Back from a very long hiatus

I am back and ready to get down to business. There's a great deal of books to write reviews about and  recommend to you. As always, feel free to, share your thoughts and recommendations. It's been an exciting year for sequels, so far, and between that and last year's exciting array of releases I will be quite busy. Thanks for sticking with us and happy reading!   

In Time - Official Trailer of the Dystopian Film starring Justin Timberlake

Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson Transformation

First Entertainment weekly helped boost the support for Jennifer Lawrence being cast as Katniss. For most, of us, any doubt that Miss Lawrence could transform into our beloved Katniss, were put to rest as soon as we saw her on the cover. Now, both Hutcherson and Hemsworth are looking to accomplish the same support. The only thing I had a problem with and  mind you it's small no punt intended, it's that Hemsworth is almost 10 inches taller than Hutcherson.  I guess that's what Photoshop is all about! Other than that I'm digging the looks. Tell us what you think.   

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry

The story of Rot and Ruin takes place 14 years after "First Night". A mysterious virus had caused the dead to reanimate. The survivors have protected themselves by living in small colonies within the Rot and Ruin. For our young protagonist fifteen year old Benny, he has reached the age where he must get a work assignment or face his rations being cut.

Since their parents death and reanimation as "Zoms", Benny has been raised by his half brother Tom, a sword wielding, half-Japanese, Zombie Bounty hunter. When Benny soon sees that getting a job is not as easy as he thought it would be, he has only one option left. Become an apprentice to his half brother. There is nothing cool about Tom in Benny's opinion. He wishes Tom could be more like Charlie Pink-Eye and Motor City Hammer, two Zom Killers who have plenty of cool and harrowing stories to tell each time they return from the Rot and Ruin.

As the story develops Benny comes to see the importance and meaningful thing that Tom has done all these years. The story really is about these two brothers and the evolution of that relationship. The background characters are rich as well. I have to admit I love a good book. Rot and Ruin was especially a good one. I couldn't put it down.

Here's some great news...the sequel Dust and Decay is being released August 30, 2011. This reader cannot wait!!

Official First Poster for The Hunger Games Movie

Lionsgate has officially released one of what should be many posters for the movie currently being filmed with its release date set for March 2012. This is very exciting news for the fans. We want your opinion on the first poster. Do you think the poster will do the movie justice? Let us know.

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

This novel takes place in a not so distant post-apocalyptic future set on the American Gulf Coast. Our protagonist Nailer works light crew; he has the dangerous and dirty job to crawl deep into the wrecks of the ancient oil tankers that line the beach, scavenging copper wire and turning it over to his crew boss. One night a brutal hurricane passes over and a luxurious clipper ship crashes bringing valuable goods that could make them rich. Amid the wreckage, Nailer finds a girl who barely clings to life and will rock his world upside down. He makes tough choices along the way. If he helps her, it could mean his life. This a gritty story with amazing character development. They are complex yet relatable. This is a fast paced read and you'll be taken on quite an adventure. I highly recommend this book as a great summer read. 

The Host

I just came across some exciting movie news! The Host, a novel by Stephanie Meyer is being made into a movie. Ok the release date is not until March 2013, but this will give you plenty of time to read this amazing novel before you see the movie.

If you are reluctant to read The Host because you are not a sci-fi lover don't be. This moving, beautifully written book will surprise you. A species of altruistic parasites has peacefully assumed control of the minds and bodies of most humans curing cancer, eliminating war and turning Earth into paradise. One such alien named Wander does exactly this but unlike other human hosts, her host Melanie refuses to surrender her consciousness to the alien.

Melanie uses her surviving brain cells to persuade Wanderer to help search for her loved ones in the Arizona desert. The pair find Melanie's brother and her boyfriend hiding out with a group of rebels fighting to keep even a small part of the human race alive. In the beginning Wanderer is hated. Once the rebels accept Wanderer she finds herself caring for these people which conflicts with her loyalty to her own race.

The Host is a deep and beautiful story, and very different from Meyer's popular, young adult series. The love triangle is like none I have ever read before. This is one of those books you will keep thinking about long after you've finished the last page. I highly recommend this novel to any reader, not only science fiction fans. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Hunger Games Fan Sweeps

If you haven't entered The Ultimate Hunger Games Fan Sweeps yet, now's your chance. The contest is open to all residents in the U.S to have a chance to visit the set of The Hunger Games movie and meet some of the cast! All you need to do to enter is go to Facebook, go to The Hunger Games Official Movie Fan Page, and click on the link: WIN A TRIP TO SET, and fill out the information below. You can also share the sweepstakes with your friends for two additional entries. The winner will be announced the week of July 25th.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In the truly original novel Unwind, we find ourselves in a future where a war between pro-life and pro-choice has been fought. The compromise the two sides came to has horrifying results that the whole of society has come to accept without question.

The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively 'abort' a child....on condition that the child's life doesn't 'technically' end. The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called 'unwinding.'

The story focuses on three "Unwinds," each from very different backgrounds. It is told in first person from each of their perspectives so we really are drawn into the characters and their motivations.

Some of the concepts such as "storking", seem to be a little far fetched and I won't give anything away but let's just say if I got "storked" I would be a little freaked out!

All in all a great read. I found it to be quite a page turner.

If you get a chance to read it please leave a comment and tell me what you thought. I'd love to hear your feedback!

The Hunger Games Jennifer Lawrence Transformation

Jennifer Lawrence has given us a peep into her new look and transformation for one of the most anticipated character to come on the screen Katniss Everdeen.  Many fans were not happy with the actress being cast in the movie for a few reasons and one of them being that she's a natural blond. Of course no one has ever doubted her acting chops but now that she's in character with her new locks, is Jennifer Lawrence your Katniss? Let us know what you think.

Jennifer Lawrence revealing her dark locks outside of the David Letterman Show.

Divergent (Book 1 of Trilogy) by Veronica Roth

In a future society that takes place in Chicago (reference of the sears tower is made). Societies are divided into five factions that appears to live in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society

The first faction Abnegation fulfilled the need for selfless leaders in government, the people are known to be selfless and humble; Second , Candor has provided trustworthy and sound leaders in law, they are known for telling the truth and being honest; Erudite has supplied intelligent teachers and researchers, they thrive on having knowledge; Amity has given understanding counselors and caretakers and are known for their outstretched kindness; Last, but definitely not least there is Dauntless, which provides protection from threats both within and without, they are known to be brave.

The protagonist is Beatrice, who is Abnegation, at sixteen she has reached the age where society demands you pick a faction for the rest of your life. Growing up she’s never quite fit in as Abnegation, she feels she’s not selfless enough and craves for more. All sixteen year old have to take an aptitude test that although is not a rule but simply a test to help one figure out exactly where they belong. That’s where it all goes wrong. This is a story about a girl who on her way to adulthood discovers that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence.

She’s thrown into a world where survival becomes her life. She meets friends along her journey and manages to make some enemies too and when she falls in love she will discover she may be more Abnegation then she thought. The journey she takes is gritty, scary, heartbreaking and full of self-discovery. If you want to read a book about butterflies and rainbows and unicorns, well this book is not for you. Beatrice is right up there with Katniss from the HG. She’s a tough cookie.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

This is the third and concluding installment in this dystopian series. All the character from the previous books come full circle. Frustrating at times because I took up issue with one of the characters, you'll understand when you read it, trust me! Overall I'm so glad that this series has manifested itself to be pretty amazing. We follow Gabry and Catcher to the city with the purpose of finding Gabry's twin sister Annah whom Elias abandoned (yeah, I said it!).  I've mentioned before in my reviews that I hate giving too much away, so I won't!

Carrie Ryan truly captured the essence, to me, of what a good book is made up of: action, suspense and romance. The journey of these two sisters is gripping and tugs at your heart.  Throughout the book you have no idea what's going to happen next. Truly a roller coaster of a ride, you will not want to put this book down. Out of the three books my favorite was.... ALL of them!! Equally good and exciting. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Share with us your thoughts on this book, blog, or whatever your little heart desires!! Happy reading!!

The Hunger Games Movie Cast so far

Let's recap the past few weeks in the casting world of the much anticipated first installment of the movie The Hunger Games. Here's the cast thus far:

 Stanley Tucci-Caesar Flickerman

  Jennifer Lawrence-Katniss Everdeen

 Woody Harrelson-Haymitch Abernathy

 Donald Sutherland-President Snow

 Liam Hemsworth-Gale Hawthorne

 Josh Hutcherson-Peeta Mellark

Willow Shields-Prim Everdeen

  Paula Malcomson-Mrs. Everdeen

Lenny Kravitz- Cinna

 Jack Quaid-Marvel

 Leven Rambin-Glimmer

 Amandla Stenberg-Rue                       Dayo Okeniyi-Thresh  

 Ian Nelson-District 3 Tribute             Kalia Prescott-District 3 Tribute

     

Elizabeth Banks-Effie (OFFICIAL)

 Wes Bentley-Seneca Crane

Toby Jones-Claudius Templesmith

Latarsha Rose-Portia        Brooke Bundy-Octavia

Amber Chaney-Avox Girl
 

Ethan Jamieson-Tribute District 4       Tara Macken-Tribute District 4

Chris Mark-Tribute District 5     Jacqueline Emerson-Tribute District 5

 Ashton Moio-Tribute District 6      Kara Petersen-Tribute District 6

Sam Ly-Tribute District 7          Leigha Hancock-Tribute District 7

Samuel Tan-Tribute District 8   Mackenzie Lintz-Tribute District 8

Imanol Yepez-Tribute District 9  Annie Thurman-Tribute District 9   

Jeremy Marinas-Tribute District 10 Dakota Hood-Tribute District 10    


I will be updating this post whenever a new cast member is announced, so please return for updated information.  Let us know what you think of this cast!!!  Plus tell us who you wish had been cast for this trilogy.

Z for Zachariah by Robert O'Brien

So this was a tough review to do, probably because I had mixed feelings about it. On one hand I was intrigued and curious on the other I was completely and utterly creeped out. I heard once that if after you finish a book if it doesn't leave you with a reaction, any reaction, then it didn't do it's service. So if that is true, then in this case I did have all sorts of reactions, not all so good but they were reactions just the same.

This is a post-apocalyptic near future, where a world war has occurred and nerve gas unleashed.  This part of the story to me personally was minimal in comparison to the interaction of our two main characters. We get a 1st account detail from our protagonist Ann. Having lost all her family, she's left alone, going a year now, in their country farm where the nerve gas has not reached its air, a little far fetched but it is fiction so I'm not going to scrutinize that. Just when she has accepted her lot in life, Ann, receives a visitor. Writing in her journal this is how the book begins:

              " I am afraid. Someone is coming. That is, I think someone is coming, though I am not sure, and I pray that I am wrong."

That's when things get creepy. This mysterious man  is perhaps a dream come true for Ann or her worse nightmare. She doesn't appear to the stranger right away, she watches him up in a cave where she's hiding. . Despite being a country girl she's not easily trusting. As the book progresses we become quite aware of how naive she is. The question through out the book is, whether or not Ann is in danger of this stranger, called Mr. Loomis. The ending is not an obvious one and I appreciated Mr. O'Brien making sure of that.

Ultimately I was right in the middle with this one. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. It was just strange. If you like books with an ending that you don't see coming, then, this just might the book for you. If you've read it I would love to hear your opinion on it. I f you decide to read it, please come back here and share what you thought.   

Enclave (Razorland Series book 1) by Anne Aguirre

Did you love Katniss in The Hunger Games? Did you love reading The Forest of Hands and teeth? Well, if the answer is a resounding yes, than this is the book for you! As I mentioned before in my other reviews I hate giving too much away, so I won’t. Know this; this is an amazing, edge of your seat ride. 

Our protagonist here is Deuce; she is as tough as they come and no wonder she’s given the title of Huntress.  The book is a fast-paced read and left me wishing for more.  Good thing Miss Aguirre has a second book up her sleeve for a later release or else I’d be driven mad.  

The premise is a future society forced to live underground in subway tunnels known as the Enclave. After a flu vaccine causes a devastating worldwide affect, as a result humans are surrounded by chaos.  Pressed and weight down by deceit, lies and denial, living in the enclave, Deuce is forced to take matters into her own hands.  In her case ignorance is NOT bliss! Deuce’s fight for survival leads her to make hard decisions along the way. Enclave has three elements I love in this book: Action, survival and a love-triangle that will have your mind spinning.     

I absolutely feel this series will be the next wave of incredibly successful literature and I personally can’t wait for a movie.  A studio head out there needs to get a hold of this action-packed story and put it on screen, so it can make them the big bucks they enjoy so much to become blockbuster.  Personally, I pictured Kristen Bell as Deuce, Adrian Grenier as Fade and Hunter Parrish as stalker. 

As I mentioned on the onset the 2^nd book Outpost (Razorland Series) coming out in 2012 should give us some answers left in the 1^st book and I’m sure, by the end of the 2^nd we’ll still need answers, which I’m sure is exactly what book 3 in the series Horde, coming in 2013, will bring it all to a full circle. I hope you’ll enjoy this amazing dystopian book as much as I did. Please let me know you’re thoughts on it.     

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

The Glass Castle is one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It is a true story of Author Jeanette Walls heartbreaking, dysfunctional, at times comical upbringing. The book begins with Jeanette standing on a chair cooking a hot dog in boiling water to feed herself. Jeanette is 3 years old.

Jeanette is one of four children born to Rex and Mary Walls. Rex is a highly intelligent dreamer that could be quite charming when sober. He preferred the nomad lifestyle and at times would dissapear  from his family for lengths of time. Mary although physically present much preferred writing and painting to the mundane chores of being a mother. The children more often then not had to fend for themselves as things become more and more chaotic.

The Glass Castle although a true story memoir reads like a novel...a fascinating page turner at that.The triumph of Author JeanetteWalls will leave you amazed. I have actually given this book to several people as a gift, it is really that good. Everyone has gone through hard things in their lives and I don't want to minimize any persons individual hardships but I will have to say once you read this book you will likely come to the conclusion, "I guess my life wasn't so bad after all."

So go ahead and click on the link to buy the book and once you've finished reading it pass it on to someone you care about. That's what I did.

Greens Market/Delicatessen

Today it appears I have found in the heart of Modesto, specifically on the corner of Tenth and Needham,  an oasis of sorts. When I walked in I was taken back 10 years ago when I lived in a quaint little studio in a brownstone in Brooklyn.

This was truly a magical place, no division of market to delicatessen. An organic explosion from fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and so much more.  The delicatessen had an amazing array of organic roasted chicken breast, salmon, flank steak all awaiting to be savored. The variety of salads consumed me, anything from orzo salad, beet salad (like nothing I've tested before and they were yellow too, huh!), grilled asparagus and vegetables, red cole slaw( made of course out of red cabbage), quinoa salad and my ultimate favorite risotto cakes. The risotto cakes were a highlight and brought my taste buds to a higher level of sophistication. All reasonably priced! their lunch special was $6.99 for one protein and two sides Do I need to remind you that it was all organic?

They had amazing pastries and also possibly the best carrot cupcake I have ever had. They also scored very high with the coffee, and I had a mocha that did not disappoint.  As I had mentioned on the onset It took me down memory lane, It reminded of a little marked I used to go to in Brooklyn Heights, full of character, culture and quaint. 

I recommend you either have your breakfast there or lunch, you will not be disappointed and while there give their mouth watering spinach and bacon quiche a try. Hope you make it out to Greens Market located at 1508 Tenth Street on the corner of Tenth and Needham, you never know we might just bump into each other.  Please feel free to come back here and share your thoughts on Greens Market and what fabulous, amazing dish you recommend we try.       

Hanna

I was incredibly disappointed in this movie. The previews were very deceiving, but aren't they always? Despite the movie's potential and intensity the story line fell flat, in fact it was so flat that it was invisible.  There were allot of unanswered questions. Don't get me wrong it had moments but they were few. By the end of the movie, I was asking myself, "what"? "why"? and my favorite, "can I have my money back"?  It was so bad that I wouldn't even bother getting it on Redbox unless you have a code for a free movie and even then, I'd consider it...  Now the caliber of amazing actors that were in the movie was impressive, but even they couldn't save this movie. I give this movie 1 popcorn for Eric Bana's bare chest!

Jane by April Lindner

First off, I loved this book!!! It’s become my new obsession and it’s not going away anytime soon. After I finished this book, I started re-reading it 2 hours later. You will do the same! I’m not going to give every detail in the book as a review and give away too much. I hate when I’ve read a review, that obviously had too much information, and sit there waiting for every detail to pop up, that I’m already expecting. I want you to be shocked, happy and sad all on your own.

Jane is a modern take on Jane Eyre, think about it this way; what if Jane Eyre lived in 2011 and fell in love with her rocker boss who she worked for as a nanny? You will have your mind blown. It is a beautifully written tale full of mystery, romance and laughter.  Yes, it is very funny and I found myself laughing out loud often!

Jane’s character is written so well, she’s smart, complex, intuitive, especially for being only nineteen, and without even meaning to she is funny, and a type of dry humor that is sure to make you smile. The rocker, Nico, is mysterious, dark and extremely frustrating when interacting with Jane. As the book progresses he becomes light, humorous and gentle. Even though this is a modern take, it has all the elements of a classic. April Lindner, Thank you, for opening up our minds and hearts to this amazing book and characters. 

I hope this book gets picked up for a movie because it deserves to become an instant classic movie, as is, in the case of the book. Please share your thoughts on the book and what you loved about it. I give this book a hundred thousand stars on Amazon if I could!    

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Our Protagonist is Rhine, a sixteen year old whose story takes place in a not so distant future where humans are plagued with an early death.  Cancer has been cured but it comes with a price. Generations born after the cure begin to die, males at age 25 and females at age 20.  With life being cut so short and desperation running rampant, females at age 13 and over are being kidnapped and sold as wives for procreation.  Rhine   finds herself in this desperate situation when one day she’s thrown into a van and sold as a wife to Linden along with two other girls.

I feel the story here really centers on the relationship of the three girls and the bond they forge. Rhine becomes engrossed in this creepy make belief world where freedom is only an illusion. In her journey she finds that people are complex and not at all what it seems.  She finds herself torn between her past and her short future.

I absolutely loved this book. Rhine was such a powerful inspiration of determination, strength and purity.  I found her relationship with Linden frustrating and confusing at times but never does her reach for freedom flicker. I savored the last pages because I didn’t want it to end, but I’m happy that this is a trilogy and there are going to be more amazing books written by the talented Lauren DeStefano.