FIFTY SHADES OF GREY - THE MOVIE

 

I was so shocked when I heard that this was being made into a movie.  My first question was, “Is it going to be a porno?”  I just didn’t see how it was going to be possible otherwise.  Then I thought that it could possibly work if they combined all three books into one movie.  When I found out that wasn’t the case either, I was even more confused.  There was SO MUCH sex in the books, and when I say “so much”, I mean… an abundance! 

Let me start out by saying that in order to properly enjoy the movie, you NEED to read the book! Their whirlwind love affair will seem rushed and not make any sense without the extra details you get from the book; thoughts, feelings, etcetera.  I really liked the story that incorporated the whole trilogy, but it was as if the plot got drowned out by the numerous amount of loooong sex scenes.   After a while, I found myself skimming over those heated scenes – except for pausing at somewhat interesting parts – so I could get back to the story.  The story was good too, but it was as if it was one long story that they chopped into 3 parts to make three different books.  The first book doesn’t stand alone well at all, and that’s what people are left with for possibly a year until the next movie comes out. 

 

Now to the movie itself.  The beginning was somewhat strange.  It was as if they wanted no deviations from the script, and it felt very monotone as it moved its way through the storyline chapter by chapter.  There was no flow and the characters felt like two actors playing a part.  Neither one of them convinced me that they were truly the character they were playing.  It wasn’t until around the middle of the movie (yes, when the “intimate” scenes started), that I could finally start to see a connection.  And they were some heated scenes, let me tell you.  When they were in the Red Room of Pain, I found myself shifting in my seat and fidgeting with the neckline of my shirt.  After that, the movie started to flow a little easier.  Once again, reading the book helps fill in the blanks that come from watching the movie alone.

 

Then there is the part that I really don’t like about it.  The ending!  They ended the movie exactly how they ended the book, and I hated it both times.  It felt unfinished… incomplete, and it is because the other two books are needed to finish the storyline.  Except shouldn’t each book have a small obstacle to overcome, even in a continuing series?  The first book, and movie as well, started a conflict then ended in the middle of said conflict  No small resolve in the midst of a major conflict, nothing.  It’s not a cliffhanger to me, since I know how everything turns out, but it still pissed me off all the same.

 

Overall, I say that if you haven’t read the book, you would just be wasting your time to go see the movie.  You will walk out feeling confused and wonder what the purpose of it all was supposed to be.  If you have read the book, I’d say there’s no harm in going to see how Hollywood interpreted it for us.  It’s not a bad movie.  I can even go so far as to say that I liked it.  Except I strongly believe it’s because I had some semblance of what was really going on. After all the reading, aren’t you feeling a tad bit…

LATER'S BABY!

(FYI... this saying was so much sexier in the novel, but sounded a little strange coming from Movie Christian.)

 

“A Book You Were Supposed to Read in School, But Didn’t” 2015 Challenge; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

I’m going to let you all in on a little secret.  Growing up… I hated reading books.  There, I said it! *shock* *gasp*.  Then – yes, I know, it’s a little cliché – I read the first Twilight book because others at my work were.  Then the one after that, and after that, until I had read all four.  I was amazed that I actually enjoyed reading.  This was uncharted territory for me.  Next thing I knew, my mom handed me another book by an author she liked, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, and I was hooked for life.  That means that there were numerous books in school that I only skimmed through or never even read.  This was one of those books.

 

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

Did you know that there is not a published synopsis anywhere for this book that I can find?  This is what I found.

 

"Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos."

 

Not so much a summary, so here’s my go at it…

 

Reflecting on a time span of three years, this book centers on the life of a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, or as mostly everyone called her, Scout.  Between her and her older brother Jem, their imaginations stretch on forever.  That same imagination gave them much entertainment, but also got them into a few binds as well.

 

Life in the South in the 1930’s was simpler, slower paced, but the fear of the unknown could make people do crazy things.  Whether it be peering in windows at night to catch a glimpse of a recluse neighbor, or trying a black man in court with no evidence for presumably raping a young white girl.  Prejudices run deep, and while Scout keenly observes everything happening around her, with an open mind and being full of questions, she tries to understand the many different opinions of people around her.     

 

 

MY REVIEW

2.5 out of 5 *Stars*

 

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” – Atticus Finch

 

Ok, here’s the test.  How many loyal fans and followers am I going to lose after this review?  I did NOT like this book.  It took me months to read it, and finally the threat of library late fees made me finish it.  If it wasn’t for this challenge, I probably wouldn’t have, but I refuse to use a DNF for the challenge.  There’s a catch.  This book… There’s something about this book.  I started reading it, hated it, and thought I would be giving it a 1 star.  Then, as it progressed, I moved more to dislike the book rather than “hate” it, so I was going to give it 2 stars.  Then there was the ending that was somewhat appealing.  Appealing enough to bump it up to 2.5 stars.  Who knows, after I dwell on the book for a year, I might bump it up to a 4.  Yeah… That’s more than likely not going to happen. 

 

The reader spends countless pages going through the motions of everyday life.  It takes us through the children’s school days, evenings, and even summers when their best friend Dill comes to visit.  They have a fascination with their next door neighbor that never comes out and the majority of the book is focused on fueling their imaginations.  Then comes the trial, and the book turns a tad bit more interesting and starts to build up hope where there is an almost impossibility to have any.  This book shows the importance of treating innocent people with kindness, kind of like the importance not to harm a mockingbird that does nothing but “sing their hearts out for us”.  Are things clicking together for you yet?

 

Another thing…  Who is Atticus, really?  An alien?  Is he on drugs to keep him so calm and mellow all the time?  I understand it’s the south and back then life was slower and more relaxed, but COME ON!  Show me that you’re not a drone!  Nothing bothered him, and if it did, he hardly showed anything.  I understand chaos brings chaos and he was trying to instill peace so his children would become level headed people, but when push comes to shove, you are a single parent.  You are allowed to get mad and show it once in a while.  Finally!  Finally, at page 152 Atticus loses his cool… almost.  He “nearly” slammed a door!  Wow, I was in shock. <This is me rolling my eyes.>

 

I know this book has a powerful and important meaning that everyone should understand.  People are afraid of what they don’t know, and we should all do our best to be kind to the people that deserve it the most.  I get it, and understand the message, but the book was so boring that it was hard for me to finish.  I was waiting for a big climax. <Get your head out of the gutter.lol> Finally, at the end there was something small, but not enough for me to get excited about reading the book.  I hated that when I had a chance to read, I didn’t WANT to pick up the book.  Ever since I started reading books for fun, that had never happened, and I didn’t like it.

 

 

Here’s what I didn’t hate about the book.

 

The message.  I see why they have kids read this in schools.  The whole concept of learning from our past mistakes, and all…  Prejudice is shitty.  Pardon my language, but IT IS.  What Tom, the black man on trial for rape, had to go through was horrible, and the reader got to see it all from the point of view of a child.  The wise Atticus said it all when he claimed he wasn’t going to win defending Tom,

“Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” 

 

That statement, to me, was so sad.  It was as if there was no hope, and it is gut wrenching to know that there wasn’t back then.     

 

Dill got sick from the mistreatment of a colored person, and then a man, Mr. Raymond, says something, and another reality check slams into you. 

“Let him get a little older and he won’t get sick and cry.  Maybe things will strike him as being- not quite right, say, but he won’t cry, not when he gets a few years on him.” 

 

It’s basically saying, “Oh, he’ll get used to “the simple hell people give other people – without thinking, about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people too.””  What makes it so sad, is that it is completely true, then and sometimes now.    

 

Here’s the tricky part.  How do I recommend a book that was so hard for me to get through?  What’s that even say about me, that I disliked a Pulitzer Prize winning books that teachers have students read all over the country?  I’m not sure on that one.  This is what I’m going to do…  I can’t tell you to go out and read the book, but I can tell you that there is no harm in giving it a try.  I have talked to many people that enjoyed the book, so that just might be you as well.  Remember, I am only 1 opinion out of many.  Even though I like to think that I am right the majority of the time.  ;-)

 

13 book books down, 39 to go!!

Happy Reading, Everyone!!

 

 

“A Book That Became a Movie” 2015 Challenge; INSURGENT by Veronica Roth

How convenient that I had this book before the challenge started, I had just put off reading it.  I get the challenge and when I saw this topic, it was like the sound of a cash register going off.  “Cha-Ching!” I knew from the get-go that this book would be for that, but it took it being due back at the library for me to finally read it… like the last book I read… and now the one after this.  There’s nothing like the impending threat of $0.05 a day fines to get your butt in gear to read a book.

 

INSURGENT by Veronica Roth
Book 2 in the Divergent Trilogy

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

One choice can transform you – or it can destroy you.  But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves – and herself – while grapping with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked with celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors.  War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows.  And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable – and even more powerful.  Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing it. 

A CHOICE

BECOMES A SACRIFICE

A SACRIFICE

BECOMES A LOSS

A LOSS

BECOMES A BURDEN

A BURDEN

BECOMES A BATTLE

ONE CHOICE

CAN DESTROY YOU

 

 

 

 

MY REVIEW

5 OUT OF 5 *Stars*

 

Wow.  I did NOT see this one coming.  I had enjoyed the story line in the first book, Divergent, but it went really slow and I had a hard time staying focused.  That was not the case with this one, what so ever!  It’s a 525 page book and I finished it in 2 and a half days.  Taking into consideration that I am a mother of four and have a family and house to take care of as well, that is no small achievement. 

It started off exactly where Book 1 left off, with them on the train, and moved quickly on from there.  This was a fast paced, and action packed book. The reader, I, couldn’t decide what to focus on the most, whether it be the conflict around them, the strained love between Tris and Tobias, her relationship with family and friends, or trying to figure out the whole purpose of the war they found themselves in.

 

I love how this book wasn’t centered on only one or two factions, but all 5 of them instead.  When so much time was spent with each one, the reader finally got to see how the other half, or 1/5, lived, instead of just hearing about it.  We even get to learn a great deal more on the factionless, which was a whole new world in itself.  I found myself trying to categorize myself, but had a hard time doing so.  I guess I’m just too unique to stick into one specific bubble.  ;)

 

After finishing this book, I wasted no time putting Book 3 on order.  I have no idea where it will fit into the reading challenge, or if it even will, but I know it’s something I’m going to have to read.  On another note, I saw the first movie and thought it was good, if not a little slow… a lot like the book actually.  Now, after reading Book 2, I am almost bouncing in my seat to go see the second movie.  When I finally get to, there is no way I’m going to be able to keep my opinion to myself.  Expect to see a post on what I think about it, in regards to the book.  Stay tuned…

 

 

12 books down, 40 to go!!

 

Happy Reading, Everyone!

“A Book at the Bottom of Your To-Read List” 2015 Challenge; CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare

It’s not that I don’t enjoy this series, I do.  It’s just that the books drag on sometimes and I have to work myself up to reading them.  Take this book for instance.  I don’t have a traditional to-read list that’s recorded down.  I have a large stack of books in my bedroom that I checked out from the library specifically for this challenge.  I checked this book out in December before I decided to do the reading challenge.  I renewed it, then renewed it again.  Honestly, the only reason I read it now was that I couldn’t renew it again, it was due back at the library, and I was already racking up fines.  That is why I finally read it, and thought that it fit perfectly into this category because there are still other books I have that I would have read before this one. 

 

CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare

Book 4 of The Mortal Instruments Series

 

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

 

 

MY REVIEW

4.5 out of 5 *Stars*

 

I know that what I said before about this book being at the bottom of my to-read list probably sounded like I hated the book and was forced to read it, but that is far from the truth.  What I said was how I felt before I read this book.  I was still on the fence if I wanted to read it or not.  You gotta understand, City of Glass ended in a way that could have wrapped up the whole series.  Things were resolved, people were happy…  Why uplift all that and start more conflict and drama if you don’t need to?  That was a big reason why I waited so long to read the book. 

Now that I have, I am sucked back in all over again.   The story was good, and it kept my attention.  At first, I was a little thrown off by the constant change of POV, but eventually, the more I got sucked into the story, the more I enjoyed getting the different perspectives. 

At times it might have dragged on a little but as usual, Clare had a way with words that only she could have.

 

“His eyes seemed to contain the sadness of great ages, as if the sharp edges of human sadness had been worn down to something softer by the passing of years, the way sea water wore away the sharp edges of glass.”

That was like a metaphor inside a description, inside another description.  Yes, a little confusing when put like that, but I understood, and got, every word.  There were also descriptions that only a true follower of the series could understand.

“It was hard to see him like this, all his usual burning energy gone, like witchlight suffocating under a covering of ash.”

“What is witchlight,” you say?  Read the series, then get back to me.

I guess a part of me wishes I would have just returned the book back to the library without reading it.  Now, because I enjoyed the book so much, I have to wait not-so-patiently to read the next one.  I am once again hooked and can’t wait to find out what happens next.  Yes, I put this book at the bottom of my “to-read” list, but now I see that it should have never been there.

 

 

11 books down, 41 to go!

 

Happy Reading, Everyone!

 

“A Book with Magic” 2015 Challenge; SPELL BOUND by Rachel Hawkins

What better book to have for my “A Book with Magic” section of my reading challenge, than a book aptly named Spell Bound?

 

SPELL BOUND by Rachel Hawkins

Book 3 in the Hex Hall Trilogy

 

 

 

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

 

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before its too late?

 

MY REVIEW

3.5 OUT OF 5 *Stars*

 

This book was an almost perfect ending to this fun trilogy.  I’ll get to the “almost” part in a minute.

Here’s what I liked about the book…  It was such an easy read that I read through it in less than a day.  It was fun, witty, and it fit right in with the other two books.  I love how everyone sort of tied in together throughout the story.  There were twists that I didn’t see coming, and I just wanted to jump in the book and play out the scenes with the characters.  It had a little bit darker feel to it than the first two books, but I don’t think it disrupted the continuation of the story.  It was practically a necessity.  You can’t be fun and witty all the time when the world is in danger of a demon / “supe” takeover.       

I know that I’m always talking about how a book made me “feel”.  Anyone who is a non-reader or even an occasional reader wouldn’t understand.  Yes, you can chalk up a book review based on its grammar, the style of writing, or what occurred in the plot.  Those are all things that should be taken into consideration, but the core aspect should always be what the reader felt or didn’t feel while reading the book.  If there’s no heart to a story, a book will fall flat.  That wasn’t the case with this one.    

Here’s what I DIDN’T like…  The ending.  That fight scene… HELLO!  You have a three book build up to this epic showdown and it’s nothing more than a… pop and fizzle.  I can’t go into too much because I don’t want to “spoil” it for someone that hasn’t read the book, but I was utterly disappointed.  Secondly, I hate, I mean REALLY HATE how she wrapped up the love triangle issue.  It was more than sad.  It just felt wrong.  I DEMAND A REWRITE!!  Yeah, sometimes I wish that were possible. LOL  Hawkins did try to add a little spin on it to get the reader back on the warm and fuzzy side, but I’m afraid it was just too late.

Moving on from that, I thought to myself, “Can I really recommend a trilogy that missed the mark at the end of Book 3?  Is reading the rest of it worth it?”  Yeah, I think it is.  Who knows, someone else might love the ending.  It’s only me and my 1 opinion here, even if I do fancy myself right 98% of the time.  :)

 

10 books down, 42 to go!

Happy Reading, Everyone!