Discussion: Books and movies

I'm back from my week off!! It seemed ages! So. The reason for this discussion post on movies is...  THE HUNGER GAMES!!!

AHHH!!

*few hours later*

Ok, I've calmed down. The books took a while to get into for me, but overall I enjoyed them. For those of you not aware of THG, (not sure if that's possible) they are a trilogy of books set in the future. THG is the latest teen craze since Twilight and a lot of my friends haven't even laid a finger on a book before but have read and enjoyed them. Anyway, have any of you seen the movie? I haven't yet, but I am definitely going to. Did you all enjoy it? Did it live up to our expectations?

As you may or may not have noticed, there is a pledge image on the left of my blog. It says 'Read it 1st'. Basically, read the books before the movies. But, it, er, kinda failed. These are the movies I have seen without having reading the book first:

Inkheart

This book is AMAZING. I went to go and see the movie first because my mum loved the book but the movie isn't very good - in my opinion! She persuaded me to read the book afterwards to compare and I love it! I have read the book so many times it has fallen to pieces (my copy on the left ;)).

Movie: 2.5/5
Book: 5/5

Some of the Harry Potter's
Most of you know I am a HUGE Potterhead. However, I only read the book first before the last three films. I'm glad I did too because they are fantastic.

Movies: 5/5
Books: 5/5

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Before I saw/read it, I was slightly worried that it would be a bit too young for me to enjoy. It is aimed at a younger audience but I confess that I found the characters hilaroious! I read the book shortly afterwards which didn't take me long as it is mostly filled with cartoons.

Movie: 5/5
Book: 4/5

What are your favourite movies based on books? Do they always work? I heard that J.K Rowling declined Warner Bros five times before she accepted to adapt her book into a movie. She didn't want to for the simple reason that people will watch the film instead of her book, and that the film might not be very good. Boy, I'm glad she said yes in the end!!

What books do you think will make good movies or TV series? Here are my ideas:

• Split by a Kiss by Luisa Plaja - this chick-flick would be like Mean Girls which is a great film!
• Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski - another chick flick with fun twist.
• Missing series by Sophie McKenzie - I think that all three books (SM is in the middle of writing the third) would make a great series of films or a TV program.
• India Dark by Kirsty Murray - this would be a great film for everyone of all ages.

Comment below with your thoughts! Zoe xx

NOTICE + In My Mailbox #27

ROLL UP, ROLL UP!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. This is a quick notice to say that I will not be posting at all this week. I am in the school performance (We Will Rock You - I love Queen so I am really enjoying it!) and we have performances Tuesday-Saturday nights and some in the mornings. Therefore I will be too tired on top of school work too. I might come on a little bit to comment on other blogs etc though. Hopefully afterwards I will be posting a lot more! :-)

IN MY MAILBOX

For Review-

Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis by Jane Prowse

Hattori Hachi: Stalking The Enemy by Jane Prowse

This series looks brilliant and I am looking forward to reading both of them. I haven't heard of them before but they look good!

The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake by Mary Parker

I have done an interview with the author and I think this sounds great. I started reading the first few pages and I am loving it so far!

Marina's Tales #4: The Turning Tidesby Derrolyn Anderson

Eeeep! I LOVE this series. I have reviewed the first three on here and I am excited to be reading what happens to the characters next. You can enter a giveaway of the first book here!

That's all from me - see you in a week! Zoe xx

Interview with blogger, Beverley

I am excited to be posting an interview I did with the Beverley, from A Reading Daydreamer. I am a big fan of her blog and her reviews are amazing! On top of all that though, she is a lovely person who is great to talk to to. Enjoy the interview!

Hi Beverley! How did you discover blogging?

I discovered book blogging when I was looking at Cathy Cassidy’s Facebook fan page.  There was a link to a review on The Mile Long Bookshelf and from there I discovered the wonderful blogosphere world.  

What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I have too many favourites but the best thing has to be meeting loads of other bloggers who all share the same passion.  Before I started A Reading Daydreamer, I regularly read a handful of book blogs and I feel so privileged now to be able to ‘meet’ the bloggers behind them!  It’s amazing how many people there are out there who blog just because they love reading!  I rarely speak to my friends about books that I have read and my parents aren’t exactly interested so before I have to resort to talking to the dog, it’s great to know that I can voice my opinion through the blog instead!  It’s also so pleasing when I get a nice comment on my reviews, it gives me a sense of satisfaction that someone actually bothers to read what I say!  Another thing would be that it has encouraged me to read more books in a shorter space of time.  I’ve currently challenged myself to read 50 books this year, it’s not a lot in comparison to some other bloggers who are on their 35^th but it will be interesting to see how it goes for me…

Do you write as well as read?

Yes, I like writing but it’s quite difficult to fit in time for it alongside other hobbies, schoolwork, reading, blogging etc.  I also find myself starting stories and then leaving them half-finished, so because I’m not going on holiday this summer, I’d like to write a ‘proper’ story with a start, middle and end!

What are your top five most wanted books on your wishlist?

Ooohhh, there are sooooooo many books that I want to read!  My mum has actually been super kind and has granted me four books from my wishlist as a treat for doing well in my exams!  But even then, there are loads I’m still pining for.  Here’s my top five at the moment (in no particular order):

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer Smith

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Switched by Amanda Hocking

Kiss Date Love Hate by Luisa Plaja

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

All of these books have had fab reviews on loads of book blogs which has really encouraged me to get them soon once I’ve cleared off my little TBR pile!

Do you prefer e-books, audiobooks or paper books?

Paper books all the way!  To be honest I have never tried an e-book or an audiobook; I’m not ready to be pulled away from my precious paperbacks!  I think e-books and audiobooks take away the essence of reading.  Without the pages between my fingers and the fresh smell lingering in the air, reading just wouldn’t be the same for me.  Thinking about reading from a brightly lit screen already puts me off and I think I’d probably wander off and fiddle around with things around me if I were to listen to an audiobook.  I get distracted so easily so I’d probably have to rewind the whole thing and listen to it again!

 Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies?

I enjoy playing the piano and violin.  I like writing, surfing the internet (mostly reading all the wonderful book blogs!), blogging, walking the dog (does that count?), dancing… As for sport, I’m kinda hopeless, especially team sport J

If you could meet any fictional character from a book, who would it be?

Ted from The Look by Sophia Bennett.  She seems like such a wonderful person and I think I would really get on with her.  She’s so kind and caring and I loved her relationship with her sister.  And I would LOVE to accompany her on her modelling jobs just to see how everything works, it would be LOADS of fun!

What is your favourite genre and why?

I love reading YA books and I don’t have a particular favourite genre.  I like reading realistic fiction where the characters are just like everyday people, where I can immerse myself in the story and escape from reality.  I love a bit of romance and dystopian can be quite interesting, although some just don’t work for me.

If you had one day to live, what would you do?

I would sit and read all the books I ever wanted to read.  Although before that I would have to go to my nearest book shop and spend a lot of money!  I think that would be great fun (apart from spending time with family and friends, of course!) and it’s my dream to just waltz into Waterstones or WHSmith and splash out without worrying if I should save back some money!

And finally, what is your favourite book?

Ooohh, I have a lot of favourites but my all time FAVOURITE has to be Someone Else’s Life by Katie Dale.  This book blew me away with its amazing-ness and really changed the way I look at things.  Everyone should have read it by now!

QUICK QUESTIONS:

Reading or blogging? Probably reading because schoolwork gets in the way of frequent blogging but I can still manage to fit in reading time!

Crisps or chocolate? Chocolate, I have a sweet tooth ;)

TV or Music? TV

Fantasy or romance? Romance.  Sometimes fantasy just doesn’t work for me L

Maths or history?  Maths definitely, I HATED history, so glad I got to drop it!

Thanks Beverley! :-)

Thanks for interviewing me Zoe, it's been great fun answering your questions :)

GIVEAWAY! Between The Land And Sea by Derrolyn Anderson

Like romance? Like adventure? Like paranormal? Like YA books? Like good, gripping, beautiful and amazing stories? You have come to the right place!

The lovely author, Derrolyn Anderson, has offered me an extra e-book copy of her first book, Between The Land And Sea. I adored this book - to read my review click here.

Here is a synopsis:

Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. In just a few weeks after moving to the small beach town, sixteen year old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can only manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past to learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her...and maybe even find true love along the way.

The author has just asked me to review the fourth instalment to the series, The Turning Tides (don't you just love the titles?!) of which I can't wait to get started on. I wish I hadn't read the first book so I could start the adventure all over again without knowing what is going to happen!

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

• The deadline to enter is 8pm on Saturday 31st March 2012. The winners will be announced the following day.
• There are no extra entries.
• The giveaway is international since there is no P&P! ;)
• The winner will receive a coupon code for Smashwords and can be downloaded onto all e-reader devices.
• Fill out the Google Docs form to enter.

GOOD LUCK!! Zoe xx

Winner of War Horse Giveaway!

Fourth post in two days... not bad! ;D I have suddenly realised that I haven't announced the winners of the War Horse Giveaway I posted a couple of weeks ago. Thank you everyone for entering, and sorry not everyone could win. :-(
I went on random.org (a very handy widget) and the lucky number was 10. So....who is number 10???

*dramatic music*

*long pause*

*drum roll*

MEL S!

Congratulations Mel, I have sent you an email. Please reply in no longer than a week otherwise I will have to pass the prize on to someone else.

Zoe xx

Interview with author, Mary Parker

Today on my blog I have Mary Parker, who has just published her first book 'The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake'. It is a new Young Adult book which is the first in the Kahl’Nar Saga series. I have been asked to review this and it sounds great! I found her answers really interesting as a writer, and I hope you do too.

1. Have you always liked writing?

Yes. I've had a passion for the written word for as long as I can remember - that includes both reading and writing.

2. What is your favourite thing about writing?
Being able to tell the same kind of stories that I enjoy reading. While I'd love to say I'm a well-read person and spend equal time reading a wide variety of genres, there are honestly some genres that I like better than others, and I spend the majority of my free time reading fantasy stories. 

3. What is your least favourite thing about writing?
Editing. I hate, hate, hate editing. I wish I could just write it perfectly the first time, but that is not how life works. 

4. What is your favourite book and why?
I don't know that I could even begin to name a favorite book, but I could give you some of my favorite authors: J.R.R. Tolkein, J.K. Rowling, Ray Bradbury, George Martin. I love the way they tell a story. You get caught up in it and forget that you are reading. It's almost like you are a part of the story.

5. The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake is a young adult fantasy novel - have you always liked/wrote in that genre?
Yes. Since it is the genre I most enjoy reading it makes it easier to write in. There is an old saying that you should write what you know. I know young adult fantasy, so it is a comfortable genre for me to immerse myself in when I write.

6. Are you planning any more books? Could you tell us a bit about what is coming soon?
I am planning to continue writing the Kahl’Nar Saga series. I've got seven books planned. You will experience a lot of new worlds and a lot of new characters. I don't want to give too much away. If you've read "The Awakening of Leeowyn Blake" you know that secrecy plays an important part in the plot. I love leading readers to the point of the big 'reveal,' but that means you have to play it pretty close to the vest. 

7. Who is your favourite character and why, in the novel?
 Leeowyn, simply because I've spent the most time with her. I've kind of lived with her character since I was a child, and she went through a number of incarnations before she was fully developed in the novel. I've really had time to allow her character to grow, and that's been fun. 

8. Who do you recommend your book to?
Anyone who is interested in fantasy fiction. I've had people who are big fans of Harry Potter and the Twilight series tell me they enjoy it. 

9. At any point in the making of the story did you get writer's block?
All the time. There was a point in every chapter when I didn't know where I was going next. The amazing thing about creating great characters is that sometimes they seem to take on a life of their own. My characters would do a great job of leading me into a direction I hadn't really planned, simply by allowing them to do what they would do naturally, and they are responsible for some of my favorite chapters. 

10. Do you have a hero/role model, or did you used to have one as a child?
My daddy and my momma. They are both my heroes and my role models. I know that sounds cliché, but it's true!

Thank you! Zoe xx

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Synopsis:

Joey is a warhorse, but he wasn't always. Once, he was a farm horse and a gentle boy named Albert was his master. Then World War I came storming through and everything changed. Albert's father sells Joey to the army where the beautiful, red-bay horse is trained to charge the enemy, drag heavy artillery, and carry wounded soldiers not much older than Albert off of battlefields. Amongst the clamoring of guns and slogging through the cold mud, Joey wonders if the war will ever end. And if it does, will he ever find Albert again?


Review:

War Horse is a moving and touching story with the ability to have you hooked on every word. I love every sentence Michael Morpurgo writes - if you haven't read any of his books yet, start with this one.

To be honest, this review has been hard to write. I feel that War Horse is such a powerful book it is hard to recommend it without spoiling the enjoyment for the reader when it is their turn to live it.

War Horse isn't a typical animal book. It is a book about friendship, loyalty and learning to have hope even when the horrors of wars are happening. Not only have I learnt a lot from this book, but it has changed a lot of ways I see things. For example, I don't think I will be able to refer to horses as 'it' again!!

I can't let this review be posted without commenting on one of my favourite aspects of the book which I found the most interesting. The story is told from a unique perspective: Joey the horse. At first I wasn't sure this would work well as he couldn't talk or 'join in' with the real world. When he loses his dear owner, Albert, he is sold and sent off to be a war horse. Michael Morpurgo has taken on a complicated storyline but has made it comprehendable and simple. By the word 'simple' this may sound for younger children and although it is aimed at 9-12 years of age, everyone will enjoy this book.

I am going to lend this book to a lot of people I know and recommend it to as many people as possible! Sorry this is such a short, bad review but I am not sure what else to say. Hopefully I have persuaded you to read it! NB: Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby...

To visit Petplan equine site, click here.

RATE: 5/5

Publisher: Egmont Press

Publication date: 4th September 2006

Pages: 187

Edition: Paperback

Source: For Review
To buy this book click HERE.

Update

Bonjour! My internet has been fixed sooner than expected (yay!) which is great because it is 10x faster but I have also missed a week of blogging where I was hoping to get a lot of scheduled posts published. So, this is what is coming up soon, in no order:

·         The giveaway of War Horse has closed and I will be announcing the winners :D

·         An interview with Beverley from A Reading Daydreamer

·         More discussions

·         More Cover Crazy posts

·         I will start taking part in the Waiting on Wednesday meme soon

Upcoming reviews:

·         War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

·         Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Riggs Ransom

·         The Day of First Sun by Sheryl Steines

·         There are a few more I have been requested to review, but they will be probably be reviewed during the Easter holidays when I have more time ;)

Have a great week,

Zoe xx

Internet Problems

Hi everyone,

For the past few days I have had internet connection problems. I know, how am I surviving?! I am currently typing this at my Dad’s office which I don’t really have access to usually. L I am sorry about not being able to post but I am hopefully going to be up and running again ASAP.

In the meantime, happy reading!

Zoe xx

The Dirt by Lori Culwell

Synopsis:

Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It's not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school -- and practically the whole town.Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy's dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect -- as long as the wedding goes smoothly.

Review:

The Dirt is an enjoyable read with lots of twists and has an interesting storyline. Set in Palm Desert, science nerd Lucy Whitley can't wait to escape to boarding school away from her chaotic family. However, a massive scandal at a wedding sends all her perfect plans for the future adrift.

I thought the book was fairly enjoyable. There are a lot of cliffhangers and unbelievable happenings that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time. However, I found the beginning quite boring. The first few chapters seemed to go on for a while and even though I had an understanding at this bombshell that has landed on Lucy's life, I just didn't seem gripped to the story. Perhaps this is because I didn't know the characters that well so I didn't really feel like I knew how 'big' the event was. After the first few chapters, I sped through the book quite quickly. I think I read the last half of the book in one sitting, actually. After a lot more twists, the ending is totally unpredictable.

Lucy's voice is very clear in the book. All the characters worked really well together and I really liked the mix of personalities. By the end of the book I felt like I have known them all my life. My complaint about the characters is that some things didn't seem realistic. Like, for example, some things that character said I know a typical teenager wouldn't say. However, this didn't have a big impact on my reading and it only occurred once or twice.

Overall, I found this an enjoyable read (hmm...I seem to be using that word a lot, don't I?!). It is not absolutely amazing but it is not bad either. The writing is beautifully detailed and witty at times which lots of people are sure to like. I wouldn't class this among my favourites but who knows? It might be just up your street.

RATE: 3.5/5

Publisher: Libertary Company

Publication date: 11th November 2011

Pages: 208

Edition: Paperback

Source: For Review
To buy this book click HERE.

Happy World Book Day 2012!

HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY!!!

I hope you all have had a fantastic day filled with words, reading, writing and celebrating books wherever you are.

♥