5 Fandom Friday- Favorite Book to Movie Adaptations

Hello, all!

Whenever a book is turned into a movie, it's always very hit or miss. There are some that I think are insulting to their original format, but a few others I like almost as much as the book. Here are just a few I enjoyed. (And yes, I left out Harry Potter cause I feel like those are a given favorite.)

1. Little Women: I was really looking forward to this new adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic, and it didn't disappoint. It was so fun and lighthearted, yet still had all the emotion you want. Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh especially did such a stand-up job.

2. Forrest Gump: I'll forever be a fan of whatever Tom Hanks does. I don't get very emotional over books/movies, but I always choke up whenever Forrest is talking to Jenny about their son and goes, "Is he smart or is he..." and points to himself. 😭😭

3. The Princess Bride: While I do love the book, the movie brings a whole other level of magic that I actually love the movie more. The casting is so perfect, the humor is spot on, and it's just one of my favorite movies. I can watch this over and over and never get tired of it.

4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before: Ugh, how cute is this movie?! Lana Condor and Noah Centineo have amazing chemistry and it really shines through and makes the characters even better. I must've watched this about 5 times within the first few days it was released, and I still watch it all the time. I did enjoy the second, P.S. I Still Love You, but I definitely think this one is my favorite.

5. Jurassic Park: This one might be a cheat since I've actually never read the book yet, but I'm throwing it on here anyway! Again, this is one of my favorite movies and I can't even count the amount of times I've watched it. My friends and I even used to walk around doing the little snort noises the raptors make when they call their pack together. I don't know a single person who doesn't like this movie, it's just so good!

What're some of your favorite adaptations? Lemme know!

Blog Tour: A Royal Kiss & Tell Review

Hello, all!

I recently got into historical romance, and if you can look past the usually ridiculous book covers, they're actually pretty good. Big thanks to HQN Books for having me for the blog tour for A Royal Kiss & Tell by Julia London!

Pub Date: 5-19-20
Romance

Lady Caroline Hawke is used to men fawning over her, so when the handsome Prince Leopold can't even be bothered to remember who she is, she takes it as the utmost insult. So, she decides to do what any level-headed lady of society would do: drop little morsels of gossip about the Prince in a popular ladies magazine. But shaking up the Prince's reputation isn't enough for Caroline, she's setting her sights on his hand as well.

Prince Leopold of Alucia is beside himself about who could be behind the attack on his character. What sort of rogue could want to ruin his societal standing so completely? The worst part is this slander is hindering his investigation into a trafficking scheme that reaches the highest in London's government. Leo has no choice but to accept the help of the flighty Lady Caroline if he wishes to stop his name from dragging in the mud even more. It's only a matter of time before the pair realize the spark between them is more than just annoyance.

I went into this not realizing it was the second in a series, and I think that lessened my enjoyment. There were certain small details that I missed out or didn't pick up on because it had happened in the previous book. Despite that, there were other aspects of this that just didn't work for me. I didn't particularly like Caroline; I felt she was selfish and conceited. I also didn't feel much chemistry between her and Leo so I wasn't invested in their relationship. The pacing of the story was clunky and the human trafficking mystery felt off and almost like it was just thrown together. I've been getting more into historical romance lately, so I was excited to try this, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Rating: 2/5

Quarantine Book Haul

Hello, all!

One of my resolutions for this year was to stop buying a lot of books. Then lockdown happened and my library closed down, and the waits on e-books through the library app are ridiculous, so here we are. To soothe my conscious (and wallet), I will say that all of these were on sale when I got them, so that helped to ease the blow a little. As always, if you have any recommendations, please let me know!

1. The Disasters- M.K. England
2. A Conjuring of Light- V.E. Schwab
3. Love and Other Words- Christina Lauren
4. The Magician's Land- Lev Grossman
5. Say You Still Love Me- K.A. Tucker
6. Final Girls- Riley Sager
7. My Favorite Half-Night Stand- Christina Lauren
8. The Toll- Neal Shusterman
9. Illuminae- Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
10. Gemina- Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
11. Obsidio- Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
12. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me- Various Authors
13. The Lottery and Other Short Stories- Shirley Jackson
14. A Study in Scarlet Women- Sherry Thomas
15. A Conspiracy in Belgravia- Sherry Thomas
16. The Hollow of Fear- Sherry Thomas

5 Fandom Friday- Authors You'd Invite to a Dinner Party

Hello, all!

So this week’s topic is a fun one. I took the liberty of picking from people alive or dead, so here are a few people I wish I could pick the brains of.

1. Neil Gaiman: He’s one of my favorite authors, and he just seems like he’d be a really nice, chill guy to listen to. He actually narrates most of his own audiobooks and his voice is so soothing. It’d be the most relaxed time ever.

2. Carrie Fisher: I would’ve done anything to have been able to meet Carrie Fisher. She was so brutally honest about the way things are and who she was. It was inspiring. I’m sure she had tons more hilarious stories to tell.

3. Stan Lee: I once saw him in passing at a convention and he was the most jovial older man I’d ever seen. He just always seemed so stoked to be wherever he was. I would’ve loved to just sit with him and talk about all my favorite comic book characters.

4. George RR Martin: I’d pick this one for the simple fact that I want him to tell me his version of the end of Game of Thrones because the show ruined it for me.

5. Leigh Bardugo: I’ve mentioned a lot how much I love her, so of course I’d want to hang out with her. She has this Stevie Nicks-witch who lives in a cottage on the outskirts of town-vibe that I really dig, and I think we’d hit it off fabulously.


Who’re some authors you’d pick? Lemme know!

Say Yes Summer Review

Hello, all!

It's starting to get slightly warmer out, and I don't know about you all, but I tend to read a bit more contemporary during this time. Big thanks to Netgalley for a copy of Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli!

Pub Date: 5-12-20
YA - Contemporary

For as long as Rachel can remember, she's been an overachiever. She's spent her entire educational career getting straight-A's, never stepping out of line, and definitely not spending her weekends going to parties. While this led to her becoming valedictorian and getting into her dream college, it didn't give her many life experiences. So, that's why when she discovers an old self-help book buried in her room titled Season of Yes!, she decides that whatever comes her way this summer, she's going to say yes.

This little experiment leads Rachel so far out of her comfort zone: to parties, to rekindling old friendships, and the biggest one of all, romance. Rachel soon learns that saying yes to everything has its downsides, like when she starts juggling two guys: one who was the most popular boy in the class and who she's had a massive crush on for years and the other her lifelong annoyingly charming friend/coworker. As the countdown to college begins to creep closer, Rachel must confront her feelings before the risk's she's taken blow up in her face.

This. Was. So. Cute. I really liked this more than I thought I would. I thought the writing style was quick and easy to lose yourself in. I basically read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I felt a connection towards Rachel since I'm very much a 'No' person as well, so watching her go on this journey of opening herself up to different experiences was lovely. I enjoyed the relationships she made, both old and new, and while I thought her and Clayton were cute together, I absolutely loved her and Miles. The way they bounced off one another and teased each other was adorable. If you're looking for a quick coming of age story, check this out.

Rating: 4/5

5 Fandom Friday- Most Recommended Books Right Now

Hello, all!

I recommend a lot of books to people. In fact, I keep a running list of books in my Notes app to send to my friends. Here are just a few that I've recently been hyping up.

1. The Happy Ever After Playlist- Abby Jimenez: This is a super cute rom-com about two people coming together over a lost dog. It's so quick witted and adorably charming. Plus, Jason is so swoon worthy.

2. Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood- Sarah J. Maas: I will read anything SJM writes and shout it from the rooftops for everyone else to do the same. This is the first book in a new adult fantasy series, and you can read my full review of it here.

3. Scythe- Neal Shusterman: I just recently read this and became obsessed. It's such an interesting concept: basically, humanity has overcome death and there's a group of people called Scythes who are the ones who have to determine who dies in order to keep the balance. It was super engaging and the characters were fun. I can't wait to finish off the series.

4. Kings of the Wyld- Nicholas Eames: I harassed so many people to read this after I finished it. It's an epic fantasy about a group of middle aged men who were famous warriors in their heyday, but who are now all overweight and drunk, who have to set out on one last quest to save one of the group's daughter. Obviously, hilarity ensues.

5. Undercover Bromance- Lyssa Kay Adams: I just love a rom-com! This is the companion novel to The Bromance Book Club and follows the romantic escapades of one of the characters we met in the first book. I enjoyed this one slightly more than TBBC, but they're both really great. Also, Netflix just picked up the rights to the first book, so hopefully we'll eventually get a movie for this one as well.

Lemme know if you have any recommendations!

Blog Tour: This Is How I Lied Excerpt

Hello, all!

I've gotten more into thrillers lately, so I'm so happy to be a part of the blog tour for This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf. This is a gripping story all about the lengths a detective will go to in order to solve the 25-year old cold case murder of her best friend, and how the ones you love are the one's who have the most to hide. For my part, I'll be sharing an excerpt. Big thanks to Park Row Books for having me!

Pub Date: 5-12-20
Adult - Thriller

The elevator door opens to a dark paneled hallway lined with ten by sixteen framed photos of all the men who served as police chief of Grotto over the years. I pass by eleven photos before I reach the portrait of my father. Henry William Kennedy, 1995 - 2019, the plaque reads.

While the other chiefs stare out from behind the glass with serious expressions, my dad smiles showing his straight, white teeth. He was so proud when he was named chief of police. We were all proud, except maybe my older brother, Colin. God knows what Colin thought of it. As a teenager he was pretty self-absorbed, but I guess I was too, especially after my best friend died. I went off the rails for a while but here I am now. A Grotto PD detective, following in my dad’s footsteps. I think he’s proud of me too. At least when he remembers.

Last time I brought my dad back here to visit, we walked down this long corridor and paused at his photo. For a minute I thought he might make a joke, say something like, Hey, who's that good looking guy? But he didn't say anything. Finding the right words is hard for him now. Occasionally, his frustration bubbles over and he yells and sometimes even throws things which is hard to watch. My father has always been a very gentle man.

The next portrait in line is our current police chief, Les Digby. No smile on his tough guy mug. He was hired a month ago, taking over for Dexter Stroope who acted as the interim chief after my dad retired. Les is about ten years older than I am, recently widowed with two teenage sons. He previously worked for the Ransom Sheriff’s Office and I'm trying to decide if I like him. Jury's still out.

Check out more info on the book below!

Buy Links: 

Harlequin 

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Powell’s

5 Fandom Friday- Favorite Book Series

Hello, all!

This weeks 5FF focuses on your favorite book series, and I have so many! I left off series that while I may love, I haven't finished them just yet. I narrowed it down to the few that I always turn to, and those that I've lost count of how many times I've read. These are 5 that I always recommend to everyone I meet, and have on occasion, harassed my friends to pick up.

1. Harry Potter- J.K. Rowling: I mean, obviously. This series has been with me for pretty much my entire life. Whenever I need a pick me up, or just want to feel cozy, I look to Harry Potter. There's nothing that makes me as happy, or feel as magical, as this series does.

2. Veronica Speedwell- Deanna Raybourn: Aside from Harry Potter, this series has been the one I've re-read the most. I'm a huge historical fiction fan, and this is my absolute favorite of that genre. Veronica is one of my all time favorite fictional characters, I just love how plucky, intelligent and feisty she is. Plus, Stoker is just so swoon-worthy and I can't get enough of their adventures together. I really wish this was more popular because it deserves all the love and praise.

3. The Kingkiller Chronicle- Patrick Rothfuss: I only got around to this series within the last few years, but it quickly became one of my favorites. I got so swept up in Kvothe's story and was fully engrossed in his life from the very first page. I can't wait until we finally get the last book because I need more.

4. A Court of Thorns and Roses- Sarah J. Maas: Ugh, this series kills me in such a good way. The story is so engaging and the world that Maas builds is so amazing and lush. Feyre and Rhysand are another fictional couple that I can't get enough of, and even all the secondary characters are great. I just love everything that Maas does, and I'm so happy that it seems more and more people are discovering this series recently.

5. Six of Crows- Leigh Bardugo: Just like Sarah J. Maas, I will buy whatever Leigh Bardugo writes. This is such a funny, witty, clever and action-packed series. It's basically like a fantasy retelling of Ocean's Eleven, but so much better. Her characters and the world she created is again fascinating and so enjoyable. I can't wait for the Netflix adaptation of her other series, Shadow and Bone, since it's going to mesh some elements in there as well and I just need all of it right now.

Lemme know some of your favorite series!

OwlCrate April Review

Hello, all!

Due to the current climate, the April OwlCrate box was a bit late, but it was definitely worth the wait! The theme was "Full Moon Magic" and it was one of my favorites they've sent.

I was just saying I wish I had a puzzle to do to keep busy, and now I have one! This is a gorgeous Professor Lupin puzzle designed by @atalienart and I can't wait to start it.

Next, we had a bamboo moon phase banner in this super pretty pouch designed by @paperbackbones. I've seen a bunch of banners like this and I've always been a bit interested by them cause I think they'd make fun photo props.

How pretty is this moon bracelet? This was an OwlCrate exclusive and I love it so much. I'm a big fan of rose gold jewelry and it also actually fits me which is always great since I have very small wrists, so sometimes I have trouble wearing bracelets.

You know I can never have enough notebooks and now I have another pretty one to add to my collection! This was designed by Kim Becker Designs and features an iconic Oscar Wilde quote, and I really like the black and white minimalistic design.

The last item we received was this Shatter Me inspired tote bag by Unlucky Design. I've never read this series, but I really like how it's subtly bookish. Again, the design is pretty minimal, but I tend to like things like that.

The book this month was Bone Crier's Moon by Kathryn Purdie. Ailesse is a Bone Crier, a group of women who use the strength of animal bones to ferry dead souls into the afterlife. She's been preparing her whole life to take over as matriarch, but first she must complete her rite of passage by killing the boy she's destined to love. Bastien's father was slain by a Bone Crier and he's spent his life seeking vengeance, yet when he captures one and discovers their fates are intertwined, he must set aside his plan for revenge. After Ailesse's capture, her best friend Sabine takes it upon herself to do whatever it takes to free her and break the bond between Ailesse and Bastien before it's too late.

I've actually not heard much about this book, so I'm a bit intrigued. Lemme know what you all thought of this months box!

Top 5- Star Wars Graphic Novels

Hello, all and May the Fourth Be With You!

As you all know, Star Wars is one of my favorite franchises, and has been an important part of my life since I was a youngling. I've read a lot of books in the expanded universe, but for this list I'm going to focus on some of my favorite graphic novels Marvel has put out.

1. Thrawn: I've always found Thrawn to be a really interesting and captivating character in the Star Wars universe. I loved Timothy Zahn's take on Thrawn and this series sort of adapts his stories of Thrawn's rise through the Imperial ranks. The artwork is top notch and the story is really engaging.

2. Darth Maul: Like Thrawn, I've always thought Darth Maul was so cool. He made such an impact in the prequels and I always wished I could learn more about his backstory-- enter in the Darth Maul series by Cullen Bunn. This is such a great dive into Maul's history and you really get a sense of what shaped him into the menace (😏) he becomes.

3. Darth Vader: Who doesn't love Vader? He's such a complex character in film history and it translates really well into a graphic novel. Again, the artwork is so great and it's one of my favorites Marvel has put out.

4. Princess Leia: As if I could make a list of my favorite graphic novels and not include one about Leia! She's probably my favorite character in the entire Star Wars universe and any extra looks into her life and past is always fun.

5. Star Wars: Of course, I had to include the series that kicked it all off. I remember when I first heard that Marvel was going to start bringing out Star Wars graphic novels, I had marked it on my calendar and everything. I bought the first issue as soon as it came out and even read it in between calls at work because I just couldn't wait. Ever since I've been hooked.

Marvel's brought out so many great Star Wars runs, lemme know if you have any favorites!

5 Fandom Friday- Books You've Re-Read the Most

Hello, all!

For this weeks 5FF, I've decided to exclude series that I've re-read (cause c'mon, we all know I've re-read Harry Potter more times than I can count) and only focus on stand-alones. Also, next week's prompt is about series, so I can gush over HP then.

1. Ready Player One- Ernest Cline: I'm a huge fan of 80s pop culture and this is pretty much a mecca of all that. It combines all the movie references and video games that I love with a scavenger hunt, and it's just an all around fun time.

2. The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern: Lyrical, flowy writing can be very hit or miss for me, but it was definitely a win when it came to this book. I was immediately sucked into this battle between these two magicians who never asked to be a part of their respective mentor's feuds. It's just so lush and captivating.

3. Stardust-Neil Gaiman: Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and so I love a lot of his work, but this one takes the cake, It's essentially a love story wrapped up with all these fantastical magical elements. It's just *chef's kiss*.

4. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen: For some reason, in the wintertime I always get a hankerin' for some Jane Austen. The only way to get over it is to either re-read it, or watch the lovely and dreamy 2005 movie adaptation with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

5. The Unhoneymooners- Christina Lauren: Did I ever mention how much I love a rom-com? This was the first Christina Lauren book I read, and still my favorite, so I tend to just gravitate towards this when I just need something quick and light to read.

Lemme know some books you've re-read!