Feature | P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han - Book and Netflix Movie Thoughts

Friday, 29 May 2020

Feature | P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han - Book and Netflix Movie Thoughts

It took a while, but I finally read P.S I Still Love You, by Jenny Han. *applause*

I read To All the Boys I Loved Before back in 2018, and Sophie and I watched the movie and chatted about the book and film on our podcast. TATBILB was really enjoyable (both book and movie, actually), but I didn't get round to reading P.S I Still Love You until this month. A few hours after I finished reading the book, I watched the movie. And I have thoughts.

Spoilers are likely in this post! You've been warned!

The book

While P.S I Still Love You was a good story, I didn't like it as much as I did To All The Boys. I remember liking Peter way more in the first book than I did in book two, but I really liked John Ambrose McCLaren in P.S I Still Love You. So that was an annoying internal conflict. But as the story went on, I did find myself rooting for Peter over John. Which I think was how it was meant to be, so I guess that's good?

My main gripe with the story is that the part that I really enjoyed the most was when the group of friends (and ex-friends) get together to open their time capsule they buried under Lara Jean's neighbor's tree house (which is getting taken down in the near future). After opening the time capsule that they buried about 5 years prior, they decide they should play a last game of Assassin. The game goes like this: everyone puts their own name into a hat, and everyone draws a name from the hat. Whoever you draw, that's your target, and you need to place two hands on their shoulders to get them out. You then take the name that they had, and try to get that person out. Each person's home is safe house, as is school. The last person standing gets to have one wish granted from anyone in the group.

I love the idea of this game! I really wish that the game was something that ran through the entire story, rather than starting half way through and ending with about a quarter of the book to go. It's a concept that I think could have made the book a lot more quirky and fun. Not that it wasn't fun, but it would have made it that little bit more entertaining.

Having said that, I did really like the addition of John Ambrose to the story, and some of the side stories that were going on, like Gen's family troubles, Lara Jean visiting Stormy at the Belleview retirement home etc. Overall, I did enjoy it (probably a 3.5 - 4 star), but not as much as TATBILB.

The movie

Having the book fresh in my head (like I said it was mere hours later that I watched the film after finishing the book) is something that rarely happens in my life. At the end of 2019 I read Let it Snow and then watched the movie that week, but other than that I can't think of anything recently that I've done this with. I think doing this - finishing the book and then really soon after watching the movie - has it's pros and cons. But that's a post for another day, perhaps. 

P.S I Still Love You the movie was a lot of fun. But there were so many things that were different to the book. To name a few: the way John Ambrose McCLaren re-enters Lara Jean's life is different than in the book. He still writes her back after he gets the letters from the first book, but then he shows up to volunteer at Belleview. In the book, he's Stormy's great-grandson (by marriage), so he meets Lara Jean when they're both their visiting her. In the book, John gives Lara Jean the snowglobe, in the movie she chooses it at a fair that she's at with Peter (also new to the movie). In the movie Gen and Lara Jean chat in the treehouse, which was a nice addition I have to say, and while their friendship isn't really restored, it seems more on the right track in the movie than in the book. Also in the book, the Covey family gets a dog, and he's not in the movie. I could go on with the differences, but I won't.

But I will say: the Assassin game they played in the book and that I enjoyed so much wasn't in the movie at all. I understand that they can't put everything in, but now all I want is to see Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher and Lara Condor running around the town trying to tag their friends. I think that would be awesome, and would make for some brilliant hilarity.

I do also want to mention there were some things in the movie that I'm discovering were pulled from book three, Always and Forever, Lara Jean, which I started after watching the movie. 

Verdict? 

So all in all: I liked the book. I liked the movie. But I would have like the movie more if I hadn't read the book. And I would have like the book more if it involved the Assassin game more. 

Obviously, if you've read and enjoyed To All the Boys I've Loved Before, then do pick up this one. 

What are your thoughts about the book vs movie? Let us know!

Movie image: IMDB | Book image: Goodreads

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The Martian | Andy Weir | Guest Review

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

The Martian | Andy Weir | Guest Review

I had heard that this novel was a good read from several friends/reviewers, but I was not in any hurry to read it as I have so many other books. However, then the movie was released and had great reviews! My fiancé wanted to watch it, so I had to step up my game and read the book before we could watch the movie together.

I suppose I went into the book open-minded, but expecting something enjoyable. I had no idea I would have such a good time reading a science fiction novel!

Mark Watney is stuck on Mars after a mission went wrong. His team believe him dead, so they left Mars to travel back to Earth without him. The novel follows Mark’s trials to stay alive and make it back to Earth with only the items he is left with. Occasionally the narrative switches from his first-person narration to third-person when we take a look at the NASA employees/Houston back on Earth, trying to figure out what to do next. I didn’t mind this narrative switching; it felt natural, and emphasised the importance of hearing Watney’s story directly from him.

There was quite a lot of science and technology described in the novel - procedures Watney needs to follow or equipment he needs to use - but I never felt like this was overwhelming or that it made me feel stupid. Each step Watney takes is explained well and the reader can see the reasoning behind his actions, even if they cannot specifically imagine exactly what is happening.

I really got absorbed in the story and kind of felt like I was along for the ride with Watney. For example, when he has to figure out when he can be rescued and how long he has to survive, and on what food, I felt sympathy with him the whole way through.

The best thing about this novel is the excellent sense of humour Watney retains, the whole time he is on Mars. He doesn’t give into the isolation and go crazy, and he doesn’t give up. He is positive and humorous throughout, which kept me rooting for him to get back to Earth.

I think Weir writes people perceptively well. The conversations between the NASA employees, the frame of mind of the crew who left Watney behind, and Watney’s survival motivation are all portrayed wonderfully through realistic dialogue.

I would recommend this book to anyone - seriously, even if you don’t think you like science fiction or space or survival stories, please try this one out because it’s a pleasant surprise! Weir has created a wonderful, interesting adventure.

★★★★★

This review was submitted by guest blogger Jemma.  

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Edward Scissorhands Volume 2: Whole Again | Kate Leth & Drew Rausch | Review

Saturday, 31 October 2015

Edward Scissorhands Volume 2: Whole Again | Kate Leth & Drew Rausch | Review

 

*Review copy c/o Netgalley, image via goodreads.com

The second volume of this Edward Scissorhands reboot takes place after our favourite outsider has won over the town’s residents as we tag along on another of Meg and Edward’s adventures.

Alongside a couple of new characters the pair find themselves headed out to meet Dr Wells, queen of the makeover. You see, Edward has just had a TV installed in his castle for the first time and stumbles across the Dr’s popular reality series, and becomes fixated on being ‘normal’. Soon the group find themselves at the centre of Dr Wells next big episode, with Edward becoming somewhat of a celebrity. Meg however isn't the Dr's biggest fan and has her suspicions that things may not be quite what they seem.

In this volume we also get to see Kim through some flashback sequences. These show snippets of her life across the last twenty years, between the events of the 1990 film and the previous graphic novel, including interactions between her and her young family as well as Edward. I really loved this addition to the graphic novel's fresh story as it perfectly ties the new adventures of Edward back to the original film.

I have to admit, I didn’t enjoy the story of Whole Again quite as much as Parts Unknown but it was still a good quick read with awesome illustrations. Once again, I hope to see more adventures starring Edward, Meg and co. in the future!

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Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown | Kate Leth & Drew Rausch | Review

Friday, 30 October 2015

Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown | Kate Leth & Drew Rausch | Review

 Review copy c/o Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion, images via goodreads & drewrausch.com

Edward Scissorhands and I go way back. I’ve been a big fan of the 1990 Tim Burton film for a long time and even used it as inspiration for a project whilst at university back in 2008. Unfortunately that particular idea didn’t end up working out and whilst I still love the story I haven’t watched the film since. I always thought that one day I would revisit the characters and the story however I never imagined it would be through a graphic novel. A few months ago I noticed the cover for this book pop up on Netgalley and couldn't resist taking the opportunity to snap it up, and I'm happy to say that I'm glad I did!

As this is an adaptation of a film with such a distinctive style I want to kick off by talking about the visuals. I have to say I honestly really loved the style of the illustrations in this book, particularly those of Edward and the interior of his castle, which I preferred over the more brightly coloured scenes set outside of his lonely world. With reference to the original film the illustrations had a bit of a Burton-esque feel to them and I really felt that Drew Rausch’s style was perfectly suited to this quirky project. With this in mind I would really love to re-read the story, perhaps next time as a physical book, to catch all of the little details I must have missed first time around.

As for the story itself it’s important to first note that Parts Unknown is not a re-telling of the film’s plot but is actually a sequel. Set years into the future we are introduced to teenager Meg who is the granddaughter of Kim (Wynona Ryder’s character in the film). The plot follows Meg as she looks for Edward and tries to prove that her late grandmother’s tales of the mysterious but lovable character are more than just make-believe. Another new character is introduced in the form of Eli, one of the inventor’s failed projects who becomes the villain of this piece, an interesting twist on the events of the original story.

Personally I loved that this graphic novel offered a different spin on the world of Edward and brought new life to the character so many fans love. It also gave an interesting insight into what could have happened after the events of the film or what we may have seen if there had been a cinematic sequel. I did however feel like the story could have been padded out a little more, although I understand that this isn’t always easy with the format of a graphic novel.

Overall I think Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown is a great little graphic novel and love that the story of Edward is being shared with a new generation. As it looks like this is just part one of a planned series I’m really looking forward to finding out where the story will go in the next instalment and what future adventures Edward and Meg may go on together!

This review was originally published over on my blog e-elise etc in May. Don't forget to check back here tomorrow to read my review of Edward Scissorhands Volume 2: Whole Again!

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War Horse | Michael Morpurgo | Reviewed by Laura

Monday, 22 September 2014

War Horse | Michael Morpurgo | Reviewed by Laura

This unique books details the life of Joey, a thoroughbred horse whose life dramatically changes when he is dragged away from his life as a farm horse and taken straight into the heart of WW1.

I had heard great things about this book before I read it, then the adaptation into film forced me to grab he book off the shelf and start reading (We all know it's book first, film second). I was surprised and equally impressed to find that the book is written from Joey's perspective, it's unique and gives a very different impression of the war. 

This story is heartbreaking, uplifting, terrifying and emotional. Morpurgo captures the essence of war and tugs at your heart strings, I cried... boy did I cry when reading this book. I really enjoyed the contrast of characters in this book, it was almost as if for every character that I loved there was one that I disliked but even those that I disliked had a purpose, there was a reason as to why they were like that, whether this be job or way of life.

I don't think anyone can dislike Joey as a character, how can you not like a horse?! His determination, his strength, his love all made me wish I had a horse! I was terrified throughout this book of how things were going to turn out in the end, but luckily I didn't have to worry. 

The war scenes are heart-breaking, the description is enough to make you feel that you are stood there with it all happening around you. I have not read an author who can create imagery quite like Morpurgo can. 

As for the film, well I watched it last week and I did enjoy it, it didn't make me cry though... so there must of been something missing. 


5/5

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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The Lovely Bones | Alice Sebold | Review

Monday, 7 October 2013

The Lovely Bones | Alice Sebold | Review

Susie Salmon is a 14 year old girl who innocently follows her neighbor into a cornfield on the way home from school, her innocence costs her, her life. She is brutally raped and murdered, her body to disappear as if it never existed. This debut novel details how her family cope (or don't cope) after her death but not only how the living carry on but how Susie watches them from heaven unable to deal with life after death.

This book has been sat on my bookshelf for a while desperately wanting to be read, the film came out and I managed to avoid watching it as I wanted to make sure I'd read the book first. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when reading the book, part of the reason for having left it on my to-read shelf was because I knew of sadness this book held.

When reading this book I came to realise that actually it is not overtaken by a brutal murder and rape but by a family learning to deal with what has happened. It highlights the many different ways that people cope with grief and highlights positive characteristics within different family members. The sweet and loving Dad who is so determined to find the killer, a grandmother who for all her faults is there for her remaining Grandchildren with every bone in her body. Siblings who struggle to come to terms with the fact that their sister isn't coming home and a Mom who is left an empty shell.

The story is heart-warming, touching and incredibly emotional. You may think that you can't read past the beginning, I certainly closed the book pretty sharpish, but you have to go back, Sebold artfully encourages you to read more as you hold on to the hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I would highly recommend this book, but be prepared and make sure you have lots of tissues.

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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Guest Review | Wonder | R. J. Palacio

Thursday, 5 September 2013

Guest Review | Wonder | R. J. Palacio

August Pullman describes himself as an ordinary kid. He loves ice cream and Star Wars and playing with his dog, Daisy. But unfortunately, everyone else struggles to see him that way because August Pullman was born with severe facial deformities. At 10 years old he has undergone 27 surgical procedures, has gotten used to the stares and whispers and has never been to a mainstream school. However, one of these things is about to change when August in enrolled into Beecher Prep at the start of a new school year. He won’t be the only new kid there but he will be the only kid who looks like him.

Auggie, as he is known, is understandably terrified. Just because he is used to the way people react to him, doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. Now he must navigate school bullies, tested loyalties and increased family tensions not to mention school lessons.

Wonder is split into eight parts with each one narrated by either August or someone whose life he has touched. This method does lead to a certain lack of subtlety with multiple characters explaining the same thing. Although it is interesting to hear different points of view and it does help to develop the characters, it also goes some way to preventing the reader from drawing their own conclusions. One example where this is particularly true is in how Auggie describes his looks to the reader:

“I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”

Simple. Effective. Over the course of the story he does describe some features, such as how he hates his fist-like ears, but for the first part of Wonder the reader is unencumbered by detailed description. However, in his sister Via’s section this is effectively undone almost instantly with a detailed breakdown of all of Auggie’s features. This may work for some people, of course you are curious and what August looks like is important, but it didn’t work for me I’m afraid.

Despite this, Palacio creates a believable, touching portrait of an extraordinary child in August. His personal strength is stated and applauded but not over sentimentally - bar the ending, but you can forgive Palacio that little moment of indulgence. The real strength of Wonder is how equally well developed each of the main characters or narrators are. The complex relationships that August has and that exist beyond him are portrayed realistically. August is brave, yes, but he can also be stubborn, petty, selfish even, like most 10-year old boys. Likewise, Via is a particularly well rounded and relatable character and this lifts the story and gives it depth. Wonder is full of equally heart-warming and gut-wrenching moments. Everyone will have their own, but the passage that I found most moving strangely did not involve Auggie but was about Via and her grandmother.

Wonder is an enjoyable and accessible read for all ages. It is by no means perfect and some may find the writing style too simplistic for their tastes but I would recommend this as an uplifting, easy read.

This post was written by guest reviewer Ali. Click here to visit her personal blog AlleyHope!
Image c/o Ali

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The Last Song | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Monday, 26 August 2013

The Last Song | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Ronnie’s parents divorce, her Dad moves across the country, she haven’t seen him for since and three years later she’s angry, alienated and going off the rails. That is until her Mum decided that she and her little brother are going to stay with him for the summer. It’s time to see if she can reconnect with her Dad and put the past behind her.

Now I think it’s obvious that I’ve become a bit of a Sparks fan and this was the last of his books sat on my ‘to-read’ shelf (for now anyway) and I couldn’t let it sit there any longer. Within the first few pages I realised that this book had the typical Sparks style of writing and as I read further and found it had love and loss, grief, confusion and happiness of which I always find in his novels.

What was different about this book that I really like was that it was a story of growing up, becoming an adult and dealing with the issues life will throw at you. I got to watch (read) how Ronnie’s character developed, grew, changed and adapted as she grew as a person.

Ronnie was not the only character which I enjoyed in the book, I felt that almost every character had something that made me want to read more about them. Although Ronnie’s little brother has to be one of the most entertaining characters he’s so sweet.

I went off and watched the film too and did also enjoy it, it wasn’t quite what I expected especially for some of the casting but I did enjoy the adaptation.

Any Nicholas Sparks fan would love this book, chic-lit readers or anyone who likes a good cry when reading a book.

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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The Lucky One | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Monday, 15 July 2013

The Lucky One | Nicholas Sparks | Review

A young U.S Marine finds a photograph of a young women in the mist of war but instead of passing it by he keeps it, thus leading him to have a streak of good luck.  When his tour finally ends he heads home taking the photograph with him, which does not seem to leave his mind. Finally he gives in and decides to search for the young woman in the photograph, he sets off on a journey across America.

The Lucky One is a charming story that details the first meeting and ever building relationship between these two strangers. Two very intriguing and genuinely likable characters, who draw you in so much so that you can’t stop reading or hoping that they finish with their own happy ending. Because at the end of the day if you pull this story apart, forget the extras, writing style and back story it’s a love story. A captivating and enchanting love story which every girl wishes for.

When I first picked up The Lucky One my first thought was ‘will I cry?’ as Sparks seems to have a particular talent for this and as I’m on a run of reading his books, I’ve come to know that it is inevitable. What I love about his novels is that he deals with real life situations, yes I said it was a love story but it deals with so much more than that. The war is a huge theme within the book and dealing with the effects of coming out of it, death of course the two go hand in hand is also another huge theme within this book – and it was this of course which finally reduced me to tears towards the end.

I also watched the film adaptation of The Lucky One only a few days after finishing it (I had watched it before but couldn’t remember it to well). It isn’t quite how I imagined it but I did enjoy the film and thought it was a good adaptation of the book.

I would definitely recommend The Lucky One to any Nicholas Sparks fans and also anyone who loves  a good love story. 

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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Safe Haven | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Monday, 3 June 2013

Safe Haven | Nicholas Sparks | Review

A young woman named Katie turns up in a small North Carolina town having been on an adventure. Nobody knows exactly where she’s from, what her past entails or how long she intends to stay but one things is for sure – she’ll never forget her past. Alex a loving, kind-hearted store owner plays a huge part in breaking down barriers as he delves into her past, bringing back memories she wishes she could forget.

Finally a Nicholas Sparks book that I managed to read before watching the film (purposely! The film was sat staring at me for weeks waiting for me to finish this book!) This was quite the lovely dovey romantic Nicholas Sparks book that I expect. There is a much deeper, darker side to this story which kept me gripped the whole way through.

I immediately connected with Katie as the main character, she was vulnerable, scared and shy, she instantly drew me in and I was desperate to find out what had happened to make her this way. What was her secret that she was hiding? Would she get over it? Would it come back with vengeance? Would the new relationships she’d built survive it? All these questions were what spurred me on to read this book through, every spare moment I had, I found myself reaching for the book to read more – even if I only had 2 minutes 2 read 2 pages!

So it’s safe to say that I enjoyed this book, I would definitely recommend it whether your Sparks fan or not. Now after I finished reading it was time to watch the film. I umm’d and ahh’d for a couple of weeks, avoiding watching it because I was worried how it would be adapted and whether I would hate. You know when you love a book so much and you’ve created your own imagery for certain scenes and someone else’s comes along and adapts the films and ruins your visions – I didn’t want that to happen.

I did enjoy the film (surprised myself!), there were new scenes and adaptations of old ones. But most importantly the darker, scarier side to this story was still there, still raw and still captivating.

If you’ve never read a Sparks book before, this definitely one to pick up.

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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The Silver Linings Playbook | Matthew Quick | Review

Monday, 20 May 2013

The Silver Linings Playbook | Matthew Quick | Review

Pat Peoples believes everything will work out in the end, he believes that his life is like one of those feel good movies that always have a happy ending. So as he embarks on a journey to get back with his wife Nikki back after spending a lengthy stretch in a mental health facility, nobody wants to let Pat find out the truth. The truth which doesn't look like it has any silver lining. But then Pat meets Tiffany, a young lady who has struggles with everything life has thrown at her lately. Their friendship grows and the real truth starts to reveal itself.

The Silver Linings Playbook is not one of those books that I would have immediately picked up in a book store.  However after watching the film I was convinced that I needed to read the book. I’m glad I did especially as the book gives so much more detail about the characters – which are the most interesting part of this book.  The way the book tackles the serious issues, shows how these characters interact or close themselves off are what kept me reading and enjoying every page.

If I had not watched the film first (big mistake I know – I should of known better) I think I would have really enjoyed rediscovering Pat’s old life with him and being taken on that journey.  Hidden elements of his past are slowly revealed to us and it really allows the reader to play the guessing game. I would of enjoyed trying to work it all out before Pat did (the competitive side of me would of reared its ugly head).

If I could pick out one aspect of The Silver Linings Playbook which I found frustrating it would be all the details of the classic novels that Pat reads. Now don’t get me wrong I love how they have included these books and that he is reading them – but some of them I haven’t read and now I don’t feel I need to as the plots have already been revealed to me in quite some detail.

I would definitely recommend The Silver Linings Playbook, especially if you like to read something a little different every now and then. 

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
Image from Goodreads

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Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Review

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

Battle Royale | Koushun Takami | Review

"Battle Royale, a high-octane thriller about senseless youth violence, is one of Japan's best-selling and most controversial novels. As part of a ruthless program by the totalitarian government, ninth-grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food, and various weapons. Forced to wear special collars that explode when they break a rule, they must fight each other for three days until only one "winner" remains." Source


This week I’m discussing another book with a concept often compared to that of The Hunger Games centred around the controversial theme of kids killing kids. Of course the difference is in this case is that it was The Hunger Games that was labelled a ‘rip-off’ of the Japanese novel published nine years earlier, now deemed ‘the original survival game’.

Battle Royale tells the story of the 42 students of Third Year Class B from Shiroiwa Junior High who are forced to participate in ‘the Program’, an experiment put in place by the Japanese government where the teens must fight until there is only one survivor. The class are unaware that they have been selected to take part in the program and are gassed whilst on route to a school trip. They awake in a classroom of an unfamiliar school located on a deserted island with metal collars fixed around their necks and are greeted by Sakamochi who proves that this really is no joke by revealing the dead body of former Class B teacher Mr Hayashida. With the first four students killed within the next 30 pages, this definitely isn’t the book for anyone who can’t stand reading gore or violence!

The students are released one by one out onto the island with a basic map and a mystery weapon. From then on its all about the action as we follow the students on each of their journeys to survive either emerging as the winner or possibly the lucky ones who beat the system and find a way to escape. Of course there are varying approaches with some students teaming up, some hiding out and others even turning on their so-called friends. Alongside this, interesting information about their backgrounds unfolds through conversations and flashbacks adding in details here and there and helping the reader get to know the students.

Back when I first watched the film adaptation I found the whole idea fascinating even though the thought that something like this could really happen is truly terrifying. The film was visually striking and as those of you who have seen it will know it sticks with you for a long time afterwards. This is in fact what led me to pick up the original novel in the first place as I wanted to explore how a film that’s success relies fairly heavily on visuals to portray the action and violence was created from the words and how descriptive those words had to have been. My main issue with the novel which is unfortunately an unavoidable one is that at times the text felt a little disjointed and didn’t flow properly. I do believe this is down to the fact that it is a translation rather than being a reflection on Takami’s writing style but it was still slightly disappointing. When it comes to the content the fact that there are 42 students in Class B means there are clearly a lot of names to keep up with and I did get a little confused trying to remember who was who at times. Aside from that I can’t find much to fault Battle Royale on, sure there were a few things here and there that didn’t make sense to me and I did find the ‘last wishes’ of some students implausible and repetitive but overall the good outweighed the bad.

Clearly this novel isn’t for everyone, with the controversial ideas played out through violence and gore it has been widely criticised however it is certainly an interesting and action-packed gripping read with a fitting ending.

This post was written by regular reviewer Erin, get to know her here.
Photo © Erin Elise

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Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro | Review

Monday, 1 April 2013

Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro | Review

“Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading.” 

Never Let Me Go is set in a re-imagined version of England with the idyllic English countryside the backdrop to the novel.

Kathy is a 30 year old woman who's quiet adult life is interrupted by her past, in the form of her two friends from school, Ruth and Tommy. The three grew up in Hailsham, a sheltered private school cut off from the outside world. On the surface Hailsham students are brought up to be well rounded and happy, lead to believe their perfect childhood and health will one day be of service to society.

As Kathy rekindles her friendship with Ruth, she reflects on her life at Hailsham and beyond, questioning the meaning behind her own life and purpose, and her confusing relationship with Tommy. Her memory starts in the Hailsham classrooms with the rest of the school's special children, where creativity and health are encouraged. The children are isolated but seem content enough to live their lives in this way - in fact the outside world both excites and terrifies them at times.

The world only get more confusing at the Hailsham children enter young adulthood and leave the confines of the school, before accepting their inevitable fate to 'service society'.

So what's my verdict?

I realised whilst writing this review that Never Let Me Go is probably one of the hardest novels to describe without it sounding a) like it's a cheesy romantic drama and b) a weird school version of Stepford wives. In reality, the story and tone of Never Let Me Go is so unique that it simply doesn't fit into perfect genre box.

Kathy's passive narrative style allows the science fiction elements of the story to blend quietly into the background, whilst the reader concentrates on the purely human side of the story. Her relationships with both Tommy and Ruth are so uniquely different to each other, yet the three are inexplicably tied together right until the very end.

This is a very simple novel but Ishiguro manages to tie in themes of death, betrayal, friendship and love, all the while exploring the meaning of life and the idea of souls with the story getting more and more complex the closer you look.

Reading Soundtrack:

Never Let Me Go: Florence + the Machine; Sunshine & City Lights: Greyson Chance; Always You: Ingrid Michaelson; Secrets: One Republic; Seeing Other People: Belle & Sebastian; Everything Has Changed: Taylor Swift ft Ed Sheeran; Hallelujah: Jeff Buckley

For lovers of

The movie adaptation of Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro's work, Huxley's Brave New World and Lowry's The Giver.

The review was written by Ria, find out more about her here!
*all images (c) Ria Cagampang

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Features | The Lowdown On Upcoming YA Adaptations

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Features | The Lowdown On Upcoming YA Adaptations

Images via Goodreads
Following the success of films such as The Hunger Games adaptation just over a year ago and the growing popularity of the genre many more of our favourite Young Adult series are also set to hit the big, and small, screens in the next couple of years. This year already sees the release of Stephenie Meyer’s The Host, Orson Scott-Card’s Ender’s Game, Casandra Clare’s City Of Bones and most recently Beautiful Creatures on the big screen but here are some details on just a few of the other titles set to be adapted soon.

Divergent

Quite possibly the most talked about is the film adaptation of Veronica Roth’s debut Divergent, the first in a trilogy that follows the journey of Tris Prior as she chooses which faction she will belong to for the rest of her life. As the film is set to begin shooting in Chicago very soon there have been a lot of interesting casting announcements popping up in recent weeks. Firstly Shailene Woodley was cast as main character Tris Prior followed by the announcements that Zoe Kravitz will play Christina, Tris’ best friend in the Dauntless faction, Nikita star Maggie Q will portray Dauntless member Tori and Ansel Elgort is set to play Tris’ Erudite brother Caleb. There are also speculation that Oscar winner Kate Winslet has been offered a role and although rumours suggest she will portray Erudite leader Jeanine Matthews this has not yet been confirmed. The most anticipated casting news however is that Brit actor Theo James will portray Dauntless member and Tris’ love interest Four.

The Maze Runner

Also on the cards is a 2014 film version of The Maze Runner by James Dashner which was released back in 2009. The story centres around a group of boys , the ‘Gladers’ who are trapped in a maze as part of some form of experiment. The boys don’t know how they got there or why they were chosen but they know that they are meant to find a way to escape. There hasn’t yet been a lot of confirmed news for this project although IMDB has British actors Will Poulter, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Aml Ameen listed as cast members. The website originally had Poulter listed as main character Thomas but that has since been altered and now states that he will play Gally. The film will be directed by Wes Ball best known for his work in art departments and visual effects.

Vampire Academy

The popular Vampire Academy series of novels by Richelle Mead are also coming to the big screen. Personally I don’t know a lot about this series but from what I understand it centres around a boarding school where vampires are trained to protect magic and half-human teens. Reports state that Zoey Deutch, star of another YA adaptation Beautiful Creatures, will play main character Rose. Interestingly Mark Waters who is famous for his work on Mean Girls amongst other things has signed on to direct.

The Fault in Our Stars

A big screen adaptation of John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars arguably the most talked about YA release of 2012 is also in the works. The film is set to be directed by Josh Boone who’s only previous directing credit is 2012’s Stuck In Love which he also wrote the screenplay for. There have been rumours about Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld auditioning for the role of Hazel Grace but nothing has been confirmed as yet. *Edit - the same day this post was published it was announced that Shailene Woodley will portray Hazel Grace

Delirium

In addition there are also projects set to hit the small screen this year most notably Lauren Oliver’s Delirium series. The books are set in a world where love is considered a disease and at the hands of the government teens are ‘cured’ with an operation. Emma Roberts has officially been cast to play protagonist Lena alongside Jeanine Mason as best friend Hana, Daren Kagasoff as Alex and Gregg Sulkin as Julian. The pilot episode is set to condense the entirety of the trilogy’s first novel coupled with some character changes which will make for interesting viewing for fans of the series.

The Selection

Kiera Cass’ The Selection, a story about a girl chosen by a ‘lottery’ to compete for the affections of Prince Maxon, is set to air on The CW, the network who successfully adapted the Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl books and now The Carrie Diaries, later this year. So far there are several names on board to star including Anthony Head as the King.

Mila 2.0

Debra Driza’s debut novel Mila 2.0 which isn’t actually released until the end of March is already set for an ABC adaptation with Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and her producing partner Betsy Beers on board both as executive producers. Mila 2.0 follows the story of a teen who discovers that she is in fact an android created by the military as an experiment in artificial intelligence. As yet there has been no casting news but with Rhimes and Beers on board the project has a lot of potential for success. I was actually lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the book - if you are interested and would like to find out more about Mila 2.0 click here to read my review.

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So that’s it for my wrap up on upcoming YA adaptations. I am hoping to review the pilot episodes of both Delirium and The Selection when they air as well as Mila 2.0 if the project goes ahead so keep an eye out for those later in the year. I’m sure I will be reviewing some of both the 2013 and 2014 film releases on my personal blog (www.e-eliseetc.com) too.

Don’t forget to leave a comment below letting me know which adaptation you are most excited for!

This post was written by regular reviewer Erin, get to know her here.

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Struck By Lightning | Chris Colfer | Review

Monday, 4 March 2013

Struck By Lightning | Chris Colfer | Review

“...Once upon a time,
there was a boy who flew.”

Struck By Lightning is the novel companion to the movie of the same name (still to come out in the UK unfortunately) written by actor (and screenplay writer of the film) Chris Colfer.

Meet Carson Philips, a highly ambitious high school outcast, hell-bent on heading to Northwestern University to study and one day become a writer for The New Yorker. But first he has to get out of his small town of Clover and bolster his college application by submitting a literary journal. The problem is he hates everyone in this town and he's pretty sure he's one of the least popular guys in schools thanks his Holden-esque attitude on life - not that he actually cares. His dreams, however, are bigger than his obstacles so he and his friend Malorie set out a plan...blackmail the most popular students in the school to contribute and the rest will follow suit.

The story pans out as Carson delves into the lives of his fellow classmates, discovering some reputation altering secrets and using them to his advantage. All the while he's managing his broken home life, alcoholic, drug addicted mother, and M.I.A. father, with his only respite being his grandmother, who suffers from Alzheimer's. Despite his malicious and selfish intent Carson finds that he's not the only one with problems and dreams of getting out of town.

So what's my verdict?

Writing this as unbiased as I can, and believe me as a Colfer-fan this is hard, I have to say the novel was just okay. It's a simple young adult story of a boy who just wants to get out of town, Carson himself isn't a very likable character at the beginning but he is relatable especially towards the end and his moments of sheer annoyance at his fellow classmates are something I'm sure many of us have felt. The humour in the novel reeks of Chris Colfer's natural sarcastic tone but the subtle moments of emotional dialogue are definitely heartfelt. The secondary characters are both ridiculous and hilarious, Marlorie in particular has some of the best lines in the book, and Carson's relationship with his ailing grandmother and his mother is really well done. The book won't shake the earth in terms of originality but the story carries through nicely, and will leave you with a bittersweet feeling at the end.

As a backwards screen-to-book adaptation I do feel like I should have seen the movie before hand, as the screenplay alongside the actors' own personal improvisational lines aid the story's humour and emotional arc. That being said I would definitely recommend this for any who wants a quick read or is curious about Colfer's writing style.

Soundtrack:

Dirty Little Secret: All American Rejects; Everyday Is Like Sunday: Morrisey; It's Only Life: Kate Voegele; Teenagers: My Chemical Romance; Bad Reputation: Joan Jett; 

For lovers of

Will Grayson/Will Grayson, Catcher In The Rye, John Hughes movies and Chris Colfer (and I mean CHRIS COLFER, if your reading for Kurt Hummel you're not gonna find him here). Also check out the SBL trailer here (warning, be prepared for lots of LoLs)

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Beautiful Creatures | Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl | Review

Sunday, 3 March 2013

Beautiful Creatures | Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl | Review

Ethan Lawson Wate is just your average sixteen year old, living in a small town in  the American South. He has friends and goes to school like a normal teenager. But when Lena Duchannes arrives in town, his whole world turns upside down.

Lena Duchannes lives with her mysterious uncle Macon Ravenwood and this fact does not go unnoticed for the rest of the town. Macon lives in a massive Gothic mansion and has not been seen leaving it in years. On Lena's first day at school, Lena soon discovers that the town of Gatlin does not take kindly to strangers and makes her know exactly where she stands. Ethan however finds her very extraordinary and there's something about her face which is very familiar. They become friends and as their friendship grows stronger, Ethan learns that Lena is a Caster, a being which can cast magic. However Lena has a problem. She is on the countdown to her sixteenth birthday where she will find out if she will turn to the Light or the Dark for her Claiming.

Sit tight and be prepared for a read, full of witches, both Light and Dark, and a love story like no other.

I really enjoyed Beautiful Creatures. The main reason why I picked it up was because I wanted to read it before the movie came out. I really enjoy anything to do with magic and to read something that was quite different to other books involving magic was a real joy. The only disadvantage I have to give is Ethan himself was a bit of a fanciful boyfriend. Like he was doing all of these things when you really think about it, most boyfriends wouldn't usually do. So when I was reading these bits I wasn't really feeling it if you know what I mean. However, it was a good narration and the authors did a good job talking from a male perspective.

I'm giving this a four and a half star rating. It is much better than the movie version. In the movie version they basically take a chunk of the book out of the movie and make things up which have nothing to do with the storyline. If you enjoy reading things to do with witches and other mystical beings then this is the book for you. It's really very good and I can't wait to read the rest of this series!

This book was reviewed by regular reviewer Lucy, get to know her here!

Photo by Goodreads!

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Dear John | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Monday, 25 February 2013

Dear John | Nicholas Sparks | Review

Let me start of by saying I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this book (and might I add the film). I also broke one of my many rules and watched the film before I read the book (because I failed to realise it was a book until after I’d seen the film). Not that you really needed to know any of that, now let’s go right back to the start and maybe I can explain my thoughts on this book a little more clearly.

Dear John, by Nicholas Sparks, introduces us to the main character John who has gone into the Army after dropping out of school and having a distinctive distant relationship with his Father. Whilst he is on leave for a couple of weeks, he inevitably meets Savannah who he falls hopelessly in love with (Yes this book is of course a love story). The novel tells of the trials and tribulations of their relationship, coping with months apart whilst John returns to the Army with the effects of 9/11 playing a huge role in the strength of their bond.

Although this couple are the focus point of this story, it is John’s relationship with his father which I found most intriguing. A coin collector and single Father, who shows signs of autism, John’s Dad proves to be an interesting character which I wish was focused more upon in the story.

I do absolutely adore this couple, both the characters separately and together are likable and appealing through their relationship which struggles through many twists and turns. Although I did mention this was a love story, it is not your typical love story, forget your fairy tales with happy endings which leaves your heart warm. The ending of this story was somewhat depressing, frustrating yet believable. It may not be the ending your heart craves but it certainly shows a more realistic side to love, war and life.

That being said, my rating somewhat reflects on this ending, I could not give Dear John 5/5 stars because it did leave me feeling frustrated and depressed. Now let’s be honest I read book partly to escape into another world, and no matter how realistic this book was, I’d of loved a happy ending!
4/5 stars

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
*Photo © Laura

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Ready Player One | Ernest Cline | Review

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Ready Player One | Ernest Cline | Review

"It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them." Source

When OASIS creator James Halliday dies the world that worships him and his creation are presented with the ultimate challenge; Halliday has left them an Easter Egg and the one who finds it will win the ultimate prize of fortune and power.

At the beginning of Ready Player One in the five years that have passed since Halliday’s death although many people have dedicated their lives to studying his pop culture favourites in the hope of finding clues no one has yet made any progress towards finding the first of the three keys; Copper. So when main character Wade Watts, or Parzival as he is known in the OASIS, becomes the first gunter (the name for Halliday’s fans which comes from ‘egg hunters’) to obtain the key and make it through the first gate the story really kicks off. From then on it is all action as we follow Wade on his quest to find the remaining two keys (Jade and Crystal) and hopefully to also be first to find the highly sought after Easter Egg. The gunters however are not the only ones after Halliday’s prize, there is of course a villain in the form of the IOI, a global internet service provider who are out to win by finding loopholes in order to gain control of the OASIS and monetize it.

Ready Player One is definitely very geeky, there are a ton of pop-culture references from games to films, television to music and for this reason it does need a little more concentration than your average read. Don’t let this put you off though, the story is very easy to follow even if you don’t fully appreciate each and every reference because Cline has foreseen this issue and they are all sufficiently explained. Amongst the references Ready Player One tackles the modern-world issue of how you choose to represent yourself online, something which most people can relate to – even if you don’t appreciate all of the geeky references!

Protagonist Wade is a likeable and sympathetic character who makes a great guide through this fairly complicated world. Along the way he meets fellow gunters and leaderboard toppers Shoto, Daito, Aech, and most importantly Art3mis. I personally loved the relationships that form between Wade and his fellow gunters, at first each out to win for themselves but at times coming together against the IOI. Without giving away too much I particularly enjoyed the reveal of what each of these characters looked like in real life and in turn the reasons behind the designs of their OASIS avatars. Co-creator of the OASIS Ogden Morrow, or Og, is also a fantastic character.

As much as I loved the plot and characters the most impressive thing about Ready Player One was the planning. Every little detail was so well thought out and things just seemed to fall into place making it much easier to immerse yourself in Cline’s version of the world. As I was reading I found myself asking questions but just paragraphs or even sentences later I would find the answers and overall I think this makes the whole story much more convincing.

Ready Player One has certainly been one of those books that has stuck with me long after reading it, and although I had never intended to review it, here I am months later still thinking about what a great read it was. This unusual and clever debut novel from Ernest Cline is suitably geeky and extremely enjoyable. 5/5 

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Pride and Prejudice | Jane Austen | Review

Monday, 14 January 2013

Pride and Prejudice | Jane Austen | Review

I think I can pretty much guarantee that the majority of us have read Pride and Prejudice or watched the film (Or at least watched Bridget Jones) and therefore have some knowledge of this storyline. Myself? I studied this book 3 times during my college and university days and it always was one of my favourite books before then. This amount of in-depth study however made my never want to look at the book again. Until…

This gorgeous book arrived and it looked so pretty I couldn’t stop myself from picking it up and starting to re-read, at my own leisure this time though! Although I am familiar with the characters and storyline every time I re-read this book there is something new and interesting which I have missed in previous reads.

Austen has complex characters; moments of amusement and such an in-depth storyline that it makes you believe you were born in the wrong century.

I’m sure that everything I would like to say about Pride and Prejudice has already been said before. If you are a fan of classic English Literature and you have not read this book then shame on you! And to everyone else, give it a go! It might not be your usual type of book but I promise you will fall in love with it (Or at least with Mr Darcy!) 5/5 stars

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
*Photo © Laura

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Fantastic Mr Fox | Roald Dahl | Review

Monday, 31 December 2012

Fantastic Mr Fox | Roald Dahl | Review

I read Fantastic Mr. Fox when I was younger, but when the Roald Dahl collection arrived I decided it was time to re-read one of my old favourites. I always enjoyed this book as a child and have more recently watched the film (although I found this not quite so enjoyable), but it was time to see if the book appealed in the same way to an adult reader.

Roald Dahl has such a great appeal to children, mention The Twits or The BFG and there is an instant recognition of such great stories.  Fantastic Mr Fox is another instant hit, detailing the lives of a family of foxes who steal food from 3 local farmers. But these are no ordinary farmers, all 3 are set up to entertain and amuse with the description of their physical appearance and personalities. These 3 obscure farmers decide to take revenge and try to hunt down the fox family.

This may be a children’s book, but it has a certain magic which allows for enjoyment still to be found when reading this book as an adult. Lots of us remember reading them as children and are desperate to read them to our children (an excuse because we want to re-read our childhood favourites). It is the adventurous story lines, magical events and humorous characters which keep us entertained throughout the whole book.

I would recommend this book to any Roald Dahl fan, child or parents – this is not a Roald Dahl book to be missed. 5/5 stars

This post was written by regular reviewer Laura, get to know her here.
*Photo © Laura

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