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July 28, 2014

Bookish Diary ~ Why Books Seem Better Than The Movies (In My Opinion)

Who is not excited when one’s favorite book will be shown on the big screen? It’s like seeing the pages come to reality, with faces to be associated with the faceless fictional characters and seeing the imaginary world right before one’s eyes.

These days many books, mostly from the Young-Adult genre, have been turning into movies. If a book is a best-seller, it is optioned for a film. Sometimes, the movie rights are sold even before the book become published. If the film developed and made it to the big screen, the audience will get bigger. It used to be, “Let’s watch the movie and see if it is as good as the book.” Now, it seems to be, “Let’s buy the book so we can compare it with the movie and see which is better.”
Making it to the big screen is a big deal for a book, because it gathers a larger audience with curious minds. Some books make it to the best-selling lists because of the movie, and some becomes a movie because it is a best-seller.

Now, when a book finally made it to the big screen and enthusiastic readers went to see it, most times they go out of the theater complaining, “The book was so much better! They didn’t even get it right!” followed by a long list of things they were disappointed about. The hero was supposed to be doing this, the heroine was supposed to be doing that, the place was all wrong, and all that.
Some has been wondering why the screenwriters can’t seem to get it right, and some wonders why there is almost no movie better than, or even just as good as, the book was. Some things just have to be considered when doing a film.

Usually a film has a standard length of ninety (90) to one-twenty (120) minutes. One cannot fit all the happenings of the book in that short time. Remember, a book is only dealing with words so it has to be descriptive and full of creative words of dialogues and monologues to keep the imagination going. Screenwriters have to cut a big chunk of scenes to fit the storyline in the limited time of the movie. They do the best they could to deliver a similar quality a book has.

Basically, though, it all just comes down to one’s imagination. The human mind is an amazing thing. It is infinite. The book seems always better than movie because nothing can beat the beauty of one’s imagination. When one wills it, the brain can come up with the best things—the perfect setting, the perfect characters, the perfect delivery.

It is doubtless that one’s disappointments are the product of expectations. Since the mind has come up with the perfect thing, one will obviously get disappointed if something does not measure up to it. Personal biases also come in play. When one does not like the actor/actress that will play the fictional character, there is an almost instant conviction that the actor/actress won’t be able to pull it off.

When you ask someone who has read the book beforehand about the movie adaptation, the answer will almost automatically be “No, I wasn’t satisfied with it” or something of the like. But when you ask someone who hasn’t read the book the same question, most answers are, “It was okay. I think it was amazing” and when they have finally read the book, the tendency is their answer will change to, “You were right, the book is better than the movie” followed by a list of the scenes that were not included in the film and all that.


It always depends on the question, but in this case, nothing will beat one’s imagination. Hence the book is always better than the movie.


~ Zee

July 24, 2014

Review ~ Found In Us by Layla Hagen




Add to Goodreads | Amazon US | Amazon UK


Synopsis:
**This can be read as a STANDALONE. The second book in the Lost series tells Jessica and Parker's story. **

All Jessica wants—as a college graduate — is to be a good girl. She landed the job of her dreams at a museum and is trying to eliminate temptations. No more short skirts (when she can help it). No wild parties. And no men.

She particularly excels at that last thing. . .

Until her path crosses Parker’s. Again. Jessica remembers the last time their paths crossed very well. She was left with a seriously bruised ego. She knows it would be best to avoid him altogether. But the charming Brit makes it hard for her to elude his electrifying pull. He is as irresistible as he is captivating.

And enigmatic. 

Because underneath the sleek Armani suit and the sweet British accent that makes her crave his touch, Parker isn’t the perfect gentleman everyone thinks he is.

He’s exactly what Jessica doesn’t want, but desperately needs.


A bad, bad boy.


Review:

“I loved it” might be a bit of understatement to how I feel about this book. I can say that Layla Hagen has done a good job in executing this one. I’m very happy that in the start of the story the characters have stayed true to form as they are introduced in Lost In Us, unlike many books I’ve read which ended up with the same character developments and even the dialogues and the “tone” of the whole book.

Found In Us is way more wilder and hotter than the first book. If you are sensitive to that kind of thing, then maybe this is not for you. If you’re into hot reads, this book is perfect for you. I can’t say it is even better than Lost In Us, because they are both good, but this one certainly has its own charm.

Jessica, as she was introduced in the first book as Serena’s best friend, is a party girl who supposedly doesn’t have a care in the world. She’s full of life. The trait she posses that I like the most is that she can find something positive in a negative thing, which is very admirable because it makes one feel better instead of obsessing over something that cannot be undone. After landing her dream job in a museum, she is bent on proving that she is not just a pretty face who goes party after party. Her character development goes along with the plot just right and I’m very satisfied with it.

Parker Blakesley, as he was introduced in Lost In Us as James’ cousin, is a gentleman. He is a gentleman, but under the calm and composed exterior lies a the burden of some bad choices he has made and is trying to make up for now. He is very good at hiding his emotions from other people. He believes Jessica can always see right through him, but from what I have read I can say the reason is he just lets his guard down when he is with her. Parker is used to having control, and what he wants is what he gets, no matter how hard he has to work for it. A bonus brownie point for him because he is all man. He doesn’t talk like a girl, being cheesy and all that. He is sweet, but his romantic lines are manly, and I can easily imagine him as a real man saying those things and I don’t cringe at the thought. Some readers are looking for the obvious traits, so let me break it down in a few words: Hotness level: dangerously high. Sexy British accent: check. Alpha male without being overbearing check. Mesmerizing blue eyes: check. Swoon-worthy? Heck, yes.

So what do you get if you put the party girl and the gentleman who got it bad for her together in one place? Yep, you get not the sparks-flying kind of chemistry but the electricity-flowing kind. Everytime they are together you can feel the tension in the air so thick it’s like a blanket surrounding you. Found In Us just gets a hold of you and makes you read until there is no pages left to turn. I was hooked; it sucked me right into the story and didn’t spit me back out until I have finished every word.

I like it that this book has their past somewhere in the plot in the right places and it explains what made them into who they have become. The chemistry and romance is not overdone to the point of being cheesy. Really, this book is hotter than cheesier, if you know what I mean. Jessica and Parker don’t play around each other; they are not pushing each other away one second and having sex the next. No, they gravitate towards each other like there’s this irresistible pull between them and they don’t fight it. They accept it and they sort through each of their mess together. They are not afraid to admit what they felt for each other.

What got to me the most is their sweet moments. It’s effortless. While reading I got the impression that they aren’t even trying to be sweet, just being honest with each other. It has a “natural” feeling to it, which adds to the romantic feels.

Jessica and Parker really made the wait worth it. Layla Hagen is a natural. Found In Us just sticks to your heart and gets in replay after you turn the last page.


*ARC provided by the author for my honest review*




~ Zee

Infinity Scavenger Hunt ~ The Big Mortal Danger Contest by Ann Aguirre (with my contest entry on the side ;) )

I loved Ann Aguirre's Razorland series. It is one of those books who doesn't disappoint, and waiting for the whole series to be completed was really worth it. She's one of those epic authors when writing badass heroines, which I really like in a book.

So when I heard that she is going to have another Young-Adult series, it goes without saying that I am curious and looking forward in reading it!





Mortal Danger (The Immortal Game #1)

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...



To celebrate the release of Mortal Danger in August 5th, Ann Aguirre has a big scavenger hunt contest happening over at her website! The tasks are easy and the prizes are great! You don't want to miss this. ;)


Aaaaand for additional entries, I have found a way to be creative (or so I hope) about spreading the word. Our Community newspaper has agreed to include my request to publish the cover and some details of Mortal Danger in one of their issues! I hope this counts as an entry! *fingers (and toes) crossed*


Our community paper


 
In the Fun Post, the second to the last page of the paper


The details they included (I sent the summary of the book but this was the only thing they published)



It's your turn to shine! What creative ideas do you have in your pockets? Whip it up, spread the word, and enter the contest!


~ Zee