Twilight

And again Twilight it is. Because some books are so good, that you can read them again. And again. And again. And again...

P.S. OK. Rephrasing: Picturing Pattinson as Edward is so good, that you can read the book again. And again. And again. And again...

HUNGER GAMES MOVIE

Movie comments again, too bad that in the meantime I didn't have time to write about anything else. But, since 'Hunger Games' officially came out, and since I literally ran to make booking (first and only pre-booked seats in the theater where we watched it), I cannot do anything but put this movie stamp on my blog.

It was like rereading the book, very close to the story, to the atmosphere... The actors were good choices (even the fact that Gale was quite absent as a character on the first book, leaves the same feeling on the film). Not much to say, except that it was a really good film. The only difference is that when you actually watch all those children walking towards the possibility of their death, then it really becomes more real and more creepy than reading about it. Imagination tends to protect you I guess. Especially if you choose so.

Shatter me - YA novel by Tahereh Mafi

Ι'm nearly finished with this one. And it is quite good:

PROS:
-The author has a uniquely wonderful way of writing, and saying things.
-The trick of the numbers (counted times) is very nice, the strike-through fonts (erased sentences) also a good idea, but both are intense in the beginning and fading through the book. I think the writer should keep this system more updated, during the whole book.
-The shining, silver fish hook waiting on the end of e-v-e-r-y chapter. Ms. Mafi has done this one really nicely.

CONS: The story. It reminds me of a strainer, filled with holes everywhere. And the characters. They are in a place (emotionally) where the romantic reader would want them to be, but how they got there is another issue, not balancing on logic. Anyway. A little more thought should have been given to the plot. Sure, it keeps you want to read a little more, to see what happens, but... The story will not stay in your mind afterwards. It could have been much more powerful, the concept of 'I touch you-you die' has potential.

That's that.

 

Pandemonium finished

I forgot to write that I finished Pandemonium (two days) ago, and I personally loved it. OK, I know that some issues are not believable and the resemblance to Twilight's trick-book2 is obvious, and to Hunger Games even more. But still, I was hooked, couldn't take the book out of my mind until I finished, pretty much knew the ending but still I liked it. And there was so much tension all the time, that at one point I said: enough, I need to relax a bit.

My first thought when reading the last word was 'how can I wait another year for the next book?'. I guess that pretty much says it all.

Pandemonium : I 'm in delirium

OK. Lena is running to escape bombs and she is also locked up in a dungeon at the same time. How are you asking me to work people? I wanna READ!

PS. I hate the book cover.

'Room' by Emma Donoghue? Well... no, thanks!

I started reading the 'Room' by Emma Donoghue. I read about 10 pages. And I'm ending there. I'll explain why.

It might feel OK at times to look through a peephole, and at someone's life. Books do that. In a fantasy sort of way. But what you wish to find on the other side, is a totally different situation.

The book has an interesting approach. The narrator is a 5-year old kid, describing the world as he knows it, as his mother has presented it to him for his own protection. Protection from the reality of their confinement in one room, trapped there by some monster-man, locked away from the world for ever.

The story is horrifying, just because it could so easily be real. It might even be real; I didn't go as far as checking it. Unlike other readers, who may be intimidated by a terrible story (in ways that I cannot understand), I cannot take it in. Yes, it makes you curious at first. But living through such a situation, even through my imagination, is unbearable to me. Excuse me for being sensitive; too sensitive, as it seems. But I cannot.

HUNGER GAMES

When it comes to movie expectancy, and describing anticipation, there is one film that I cannot wait for: HUNGER GAMES.

Are you among those who read the books? Cause if you're a reader, you already know there're three of them, and you've already seen that black cover coming up on Amazon hundreds of times.

If you haven't dared read them -for fear of them not being worth-, DO IT! Read 'Hunger Games'. And then it's certain that you'll read 'Catching fire' and 'Mockingjay' as well. They're bold; they're harsh; they're beautiful.

Katniss lives in a corner of my mind already. Let her find her place also in yours.

Thank you Ms. Collins.

HUNGER GAMES OFFICIAL TRAILER

Thirteen reasons why

 Coming next...

Time traveler's wife

There are few cases when a movie is better than a book. Counting on my fingers, the cases for me were two. One of them was the 'Lord of the rings' (I know some may pull their hair out by listening to this, but I just get bored on reading how the heroes were walking on, and on, and on....). The second was this case. 'Time traveler's wife'.

I firstly saw the movie; then found out there was a book. And I started reading it. And I couldn't finish it. Occasionally I get back to it (it's on my phone, so when I'm somewhere outside waiting, having nothing else to do, I read a few pages) because the story of Clare and Henry is always appealing. But the movie plot was so much tighter. It was shorter, it was dramatic, it was making sense.

-SPOILER- For instance when Henry gets the vasectomy in the movie, Clare becomes furious (it's an expected reaction; she 's hurt). On the book, she just says: 'OK', and this because she knows what's coming next. -END SPOILER-

I just can't get that feeling away. That the movie was so much more. It's worth watching, if you haven't seen it.

FOUND Sky

Yep! Finished, found Sky and everything. All and all a rather good book, but I would not so highly recommend it to anyone. It is quite fun at points, but has some major faults: a) a guy does not sound “bad” just because you name him bad, while during the read he is constantly sweet and tender. He has to actually appear difficult in some ways: strained, unfair, abrupt, or something of the sort anyway, at least in some scenes, to do justice to his ‘bad’ profile. b) The repetition of your prototype idea in the key crisis scenes, does not call for suspense, therefore interest. Saw it, know it, let’s move on.

I think that this book could do better as a movie, where a director could ‘color’ the scenes more vividly than the author did. 

Finding Sky

I was looking for a good read, and run across a readers' forum (don't remember which one now) which suggested 'Finding Sky'. "If you liked TWILIGHT, you'll definitely like this one" someone wrote. So I started reading the book, totally clueless, because Amazon does not even have a plot summary, and my first thought was: this is nothing like Twilight. But reading on, I found the similarities, and I have to say that it is a pretty cute book. I've still managed only 20% of it (sleep-deprived you see), but it's what I can't wait getting back to. Although I cannot stop picturing Zed, the male character, as 'Jacob' from Twilight movies in my head. He totally fits the description.

Check it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finding-Sky-Joss-Stirling/dp/0192732137

Twilight

There are a LOT of things to babble over on a first post, but books are a good start. And if you ask me which thought can bring me comfort during a bad day, it is TWILIGHT. I know it may sound pathetic, like the life I'm living is no real, if what I choose for comfort is this. Of course there are people around me, whom I love enough to live or die for. But name one person you love, that doesn't come along with stress. 'Edward' that is...

I loved the book, I loved the movie, I loved Edward and Bella as the inseparable one that they are, I loved the characters, I loved the choice of actors. I loved and love everything about TWILIGHT. I don't say the same about the rest three books (or movies), no. They are not quite as equal. They are much less. But still -and silly as it may sound-, one of the moments that I'm grateful for and happy to have lived through, is reading and rereading TWILIGHT... Anyone with the same addiction to dreams and romance, should understand.