IMM (#8) 31/07/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about is here.

 

Good Morning...*hides back under the covers*...Birthday BBQs are deadly to Steffi so very quick post that I forgot to write!! 

I had nothing to post till 4pm yesterday...woops...but I found a charity shop...

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You -  Ally Carter

Web of Dreams - Virigina Andrews

One day I believe I will finally have all the Virigina Andrews so they can stop appearing on my IMM! I only buy them from Charity shops but when I find them I usually find a few at once! 

There was a taster of "I'd Tell you I love you.." in the back of my copy of "Jessie <3 NYC" and I really enjoyed it...so was really happy to find it in a Charity shop! 

So not much, but something!! 

What did everyone else get? Does anyone else like Virigina Andrews?! 

Love,

Steffi xx

Books Vs Movies: Discussion

Which is better...Movies or Books?

I know which answer I usually pick...however I just read "A Walk to Remember" by Nicholas Sparks...now this movie is one of the most girliest and touching movies I have ever watched and I always cry. But for some reason while I liked the book I felt it was too different and it didn't touch me in the same way!

I know many films cut out bits of books...(not to mention the massive discussion on Harry Potter at the moment...that will not be mentioned as I have STILL not seen the final movie!!) but this was the bits they cut out the book meant the movie was better! If it had had parts of the background of their families and the religion I think I would've turned the movie off 30 minutes in.

I haven't watched this movie yet...

A few of Jodi Picoult's books have been turned into movies and while they're not too bad they don't compare to the books at all, and that confuses me sometimes. How can a writer make you feel so emotionally attached to a character and understand everything they are going through, to then watch the film based on the book...and hate the exact same character and the fact they don't show or make me feel the same emotions that I felt while reading about them? I suppose that it is also due to how good the actor is and how good the author of the book is!

I have just finished watching The Lovely Bones, which was a book I disliked and the film wasn’t that bad...It doesn’t make me want to read the book again though..!
I do feel some books would be fantastic if they were made into films, such as the Noughts and Crosses series, I really think would highlight the issues to the people. It was also a book that threw me back into reading for fun and that I wasn’t weird for reading, so I think releasing something like that as a film would be amazing!

In the midst of all this I still can’t wait for One Day to be released as a film, mainly because David Nicholls has also written the screenplay so I’m praying that I will feel the same as I did when I read the book...well...baring the last chapter as I refuse to read that! (anyone who has read it...you will know why I stopped. If you hadn’t read the book go do it now!!)

I think with books turned into films you can’t hope too much...with a book there is generally just one person writing it...with a film there are lots of writers and everyone with a different interpretation on how characters should look, should behave and unforutnatly they arn't always how we imagine them!

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school one day to find a mysterious box, with his name on it, lying on the porch. Inside he discovers 13 cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker - his classmate - who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she did what she did - and Clay is one of them.

If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list - and it'll change Clay's life forever.

*~*~* 

This book really interested me with the whole idea of the impact you can have on someone's life without even realising it. I really thought I'd get through this book quickly and would be finished it a day or two after I started...it took me a week! 

It was brilliant but it had so much emotion in it I just had to keep stopping and taking a break to gather my thoughts. I even found myself reading the text in two different voices and I imagined Hannah as quite an average girl, not hyper and peppy but no sullen constantly. Half way through I found out that there were actual recordings of Hannah's "Tapes"...I have to say I started reading the next chapter along with the tape. Unfortunately...it wasn't the full tape. It was only a short amount and I had to search to find the right one that I needed! It was very chilling to read along and hear her voice as if I'd been handed the tapes myself but as I said it wasn't the full story so I didn't listen to any more as I read the book. But her voice was very much in my head as I carried on reading the book.

I did really like Clay's innocence while listening to the tapes, every tape that started was the dread that it could be him next...and how did he fit into it all. As the story went on you got to hear (or more read) how his life and Hannah's were more entangled. At first it seems that they met once at a party...then he starts talking about how the work together and as it went on I started to think maybe he played a very large role in her choice and just refused to admit, even to himself, that he may be to blame. I think he was really good as the character that we got to see out of the 13 people.

The end of the book really upset me. It didn't make me cry...more leave me shocked and heart broken...I really can't say any more about that until you've read it yourself and all the time I spent struggling through the first few "tapes" was worth it. 

I'm really not sure why I struggled, maybe it was a personal thing but honestly it will really make me think about what I do and what influence it can have on people...and I suppose thats a sign of a good book if it makes you stop and think, even when you've closed the book.

IMM (#7) 16/07/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about is here.

Again...wasn't planning on doing one...until I got home and got a magical red slip...and 3 days later when I finally remembered to go to the Post Office I found...

Special presents from Raimy_rawr!! Shes utterly lovely and I think all should go read her reviews...unless she's directed you here then YEY hello!! =) 

Both of these are ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) and it made me stupidly excited that I got my first lot of ARCs!! 

So I now have:

Undead - Kirsty McKay

Blood Magic - Tessa Gratton 

Both of these I've seen a lot of people reviewing them lately so I'm really excited to get to read them myself...Especially Undead as it hasn't come out yet! =) 

Fun all around!

What did you get this week??

Steffi

x

Forbidden Corner

I always thought everyone had been here but after telling so many people I was going they were confused and I've had to explain this place!

Someone made it as a private piece of land with all the interesting things, but public demand made him open it to the public (and damn right!)

Mike trying to find the sensors

I went when I was 9 with a kids club, and can remember little bits of it, such as where I fell over or a few things which sprayed water at us! I was a bit unsure about taking a group of adults (Me being the second youngest...by 1 month!!) but everyone loved it!! =)

We got lost so many times and were very lucky with the weather as it didn't rain till we were driving home! Lots of walking around and little hidden things...such as rats (fake) above your head.

There was also a group of Rainbows and Browines around...that was embarrassing as they kept trying to get the girls together and using shouts I'm used to...so I joined in and I had to keep being reminded I'm not with them!

The boys got slush puppies and had great fun with them...(can never take the child anywhere!). All sort of areas including an "Underworld area" where you have to find your way out and it was very dark! 

Angela being very smiley

 And I had no idea Mike was pulling that face when I took the picture...It was very dark! and 10 mins before that we got soaked with water. There was just so much going on but it was so much fun!

Then we chilled out and went to see some ducks...which Adam tried to feed Lemon drops...

Overall a brilliant day which anyone should go..Kids if they can walk and you dont need a buggy and adults!! =D

Challenge #10

**I did it!*

I beat the boys at a computer game! Even better....I'd never played it before and beat Mike!

Definatley a win day for me!

IMM (#6) 10/07/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about is here.

 

This time last week I didn't think I'd be doing an IMM today, due to the large amount I bought last weekend...but....woops! More added to my massive pile now!  

 

 

Bought:

 

Sugar Rush - Julie Burchill 

I'm gonna be taking part in a special week by Caroline from Portrait of a Woman and I cant wait to see what other books from this genre I find from July 25th to 31st....So It was a perfect excuse to buy Sugar Rush!!

Never look away - Linwood Barclay
Latest detective novel! =) I have read all the previous books hes written and love them so I couldn't help but grab it....and it was on offer!! Already have my mother and friend at work pestering me to hurry up and read it so they can steal it for their holidays!

Heroes:Saving Charlie - Aury Wallington
I used to love Heroes the show...and the episodes with Hiro and Charlie was one of my favourite so when I found this book I couldn't help picking it up. No idea if it will be good or not but should at least be worth a read! Maybe I'll get around to finishing watching the series!


Unfinished Symphony & Music in the Night - Virginia Andrews
As usual another Virginia Andrews! I can't help myself with buying them...they're always a good deal from Charity Shops!

So thats me for the weekend! Now have to get ready to take the boyfriend to Forbidden Corner for his birthday treat! If you've not heard of it look Here! I will post a bunch of pictures of the trip as it should be a good laugh! =)

What did everyone else get??

Love always,

Steffi xx

Twins - Marcy Dermansky

The Breakfast Club meets Heathers in the anti-chicklit novel: a fabulously black comedy about identical twins struggling to eighteen in wealthy American suburbia. Chloe and Sue, blonde and beautiful, have one problem: each other. However, when their parents abandon them their future becomes uncertain: how badly wrong can perfect girls go? For everyone who loved Clueless or The O.C. and wonders why no book comes close, this is their novel. Funny, addictive, disturbing and redemptive, Twins is a deliciously twisted story of teenage dreams.

*~*~*

From the second Raimy and I read "The Breakfast Club meets..." I think I was sold on buying this book! I've only seen The Breakfast Club movie and not read the book.[Scratch that...there is no book...I was always under the impression there was a book...but searching it on Waterstones brought up something COMPLETELY different!] anywhoooo....

The Story starts at the twins 13th birthday and ends where they are around 18/19 and shows all the way through their developmental path, which was really interesting from a psychological point of view. It was really interesting to see how the twins influenced each other and one was "the bad twin" yet by the end I felt she was the better of the two! There was a bit where Chloe got her period before Sue, and this began the split between the two, which I really liked how in my eyes now it seems very silly to become split over...and then I went back to when I was 13 and this had affect on friendships, so why wouldn't it be like that for twins!

The author did a really good job of not making you fall in love with one twin and instantly hating the other....and then 10 pages later you were rooting for the other and thinking the one you loved 20 minutes ago should stay away and was causing all the problems! Every chapter switched focus and you saw what the other girl was dealing with. Maybe that's another reason I liked it! It was very Jodi Picoult style where you fully believe in one characters perception, and then this suddenly changes and you get a full understanding of whats going on.

I found it hard to feel sorry for Chloe though...actually I found it hard to feel sorry for them both! At parts I thought I did but now thinking back on it I would start to and then would think "they brought this on themselves" (I think I was being a bit heartless as I was reading it though!). I thought first it was awful for Chloe who was trying to be popular and then her best friend was trying to convince her to have sex constantly, but then she suddenly didn't seem to care about her friend at all?

The parents were another thing all together!! Including the twist at the end which I just sat there stunned that a parent could do that to a child! (No spoiling...you'll have to read it or google it if you want to know)

I think it really shows that growing up can be hard, but throw in a twin and two parents who are divorcing but hiding it I think it makes it all the more difficult and the author did a brilliant job of getting into their heads.

IMM (#5) 03/07/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about is here.

This one I've been very excited about doing..then I woke up with a stonking hangover...which I should have had yesterday but no...it decided to come on today! 

  

As I said last week I got a bonus at Work and Mike was letting me spend £50 on books...So I did! First is the charity shop books:

Stolen Innocence (My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free) - Elissa Wall

I bought this one in the hopes that it would be better that Not My Idea of Heaven, and thankfully 195 pages in its a lot better! Very interesting! And its making a lot of religious based discussions with people when I'm reading it which I love! I love books that start of discussions!!

Dawn - Virginia Andrews
Yey...Virginia Andrews...that's all I can really say about this one because as soon as I find a Virginia Andrews book I buy it! 
Witch Child - Celia Rees
I've always loved this book...then it got lost in the transition to University so had to rebuy this! This is a reading group edition so I'm looking forward to reading the questions and seeing if it makes me read the book in a different way.

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
The premise of this book interested me and then I read the first Chapter...and had to force myself to stop reading and actually take the rest of these books out the box as it gripped me! I love the idea that you can have an effect on someone without realising and I'm looking forward to seeing what affect the person had!

Stolen Child - Laura Elliot
This one seems very much like Jodi Picoult so hopefully will not disappoint! 
Before I Fall - Lauren Oliver
Again I've been captivated by the ideas of the book! Hopefully I'll like it!
Doing It - Melvin Burgess
I LOVED Junk when I read it at the age of 15 and then found this...I really like the idea that for once its not the girls perspectives of sex and I will get to see it from the other side. I advise all to go read Junk now actually...its amazing!




Forget you - Jennifer Echols
Another one that I love the idea of. The tag line of "Why can't you choose what you forget and what you remember?" means I'm going to like this book a lot! 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
This is a book I've always been told I should read...so I finally bought it! I will have to see what it's like and let you all know..
Entangled - Cat Clarke
I'm excited to read this one!! Raimy told me about it when I saw the cover for Torn and thought it looked amazing...She then told me about Entangled...and it went straight into my Amazon basket!
The Midwife's Confession -Diane Chamberlain
This authour seems to be following me...I always end up picking it up because I think it's a Jodi Picoult and finally I gave in and bought one...It actually comes with a "We are as good as Jodi Picoult guarantee" Apparently If I don't like it as much as her I can get my money back?!

Starter for ten - David Nicholls
The Understudy - David Nicholls
Ever since I read One Day I've been meaning to read more of this author! So when I found them on offer on Amazon I knew I had to buy them!
My Best Friend's Girl - Dorothy Koomson
I read the first few chapters while at a friends house (She'd passed out asleep so I found a book to read...) and loved it but couldn't borrow it at the time...3 years later I finally bought it!
A Walk to Remember - Nicholas Sparks

This movie always makes me cry and I'm really excited to read this book! I know a lot is different already but I'm sure I'm still going to love it

 

 

 

 

 

So THATS IT! 15 books altogether...now I'm off to organise my book shelves. I may post a list of books I plan to get rid of (i.e. Charity Shop, or RISI) so if anyone is interested you can nab them before someone else!

 

Hope everyone else got some good books!

Steffi x