Last year I discovered something about myself: I am a polygamist reader. Yes, I'll admit it. No, I'm not ashamed. I love to read multiple books at once. Sometimes I'll read a hardcover book, an ebook, and listen to an audiobook, all at the same time. (Okay, well not at the exact same time, but you know what I mean).
Over the last few days, I have run into some pretty serious bookish issues caused by my inability to commit to one book at a time. I've gotten my books crossed. I called one by the other's name (you NEVER do that!) and got my plots confused.
I know, I know what you're thinking. "But Tracy, HOW could you let this happen?!" I thought I knew better, I did. I never thought this would happen to me. I'm still not ashamed of my polygamous ways, but I think I'm going to have to take some steps to make sure that this doesn't happen again. But because we're such good friends, I've decided to open up and tell you exactly how this happened.
Here it is, friends. Here's how I got my books crossed:
If you've read these books, you know exactly where I went wrong. But maybe you haven't read them, so I'll enlighten you. Both of these books center around a main character who may or may not have mystical powers. Both are young adult high fantasy with foreign names and customs. Both main characters visit a far off land. Both focus on the main character trying to escape from the powers that be. Both have a love triangle with a seemingly-bad guy and a good guy. Both mention the feeling that some big change is going to happen in the world.
I know what you're thinking and the answer is I don't know. I don't know how I made such a blunder, but I did. Now I have to deal with the repercussions. Mainly figuring out how to write these reviews without confusing the two (again). Oh, and figuring out how to hold off on reading on Siege and Storm while I finish The Heart of Betrayal. (I'm probably going to fail. They're both amazing!)
The moral of the story is: if you're going to read multiple books at once, if you're going to be a book polygamist, make sure you also mix genres. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? I can't believe I'm the first one!! Let me know in the comments!
Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court--but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms--and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future--and the future of a world cleaved in two.
With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.
Holy crap it has a cover!! Have you seen that cover?? I am dying to get this book! How am I going to wait until May?
So this was perhaps the easiest top ten topic I've ever had! For this week, I literally went to Goodreads and clicked on the most recent ten books I added to my "to read" list. I've switched them to alphabetical order, but here they are!
Title: Anyone? Author: Angela Scott Narrator: Elizabeth Phillips Publication Date: December 1, 2014 Publisher: Evolved Publishing Add to Goodreads
The end of the world? That’s the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters and deep philosophical exercises in school. No need to sweat it. So when sixteen-year-old Tess’s doomsday-dad builds a bomb shelter in their suburban backyard, everyone thinks he’s gone crazy….
…Until fire rains down from the sky, sinking whole cities into colossal craters and setting much of the world ablaze.
Tess’s dad gives her a few short minutes to gather her emergency bag and her freaked-out kitten, then leads her outside and into the underground shelter. Terrified, the last thing she expects is for him to leave her there all alone, but he has no choice—he must find her missing brother.
Before leaving, he makes Tess promise to keep the hatch door shut, not to open it for anyone but him, and to stay put until he returns.
But he forgot to tell her one thing: What is she supposed to do if he never comes back?
Lately I have been on the hunt for good apocalyptic fiction. I gave We All Looked Up a try last year and was entirely unimpressed, so since then I've been wondering if there were any good books at all about the actual apocalypse. Well, there is. It's called Anyone? Honestly, I was a little hesitant to read this book at first, simply because I'd never heard of it or its author. I am SO glad I decided to go ahead.
Anyone? is a story about a girl, Tess, who is stuck in a bunker in her backyard. Alone. Something you may not know about me is I am (not so) secretly a prepper. I am fascinated by conspiracy theories and the many possibilities of how the world might end, so to get to read a book that starts with a girl in a fully functioning, fully stocked bunker seemed like an awesome opportunity! Okay, back to the story. Tess is in her dad's bunker and she has no idea what is happening outside or if anyone is coming back for her. She waits it out as long as she possibly can before finally emerging to find herself still entirely alone. Until she meets Cole, an obviously too old for her guy who's actually enjoying the solitude of post-apocalyptic America.
Cole is a masterpiece. Don't get me wrong! I loved Tess too! It's not often you come across a heroine in dystopian fiction who isn't either ridiculously bad ass or ridiculously helpless. Tess is neither of those things. She's believable and easy to sympathize with and I loved her. But Cole... There was just something about his character that I loved. He was kind of a sarcastic jerk and there was never any real clarity into his past or why he was enjoying himself so much at the end of the world. Cole was also accidentally romantic and protective and I adored the relationship he had with Tess. There was always a sense of taboo surrounding them that made the possibility of Tess and Cole ending up together really enticing.
Obviously, the true test of good (post) apocalyptic fiction is the setting and Anyone? did not disappoint! Not only is the city already in a state of ruin from whatever it was that took place before Tess emerged from her hiding place, but there are insane natural disasters happening all around Tess and Cole as they work their way towards their goal. There was always a feeling of foreboding around their journey and it was deliciously creepy and made me feel always on edge.
What really sets Anyone? apart from other books in this genre was the fact that I could never quite tell if I could be sure of anything. Tess becomes something of an unreliable narrator as the story progresses and I honestly felt like I was losing my mind a time or two, but in a good way! It really added to the feeling of unease that made this book so great!
My main complaint with Anyone? and the only reason it didn't get a 5 star rating from me is that the ending was too abrupt. There were a ton of questions that were raised throughout the book that I really hoped to find out the answers too and, sadly, that didn't happen. I was left feeling like I needed to know more! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that this will be a series either, so I don't think there's much hope for clarity in the future. Still, that little tidbit wasn't enough to drag this book down and honestly the uncertainty in the end kind of fit with the ambiguity that ran through a lot of the book.
If you're a fan of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, you most certainly should give this book a try! It is completely fantastic and pretty unique to anything else I've ever read. I could actually see myself giving this one a re-read in the future, and that is something that rarely happens!
°o°Notes on the Audiobook °o°
Elizabeth Phillips did a fantastic job of narrating this audiobook! I really enjoyed listening to her guide me through the story and felt like she was convincing in differentiating between the different characters in the book. I would definitely listen to more books read by her!
Wow. What an emotional week this has been! The beginning of the week started off slowly, although I got some new puppy sitting business, so that's pretty amazing! I also had an interview with a pet sitting company and have training on Monday, so wish me luck! It has been quite a few years since I've worked for anyone but myself so it's definitely going to be an adjustment.
So like I said, mostly normal and quiet... Then I heard the news and my heart was ripped out of my chest.
A few years ago I had no idea what the fuss was about when celebrities died. I didn't get it. Then Robin Williams departed the earth and I was completely crushed. My husband and I sat around moping for days watching Robin Williams movies and feeling like we'd just lost a friend.
I never anticipated feeling those feels for another celebrity I'd never even met, and then Alan Rickman died and I spent the entire day feeling miserable. As a complete stranger, obviously there's not much you can do, so I raised my wand, visited Diagon Alley for a butterbeer, and talked about his wonderfulness with other Potterheads. As silly as it may sound, Alan Rickman's death left me reeling and feeling like I -had- to do something with myself.
Luckily, some fine people over on Facebook have arranged a memorial that is working on becoming an event sponsored by Universal Studios Orlando. The memorial is being held on January 30th at 6pm in front of Hogwarts so if you plan to be in the area, bring your wands because there will be a moment of silence to raise wands in his honor.
Welcome to Paper to Popcorn! Paper to Popcorn is not be your typical book vs. movie comparison. The focus is on retellings, although there will be some features of movie vs. the source material. Each chosen book/movie combo will battle it out in a showdown to prove which one is the best on its own merits. Posts will feature reviews of both the film and book, rating scales, a brief outline of differences between the two, and characters, and ultimately a victor will be chosen.
This week I'm featuring Hook & Jill by Andrea Jones, and the newest movie adaptation of Peter Pan, two retellings of this classic story that go a little off the beaten path.
The Book
Title: Hook & Jill Author: Andrea Jones Publication Date: July 28, 2009 Publisher: Reginetta Press Pages: 300 Add to Goodreads
//I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review//
In this startling new vision of a cultural classic, Wendy intends to live happily ever after with Peter Pan. But Time, like this tale,behaves in a most unsettling way. As Wendy mothers the Lost Boys in Neverland, they thrive on adventure. She struggles to keep her boys safe from the Island's many hazards, but she finds a more subtle threat encroaching from an unexpected quarter. . . . The children are growing up, and only Peter knows the punishment.
Not too long ago I went on something of a Hook binge. I just couldn't get enough of Captain Hook and his tortured, complex self. First I read Never, Never (amazing, by the way), then a ton of fanfiction (I have no shame)! Then I came across this adult Hook retelling and got really, super excited! I don't review a ton of adult fiction on the blog, but I felt like I could definitely get into a Captain Hook retelling that could also go into some more adult territory...
Hook & Jill is something of a coming of age story with Wendy as the main character. In Neverland with her brothers, she has taken on her familiar motherly role with the lost boys. But Wendy is growing up, despite Peter's best efforts, and she's looking for someone to share her adult life with her. She wants that person to be Peter (obviously, Tink isn't cool with this), but he's too firmly set on never growing up. Just across the island is Captain Hook and his pirates. Is it any surprise that they would become involved? Obviously, Peter isn't cool with this.
I really enjoyed this retelling of Peter, Wendy, and Hook! Each of the characters were complex and had familiar storylines, but there were also plenty of unique elements to the fairytale to keep it interesting. Like several other retellings I've come across (and even the original to some extent), Peter is more of a dark, twisted character than the Disney version portrays. A lot of this is owed to his child-like nature, but he's also just really disturbing in general. Tink's jealous side also comes out a lot more in this retelling. I've honestly never been able to stand her character, even in my childhood, and this book made me dislike her even more and she made me quite uncomfortable at times. That isn't entirely a bad thing, though!
There were also some great new characters, Rowan being my favorite! His relationship with Slightly was a great addition to the story! And then there's Hook himself. This book definitely did not disappoint in making Hook's character even more complex and dashing! That isn't to say he did not maintain his dark and manipulative traits, because he most certainly still is something of a villain.
The world building of Hook & Jill was also really fantastic! Obviously, Andrea Jones had a really amazing starting point for Neverland, but she managed to add even more new, beautiful places and make the old ones come to life.
While I did really enjoy Hook & Jill, there were also things I didn't completely love. Although I enjoyed Wendy's story, I found it hard to identify with her at times. I certainly understand wanting to grow up and be seen as an adult, but I had a hard time getting on board with her desire to be a pirate. I do understand why it might be necessary in order to have her end up with Captain Hook. I also found myself becoming a little confused a couple times about what was going on and had to go back to double check. The book also dragged in a few places and I did find myself putting it down when the action lagged, although that tends to happen with a lot of books so I can't really fault this one in particular.
Overall, I liked Hook & Jill a lot! I love getting to read new takes on this classic tale. This was my first dive into adult retellings and I definitely was not disappointed! It wasn't perfect, but it was an enjoyable read that I think most Peter Pan fans will enjoy. I definitely do plan to read the second part of this series!
Characters
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Setting
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Writing
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Storyline
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Cover
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Overall Rating
1/5
2/5
3/5
4/5
5/5
The Movie
Title: Pan Director: Joe Wright Actors:Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller Release Date: October 9, 2015 Runtime: 111 minutes View on IMDB
The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. There, he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny -- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.
Peter Pan is one of my very favorite stories and, even more than that, Captain Hook is one of my very favorite villains! From the moment I saw this movie announced I knew I would probably love it. Then the ratings started coming in and the message boards started filling up with disappointment so I moved it to the back burner and decided not to spend $10 to see it on the big screen. Still, I was (reluctantly) excited about it, so snatched up a copy to watch at home the first chance I got! This is definitely not your typical Peter Pan story.
Pan goes way back. Waaaaay back to before Peter ever went to Neverland. It tells a little bit of backstory, which is pretty much the opposite of what we've all been told. Peter is an orphan living in London during World War II. He's kidnapped by pirates and taken to Neverland, which is where the movie got really, really weird. There was a lot that I enjoyed about Neverland, but there was also a lot that I took issue with. Why don't we start with the good?
Like most Peter Pan movies, this retelling was bright and (mostly) gorgeous. The scene of the pirate ship first entering Neverland was breathtaking! I thought the blobs of ocean and fish was brilliant! Another thing I was extremely impressed by was Levi Miller's acting. This kid is pretty new to the acting scene and was really impressive! I'm not 100% sure that he's Peter Pan, but I think that might be more attributed to the script and directing than his acting. He seemed genuine and I honestly had no idea he was Australian! I also enjoyed getting to see the friendly relationship between Captain Hook and Peter Pan, an element I've seen (and enjoyed) in other retellings, although I really wish there had been more to it. I'm assuming we were eventually going to see them become enemies in the now cancelled sequel. This is honestly disappointing because I thought the story itself was actually pretty great (as long as I don't think too hard about plot holes)! I love new Pan stories!
And that brings us to the bad. There are quite a few things I'd love to rant about in this review, but I'm going to try to keep it to the top three.
First of all, I really could not get into Garrett Hedlund as Captain Hook. I'm not really sure what anyone was thinking with this performance but it was ten kinds of wrong. Some things should not be tampered with and Captain Hook is British. He just is. Hedlund came off as a weird blend of Dr. McCoy from Star Trek, Han Solo, and Jack Nicholson. He screamed half his lines. Every single time he opened his mouth it ripped me right out of the movie! His entire part was way overacted. When I first saw that he had been cast as Hook, I believed he could pull it off. Then he opened his mouth.
Second, what the heck with the music? So Peter gets to Neverland and is greeted by... Smells Like Teen Spirit. I mean, WHAT? Did they just want an excuse for Hugh Jackman to sing? Don't get me wrong! It was a pretty cool sequence. It just didn't fit with this movie.
Finally, the CGI was embarrassingly bad. I mean, it was comparable to Polar Express CGI from 2004, especially during Peter's flying scenes. In 2015, noticeably bad CGI in such a hyped movie is just unacceptable.
I wanted to love this movie so freaking much! It ended up being weird. Like, really weird. It was too over the top. It's almost like it was trying too hard to be different. For example, since WHEN are the natives of Neverland of several different races? I mean, in the Disney version they literally sing a song called What Makes the Red Man Red. But I digress. Pan was good. It had some quality acting from Hugh Jackman and Levi Miller, a decent soundtrack, and some really killer landscape shots. Unfortunately, this one was just mediocre. If you want to see a truly amazing Peter Pan movie, definitely go for the 2003 version! (You can check out my review of that one here!)
Cast
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Cinematography
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Screenplay
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Performances
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Music
Terrible
Just okay
Pretty good
Really good
Amazing!
Overall Rating
1/5
2/5
3/5
4/5
5/5
Notable Differences
Hook & Jill is a strict retelling, while Pan is more of a prequel.
Wendy is a main character in Hook & Jill, but does not appear at all in Pan.
Captain Hook in Hook & Jill IS the Hook we already know (and he has the hook to prove it), but is still one of the good guys in Pan.
Hook & Jill is a retelling and has all of the classic characters. The only recognizable characters in Pan are Peter, Hook, and Tiger Lily. The rest are new to the story.
In Hook & Jill Peter is a pretty deranged character, but in Pan he's a hero who leads a rebellion.
The Bottom Line
While both of these retellings take very different paths, there has to be victor here and it wasn't that hard to choose. While Hook & Jill was a really enjoyable, adult take on the Peter Pan story, Pan was a really weird, over the top prequel that we'll never know the end of since the next movie got canned. If Pan hadn't tried quite so hard to be different it might have been a way better movie.
