:  Richelle Mead
Series:  Bloodlines
Publisher:  Razorbill
Publication Date:  August 23, 2011
Links:  Amazon | Goodreads
Rating:   

From Goodreads:

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Review:

So, I was a naysayer in the beginning. I was burned out on vampires and wasn’t willing to give the Vampire Academy series the respect it deserved. It wasn’t until I got a deal on the audiobook for the first installment in the series that I gave it a chance and decided I'd been missing out. Now imagine my surprise and excitement when I found out that the author had created a spin-off series featuring secondary characters from VA. Me -- a nonbeliever -- had stumbled upon not one but TWO awesome series, all thanks to a sale. I love it when that happens!

But then I remembered how Last Sacrifice ended, and my heart broke again. If you have not read the VA series yet, I do not advise starting this series yet. Mead does her summation thing again, but very briefly, so it would be best to familiarize yourself with the characters and back-story from the Vampire Academy world first. Trust me on this.

I really thought I’d miss Rose as the main character, but Sydney’s voice is just as fantastic, if not better. Her snark and over-analysis of the world made for a very entertaining narration. I liked her when she was simply helping out Rose in VA, but I loved her in Bloodlines. She has to contend with a lot of issues that make her uneasy and test her loyalties, and she does it all while dressed like an accountant. You can take the girl out of the alchemist world, but you can’t take the alchemist out of the girl.

I only want to touch on the relationships and friendships briefly because I feel most anything I say will be a spoiler if you haven’t read the Vampire Academy series. (And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Didn’t I already tell you I was converted by a mere audiobook??) So, yeah, back to the relationships. I don’t think I’ve ever said, “Oh, huh, I did not see that coming,” to any of the relationships in Mead’s books, but that’s because they are so well-though out. The relationships in VA develop over time, usually with me muttering to myself, “Are those two ever going to make out?” Even friendships don’t happen immediately. The plot may not be the most realistic ever, especially when you consider that there are good vampires and bad vampires in the world of VA, but at least the bonds between characters are.

I think I gave all of the VA series four out of five stars. You’ll notice that Bloodlines got five. That’s cause I like this series EVEN MORE than VA. I don’t know if it was the introduction of Sydney as the protagonist or the fact that there was a lot more Adrian to feast upon, but I loved every second of this book.



I received an ARC of this novel through a giveaway from Jess at Gone with the Words.

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Labels: audiobooks, bloodlines, book trailers, reviews, vampire academy