Rape Girl by Alina Klein

                So I sped through this ARC book from NetGalley.com by Alina Klein entitled, Rape Girl.  Now this book does center around the incident so those who prefer happier topics need not continue, and in my opinion miss out.  This book isn’t very long, but felt way shorter as I flew through it so quickly.

                The story is centered around Valerie and her rape.  Now, I couldn’t put this book down.  I was captivated by it, she grabbed hold of me and I was invested in her.  She was read, troubled, insecure, broken and flawed.  Her thoughts on things in general reminded me of high school.  She told the truth yet, she’s treated like the attacker. 

                There was no dragging spots, nope, from page one you dive in and keep moving forward.  I don’t know how to adequately describe this book.  Valerie is a very relatable character and the rest of the cast I imagined in my mind watching each one play their role perfectly.  This book deals with what it’s like after the fact, when dealing with the act itself isn’t as bad as dealing with telling the truth. 

                This book brought about a bunch of great questions I’ve always asked myself.  Why?  Why is it that in a rape case the victim has to prove not only the guilt of the other party but their own innocence?  Something to think about for sure.  Join Valerie in her journey and please share your thoughts on this one.  Even if you haven’t read the book I’d love to hear your thoughts on things.

Total Recall & Step Up Revolution

                I’m way behind in my movie watching and reviewing like everything else.  Now, I have two remakes of sorts to discuss.  Total Recall was a movie back in the day with Arnold, I remember seeing it but I admit it was years ago and my memory of it is fuzzy so I won’t be comparing the new one to the old one.  As for Step Up Revolution, it is a sequel of sots to the other Step Up films with their own spin on things.

                Let’s start out with some action.  Total Recall had plenty of that.  Collin Farrel kicks some serious ass, and gets his butt kicked too.  Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel hold their own as well being strong female characters good and bad.  There are car chases, well future cars anyways, explosions, fights, gun fire and has pretty much all the requirements for an action flick.

                Now the story was pretty cool, a bit predictable but still enjoyable.  I liked the character revelations, finding out who you really are both literally, when you’re life was erased and implanted, and also who they are as an individual, inside.

               

                The overall effect of the movie I give it 5 stars.  Good action movie that entertained me.  The visuals were great and I have to say I so want one of those floaty cars, very feauturistic but not so much that it was completely out of the realm of possibility.  I recommend this movie to both sci-fi and action fans alike.

Rating: 5 Stars

                Switching gears we move to a movie about dancing, Step Up Revolution.  This is the 4^th Step Up movie, but you don’t have to see the others to enjoy this one.  There isn’t much to talk about with this one.

                The plot is that following the others a boy and girl from different backgrounds and classes have a love for dance and something to prove.  The story follows a dance mob trying to be seen and win a contest.  Then as their homes and jobs are put on the line due to a new development project their performance art turns protest art.

                Good story, I liked the angle of it all.  The dance scenes were amazing and as I have no balance or rhythm it made me want to try and dance (not like that obviously as that would not be pretty).  So if you want a feel good movie to just enjoy and not make you think too hard or you liked the previous movies, check it out.   I give it 4 Stars.

Rating:  4 Stars

                So I’m on a roll now, I have another book I just finished reading and working on putting my thoughts to paper for it.  As always comments or questions I’d love to read them.  Share below.  

The Golden Gate is Red by Jim Kohlberg

                So I just finished reading this book from NetGalley.com.  It was an ARC, however, given my recent move and such I’m way behind.  Now, this book was in the YA section but I didn’t feel it was a YA book, let me explain further.

                Now, this book is pretty short, and as such so will be my review.  The book takes place in San Francisco, after the dot com bust, and I felt half the book was spent describing the city.  Don’t get me wrong I love to get a realistic feel for a setting, especially one I’m not familiar with, but this felt excessive.  I felt bogged down with street names and directions, almost like I was reading the directions from my GPS, more so given how short the book was.

                The book is a mystery of sorts, though frankly I am having trouble properly classifying it.  The main character Max is a middle aged tax man who has a sorted history with Joe and Christina.  He is trying to navigate a murder investigation, possible tax conspiracy, and his past.  Now like the directions I felt so out of place not understanding the abundance of tax terms, though mind you I don’t handle my own taxes either, that felt like more of a manual. 

                The story itself felt brief and unexplored.  I knew more about the city than I did about the characters.  There were some great physical descriptions that showed the emotion of the character but that was it.  There was no depth.  What I did learn about them was in narration and never by seeing it, so I had to take it in through the clouded judgment of the main character.  I think the story also progressed quickly and sporadically, like we took the scenic route from point A to point B.  Conversations ended then it seemed as though they were in a new place and talking about new things and I was left thinking where is the in between parts.

                I wish I could give it a higher rating because I absolutely hate giving a ‘bad’ review.  It’s not so much that I disliked the book; it was okay I just didn’t connect with it.  So sadly I can only give The Golden Gate is Red by Jim Kohlberg 2 stars.  I do give Kohlberg credit as I have since looked it up and found he is writing from some past experiences as well as mention that he normally works on screenplays.  That does make more sense to me now, but I wish the plot line was more flushed out and developed like the scenery.   

                So anyways, The Golden Gate is Red, came out July 17, 2012.  Have you read it?  What did you think?  Questions or Comments below.