From Book to Movie: Review–Cloud Atlas

cover links to imDB

 

Cloud Atlas

 

Summary (from imDB): An exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.

My review of the book: Review - Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Movie Review:

Despite giving the book a mediocre review, I went into the movie fully expecting to love it. I said in my book review that I thought I’d like the movie because I felt the writing in the book sort of hindered my enjoyment of the story/stories since I found it flashy and pretentious. Stripped of the writing, I thought I could relax and enjoy the story and the overall message. In my book review, I said that I liked some of the individual stories a lot. While I also understand the connection between all of them, I didn’t think it was necessary for all of them to be together in one book and the connection sort of tries too hard to be profound. I mainly felt they existed together to form a message about mankind but also to show off the author’s talent for writing various different ways. But even in film, I find that I dislike the short stories linked as one. I like some of the individual stories, but don’t like the overall picture as a whole.

It seems that Cloud Atlas doesn’t work for me in any form. I don’t like the story altogether. I think it tries too hard to be profound and life changing. It says a lot about mankind and I get the message and I even agree with it. But the execution (both book and film) makes me cringe. It doesn’t work for me. For whatever reason, I cannot love Cloud Atlas the way that I’d hoped I would.

I do think the movie is more bearable than the book because the viewer isn’t exposed to the writing in the novel. The overall theme is much more apparent in the movie, too, especially given that the same actors are used in each of the separate stories. The layout of the stories in the movie was different from the book. The book told each story in chronological order, all of them breaking off at the middle. Then, the final story was told in full and the last half of each story followed in reverse chronological order. The movie jumped around a lot more from story and story, cutting to scenes in each that bore a connection or similar theme. This technique helped bring home the major point of the movie in a more obvious way and I preferred it to the book, despite liking the book format as well. The movie lacks the same organizational structure, but the overall result was much easier to follow.

I could tell that the movie was done by people who loved the story and wanted to tell it well. I felt as if each detail was precise and well done and portrayed the book quite well. I liked the acting and makeup and I found the movie to be visually stunning and beautiful.

As with the book, I find I love the story of Sonmi the most. I wish I could have seen that part by itself. I feel that way about all of the stories, actually. To say that I didn’t enjoy parts of the movie would be a lie. As separate stories, they are great! It’s just that putting them all together in one movie just doesn’t work for me. I don’t like how all the stories exist as examples and means to an end and how it forces the viewer (and the reader of the book) to make these profound connections. Even though the connections are there and the stories lead us to the conclusion, it is too over the top for me. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Most reviews are positive and some even go as far as to assume that the negative reviewers just don’t “get” the movie, but I don’t think that’s true for everyone. I think many of us do get it, we just don’t like it and that’s okay. Cloud Atlas didn’t change my life. It says quite a bit about mankind on a profound level, but it still feels forced and pretentious to me and I dislike it for that reason. I’m left thinking Cloud Atlas tries too hard to be more important than it is.

I do recommend the movie to fans of good stories (adventure, comedy, love, music, dystopias, etc) with major overall messages about humanity and redemption. Like the book, I feel that there is an audience for the story and most people who will get the message will appreciate it. It doesn’t work for me, but that doesn’t make it a terrible story and I recommend figuring out if it’s right for you.

Top Ten Tuesday–Favorite Book Covers

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

 

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers Of Books I've Read

 

1. Awakened Gods (Lunangelique #3) by Kristin R. Campbell.
 

One of the coolest looking covers I’ve seen.

 

 

2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi.
 

This cover is gorgeous. And totally unique.

 

 

3. A Pleasure to Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories by Ray Bradbury.
 

Even though Fahrenheit 451 is more iconic, the blues and purples of this cover appeal to me more.

 

 

4. Entangled (Spellbound #1) by Nikki Jefford.
 

Best close up of a face of girl on a cover.

 

 

5. The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma.
 

I am so glad I own a hardcover copy of this book for the cover alone. It reflects light in certain places and it’s more gorgeous in person than it is in a picture. The inside of the book in front and back is also extremely cool.

 

 

6. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Because creepy people on the cover of books is always a good way to appeal to me.

 

 

7. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

I have always liked this cover.

 

 

8. The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen.

Best couple on a cover, I think.

 

 

9. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

 

 

10. Night by Elie Wiesel

Musing Mondays–Childhood Favorites

 

hosted by Should Be Reading

 

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

 

 

 

I had to get a second bookshelf the other day because I was running out of space and I wanted a place to put my Blu-ray disks, too, instead of buying an ugly DVD rack.

I recently moved to a new state because my husband is in the military. My stepdad is also in the military, so I currently live close to my mom and stepdad. My mom has kept a ton of books over the years that were mine from childhood. I decided since I acquired extra space that I was going to sift through some of the boxes and grab books that I’ve been missing, like my classics from AP English senior year.

Now, I’ve had A Wrinkle In Time on my shelf for ages because I knew it was a childhood favorite. What I didn’t realize was just how much I loved Madeleine L’Engle. I have about 10 books from her!


 


It’s one of those things where I knew I loved to read as a kid and I knew A Wrinkle In Time was a childhood favorite, I just didn’t realize how much I loved the author. I also didn’t realize just how much I read as a kid until I started sifting through books. I think it’s awesome. The best part about having all of these books back is being able to see how well loved and read they look.

What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

 

Review–School Spirits (School Spirits #1) by Rachel Hawkins

 

School Spirits (School Spirits #1)

 

by Rachel Hawkins

 

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt?
Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the New York Times best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!

Source: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review:



I really enjoyed School Spirits. This was the first book I’ve read by Rachel Hawkins, as I have yet to read the Hex Hall series. I was sucked right into School Spirits and thought the author did a wonderful job of character building. For a sort of “teeny bopper” synopsis and overall impression, Hawkin’s ability to create incredibly complex and entertaining characters kept me completely interested at a time when YA was starting to wear thin for me. I cannot gush enough about how much I loved this book.

Being part of a magical crime fighting family had more drawbacks than perks for Izzy, but she was able to get her own chance to shine by investigating a possible haunting at a school. Under the guise of being a new student, Izzy was able to go to school everyday, which was something she never got to do in her entire childhood. By inserting herself into the paranormal club at school, Izzy got the chance to make friends while also unraveling the mysterious haunting.

I liked Izzy and understood the strange dynamic between her and her mother. Izzy’s sister went missing on a mission and Izzy always felt like she wasn’t being given a chance to show her skills, so their relationship with strained, even though it was obvious they loved each other. As always, I appreciated the existence of a mom in the story since so many YA novels are strangely parentless.

The rest of the characters were wonderful and each of them had a distinct personality. None of them were particularly dull, being that they made up the weird and oddly freakish paranormal club in their school. Dex was probably my favorite character because he was so quirky and yet distinguished at the same time. He was one of those characters you can’t help but love. I wish I had more words to describe him, but just imagine a distinguished, old-timey persona in a gangly and awkward teenage boy with asthma. I mean, isn’t that the recipe for entertaining?!

I also enjoyed Torin, the imprisoned man in the mirror in the Brannick household. I loved how he was quirky (in a different way than Dex) and also took an interest in Izzy’s life. Izzy had never gone to school, so she tried to learn about social dynamics by watching a teen soap opera and Torin watched it with her. Their exchanges were hilarious. Seriously, I can’t decide who I loved more: Torin or Dex!

The plot of school spirits was interesting, what with Izzy attempting to fit in and also not get too close to temporary friends and it’s easy to see how that strategy might come with complications. Lots of different dynamics were going on and the haunting added the element of danger. The paranormal aspects of the story were there, despite the fact that I don’t seem to be talking much about the plot. But above all else, I loved School Spirits for the characters. They sucked me in and I was completely engrossed in the writing, hoping to figure out what would happen next. Also, I think this is a great book for actual teens to read because it has great lessons about friendship, family, duty, and identity, which are all wonderful themes for that age group.

There was a bit of romance and crushes and all that, which I loved. But it wasn’t a romantically focused book like many of the YA series out there and I found it refreshing. I don’t always want dramatic, in my face angst, drama, steam, and focus, but I also want the possibility of a relationship to exist. I loved the way the romance was done in School Spirits. I find it wonderfully refreshing and entertaining without being all.. you know… too much.

I will definitely continue the series and I highly recommend it. Hex Hall has been on my to-read list for awhile, but this book has made me more excited to read the Hex Hall series.

Bookish Sights in Ireland - Ode to Books!

While on vacation in Ireland, I went into a lot of bookstores.

I loved seeing various books with UK covers and I was always curious what kinds of books they had on display. I took pictures of displays I liked, cute shops, interesting books, books I know with weird covers, etc. What better place to share them all?

Collage of bookish pictures I took
 

 

I saw this display in the YA section of an Eason in Galway. I think it’s my favorite display. What I couldn’t fit into the picture were a few more circles with familiar YA book covers to the right hand side. I remember seeing Fallen. This was SUCH an awesome YA tribute!

 

 

Beautiful and different covers of THG and Perks!

 

 

Walking Disaster on display (above)
The Picture of Dorian Gray with an awesome cover and a beautiful hardcover of The Night Circus hiding within grocery store paperbacks! (below)
 

 

 

 

 

Awesome displays and The Book of Lost Things (above)

Below:
UK cover of The Scorpio Races (which I bought immediately)
Cullens Bistro (had to find the Twilight related stuff to send to my friend!)
 Gift shop fairy coming out of the pages of the book (had I had more room in my suitcase, I would have bought her).
The Wind in the Willows was on display in the bookcase at one of the B&Bs!

 

Fifty Shades and Don'ts for Wives and Husbands were humorous displays.

 

 

I took a ton of pictures while in Ireland of non-book related things, too, of course. =)

All pictures were taken by me.

Booking Through Thursday–Returns

 

hosted by Booking Through Thursday

 

 

This week’s question:

 

What book(s) do you find yourself going back to? Beloved children’s classics? Favorites from college? Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit?

 

(Because, doesn’t everybody have at least one book they would like to curl up with, even if they don’t make a habit of rereading books? Even if they maybe don’t even have the time to visit and just think back longingly?)

 Typically I like to reread books I loved, regardless of when I loved them or what genre they are. I love old favorites and it all depends on my mood. Sometimes, I reread a book because it’s becoming a movie, a friend is reading it, or I feel like jumping back into the world. And other times, I reread a book because I can’t quite seem to find something similar that suites me at the moment. I also like to reread when my memory gets jumbled, whether because a movie or show that wasn’t quite right or because my own memory fails me.  I don’t have a “go to” book I reread, though. I just have handfuls of them.

WWW Wednesdays

 

hosted by Should Be Reading

 

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

 

• What are you currently reading? 

• What did you recently finish reading? 

• What do you think you’ll read next?

 

 

Right now, I’m reading  

 

A Princess of Mars (Barsoom #1) by Edgar Rice Burroughs

 

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

  I started to get a bit tired of YA for a couple of weeks. Well, not really YA, but books that are part of a series that end in a way that leaves you aching for the next book. It’s been refreshing to branch out a little bit and get some TBR shelf books read that I wasn’t interested in as much recently.   

I recently finished reading    

 

Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13) by Charlaine Harris: Review to come soon

 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Review to come soon

 

The Forgotten Ones (The Danaan Trilogy #1) by Laura Howard: Blog Tour Giveaway and Review

 

Next, I’m going to read

 

 

The Stars in her Eyes (Sparkstone Saga #1) by Clare C. Marshall

 

The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray (FINALLY)

  Now that I’m moved in, settled, and back to reading, hopefully I can get some TBR books knocked out!
 

Review–The Last Academy by Anne Applegate

 

The Last Academy

 

by Anne Applegate

 

Summary: What is this prep school preparing them for?
Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam—and readers—stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.

Source: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

The Last Academy is a difficult book to review because I didn’t really enjoy it the whole time I was reading it, but the ending was awesome and really brought all the elements of the story together. As much as I loved the ending, I feel like it wasn’t enough to warrant a high review or a stellar recommendation. And I can’t really say much about the story because the only things worth mentioning are incredible spoilers. If you read The Last Academy knowing how it ends, it would be a waste of your time. If you don’t know the end, you’ll only feel like it’s wasting your time until the end brings the story together.

Honestly, I don’t know that I can review the book properly or provide a decent synopsis because anything worth highlighting can ruin the story for people who are fairly good at predicting twists.

Camden arrived at boarding school sort of unexpectedly. She basically adjusted to her life there and dealt with the possibility that her parents might not want her around. Most of the kids had some sort of similar feelings, too, which I imagined was common for boarding school students. For most of the story, Camden attempted to fit in, win the affections of a popular boy, and make friends while avoiding making the same kinds of friends she had at home. And all the while, weird things start to happen and Camden unravels the mystery of her new home.

The majority of the book was slow and uninteresting to me. I didn’t care for Camden, I thought her crush on Mark was stupid because it was based on nothing and they had nothing in common. I didn’t like most of Camden’s friends, aside from Nora, but I didn’t feel like Camden was really learning her lesson after the summer incident back home. Until the twist, I was just waiting for the story to end. The twist in the story was brilliant, intelligent, and quite interesting, but I feel like the book was poorly executed overall. I’m not sure how it could have been done differently, but something about the execution missed the mark for me.

I don’t know that I’d recommend the book, although the overall themes were great. I suppose it would just depend on how fast of a reader the person is and how much time they are willing to spend on a book. If you can make it to the end, it’s a book that can be appreciated. It’s probably a great book club book so readers can discuss the ending and the themes.

I'm Back!

As most of my followers are aware, I took a vacation at the end of April and when I came back after 2 weeks, I moved. It has been crazy and I haven't had much time to dedicate to blogging since the move.

I wanted to let all of you guys know that I'm back!

 I've been posting reviews since my return and even participated in a blog tour, but I haven't announced I am back because I was still pretty busy with getting settled into the new place. Things should start getting back to normal soon as I settle into a routine.

I have tons of reviews to write because I got a lot more reading done in Ireland than I expected! I read some really awesome books while I was gone, so I'm excited to start typing up reviews and sharing my thoughts with everyone.

Thanks for bearing with me during my vacation and chaotic shift in normal life! I saw a lot of interesting bookish stuff during my vacation, too, so hopefully I'll have some time to share some of the pics on the blog.

Thanks,

Megan

Blog Tour: Giveaway, Review, and Favorite Quotes–The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

The Forgotten Ones (The Danaan Trilogy #1)

 

by Laura Howard

Summary: Allison O'Malley just graduated from college. Her life's plan is to get a job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She doesn't have room for friends or even Ethan, who clearly wants more.
When Allison's long-lost father shows up, he claims he can bring her mother back from the dark place her mind has sent her. He reveals legends of a race of people long forgotten, the Tuatha de Danaan, along with the truth about why he abandoned her mother.

Source: I received a copy of this book for Kindle from the author in exchange for participation in a blog tour and an honest review.

Review:



The Forgotten Ones was an adventurous YA story steeped in magic with Irish roots.

Allison had a relatively difficult life due to her mother's schizophrenia. Her mother hadn't been normal and engaging since Allison was 7 years old. Allison blamed herself for her mother's condition since it seemed to manifest around the time of her birth. Because of this, Allison was a bit of loner who pushed people away because she was preparing herself for a lifetime of caring for her mother. Her grandparents, aunts, and cousins all tried to help Allison relax and learn to live, but Allison was stubborn.

Her life continued normally as she attempted to brush off her feelings for her friend Ethan, which I enjoyed reading about. Things quickly became abnormal in Allison's life when her long lost and somewhat young looking father showed up at her doorstep asking for her mother. With him came an amazing story and an adventure that would take Allison to places she never imagined existed. His presence answered many of Allison's questions about her mother's past, too.

I'd hate to give much more away because the twists certainly surprised and interested me while reading. I was a big fan of anything that got Allison to admit her feelings for Ethan, though. The story started out feeling more like a contemporary novel since Allison was dead set on caring for her mother and ignoring her feelings for Ethan and attempting to avoid fun at all costs, but as soon as her long lost father turned up, the entire plot shifted into something much more exciting and magical. From magical political plots to dangerous creatures, the story had an action packed plot full of trouble.

Overall, The Forgotten Ones was an enchanting and adventurous story with a slight romance. While Ethan and Allison spent most of the novel avoiding dealing with their feelings, the angst and emotion was still there. I gave it 3 stars because it took awhile for the plot to pick up. Allison took forever to admit there really wasn't any harm in having a relationship, which also drove me nuts. And just when I was glued to the story, it ended rather abruptly. I typically give higher stars for books that keep me interested in continuing the series, but because I read this in between stand alone novels, the need for a sequel aggravated me and I always have to be honest!

I would recommend The Forgotten Ones to fans of YA magical stories with romance. It had some unique aspects and a plot that really kept me turning the pages. I definitely can't wait to read the next in the series.

Favorite Quotes:

“She had met my father during her last year of college. She had traveled to Ireland for her final semester to study music at Trinity College in Dublin.”

I read this book on the plane ride home from my vacation to Ireland. I wasn’t expecting the characters or the mythology to involve Ireland, so I loved this quote because it made my ears perk up!

“‘I will find a way to undo what has been done, or I will die trying.’ He took two steps back. ‘I understand your anger. You’re completely justified. But know this –you will see me again.’ He nodded curtly and strode down the from walk. Just like that.”

I don’t know why, but I liked his resolve and stubbornness here.

“‘Just one time.’ he said quietly. ‘What?’ ‘Say yes, just one time.’ Ethan slowly moved behind the counter, his eyes never leaving mine.”

I love Ethan’s character and the relationship angst going on.

“The woman smiles, and cocks her head to the side like a bird, grabbing his chin and pulling it upward until his eyes meet hers. As he speaks, the woman’s face contorts in rage. He winces and she loosens her fingers, leaving behind a bloody trail where her fingernails have cut him.”

This quote was violent and descriptive and I always appreciate that.

“‘You worried about what I might do, didn’t you?’ I said, the realization striking me as I spoke. He cleared his throat and shrugged. ‘You’re the first daughter I’ve ever had.’ he said.’”

I love the father daughter dynamic.

“It was like stepping into Oz and I was Dorothy. Everything here was richer, more vibrant than I could have imagined.”

 

“I brushed my fingertips along a flowering vine that hung between two low tree branches. I gasped –I could actually feel like pulsing from not only the vine, but the tree it hung from.”

 

“As we continued over the top of a grassy hill, I could see a valley with a sparkling river snaking through it. Beyond the river, the land was rippled with green hills, and speckled in each hill were doors and windows, similar to Niamh’s. Farther alone was a steeper hill, or maybe a low, green mountain.”

These quotes resonated with me because of my recent trip to Ireland. I know the character was describing another, fictional place, but her descriptions match the ones I have of the landscape in Ireland. It was the kind of place a mythological creature could have stepped out of and it would have looked normal and right.

About the Author:

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.

Author Website
Twitter @laurahoward78
Facebook Fan Page

The Forgotten Ones was published early on April 29, 2013.

It was originally scheduled to be published on May 15.

It is currently $2.99 for Kindle. 

Goodreads

Amazon  

Giveaway:

 

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Blog Tour hosted by Shane Morgan at Itching for Books. @itchingforbooks