Before I Fall Movie

                Hello happy readers.  I hope you all had a great weekend.  I missed my Friday post as I was out of town helping my mom (she broke her hand the day before so I get to help her for all the times she has helped me it was nice) but I have the review ready and it will be posted.  But today I wanted to share my thoughts on the book to movie adaptation of Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall.  I saw the movie with my best friend this weekend and was thrilled to review it for you. 

Rating:  4.5 Stars

                So I should start off saying I read this book back in December 2011, I had to look for my old review (here).  It has been a hot minute since I read the book and while I remembered many major points I don't remember tons of small things that may have been changed throughout the movie.  I know the first obvious thing is that our girls aren't all wearing matching colored outfits for Cupid's Day but as for minute details that is all I remember off hand.  Since watching the movie though I have thought about re-reading the book once I get through some of my other books first.  If I do I may make some additions to this post but for now just my thoughts on the movie.

                If you haven't seen trailers for this movie or read the book then the basic plot is that Sam, our main girl played by the amazing Zoey Deutch, who has it all in life.  She is part of the it group and everyone loves them even if they are a bit evil/mean girl like.  Then as the day progresses and we see her life we don't feel for her much but things go down and she wakes up.  It's the same day.  Sam is confused by what she remembers, a horrible case a déjà vu.  Still as the day repeats she is able to really see how she acts, what her life is.  Again and again the day repeats no matter what she does.  She tries to change things or go completely wild knowing nothing will matter and she'll be redoing it again anyways.  She begins trying to figure out how she can live her life better.  

                 I loved that we got to see Sam change and realize the mistakes she has made.  With all the time in the world she takes the time to really understand how things work.  She struggles throughout from trying to be better to getting frustrated that she is stuck and will never be free of the moment.  Deutch made the emotions shine through.  I didn't like Sam at the start, not really.  I liked he and her friends together away from anyone else because they did have that closeness that I think most everyone remembers with their best friends.  Now I admit we don't get to see as much about how they became friends and some past actions were touched on but not expanded.

                 The movie has some cliché moments of course and falls to a few stereotypes but overall the message is real.  I was lucky to have went to school in a different type of world it seems than some but this movie is relevant.  It shows both sides of things and that it is never too late to change or make things right.  I had chill bumps through parts of the movie and I almost cried at times, though I was prepared for that and managed to stave it off.  There was also a small moment when in the small theater that I made a whispered comment to my friend and several people laughed, apparently my whispered joke was loud in the hush.  Good memories.  

                Last little thought, one part of the book I do remember is there being more time and scenes between Sam and Kent.  I feel I had a better understanding of him in the book.  As I work on this review I am even more certain that I want to re-read the book, maybe before the DVD comes out.  Because I will be getting the movie when it comes out.  I look forward to seeing it again and seeing what things I missed or didn't pick up on.  I feel that someone who has read the book can enjoy the movie but also those who haven't read the book can go in and not feel like something is missing.  It is whole.  I recommend it. 

                Until next time…

Don't Look Back

                Hello happy readers.  Another week survived on to the weekend.  Reminder my giveaway for a SIGNED copy of Blackhearts is still open until the 7th here.  Also I'll be posting my month book haul AKA Stacking the Shelves post tomorrow so stay tuned for that as well.  But for today I am reviewing Don't Look Back by the wonderful Jennifer L. Armentrout.  One more down as I slowly work my way through her titles, seriously though she has a ton on books and so far I've loved all I've read.

Rating:  5 Stars

                Don't Look Back is a bit of a contemporary suspense YA thriller following Samantha.  Sam seemed to have it all, the perfect life of popularity, wealth, friends/boyfriend, everything a high school girl could ask for.  Until she disappears with her best friend Cassie and resurfaces with no memory of who she is or what happened.  As she tries to piece together her old life and figure out what happened to her and Cassie she realizes her life wasn't as perfect as it seemed. 

                I really enjoyed this story.  Everything from how the story was written, the flow, the character growth as she comes to learn who she was and is.  There is something both horrifying and freeing about the idea of not remembering who you are.  On one hand you are lost, disconnected, and afraid.  On the other hand you have a fresh start.  Sam realizes pretty quick her "mean girl" personality is not who she wants to be.  She can do things better, including not treating Carson, her former childhood friend and her brothers best friend, like trash because his father works for hers.  She also has the chance to do better in everything, but not everyone is going to make that easy.  And she still may know what happened to Cassie. 

                The dynamic there was wanting to remember to know what happened and piece together the mystery is strong but when you're being left messages that make you question your sanity you have to wonder if you should even try.  I wasn't really expecting to be as caught up in the heart pounding suspense of it all but I was.  I was listening to this on an audiobook in the car and I remember gripping the steering wheel constantly wishing I could make it go into my brain faster.  I was constantly running through theories and scenarios in my head trying to figure it out as Sam worked to uncover the clues.  I figured out some aspects and others I never saw coming.  It kept me on the edge of my seat, and made me thankful yet again for cruise control, and when it was over I just needed to take a moment to contemplate everything. 

                I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good suspense thriller or just a good stand alone.  Sometimes with suspense type books/movies they are hard to re-read/watch after knowing the ending, but I don't think I would have any trouble re-reading Don't Look Back.  While I might know some things there was so many little tidbits throughout that I would love to rediscover and give more attention to in a re-read in the future.  So that's my thoughts on this hit, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.  If you lost all your memories and came back into your life would you be happy with the person you discovered you had been?  It's something to think on.

                Until next time…

Wednesday Review of...Wednesday by Clare James

                Happy Hump Day!  It's review time and today I am going to be talking about Wednesday by Clare James.  I maybe did choose to review this book on a Wednesday for funs sake.  I was contacted by the publisher and provided a copy for an honest review of this NA Romance, it's full of more adult themes and sexy fun times so recommended for a more mature audience.  Just as a warning to any wee lassies reading. 

                A brief idea of what Wednesday is about.  Moving back home at the ripe age of 21 Aria never expected to be raising a toddler on her own already married and divorced.  Her life was much different than her friends from school who went wild at parties and waking up in different bed.  She had bed times and messes to clean up while studding to be a nurse.  All of that was fine.  Until she started running into her former best-friend Tristan, who has his own issues he’s back in town dealing with like a sick father.  Both happen to have Wednesday nights off, free of their normal responsibilities.  Running into him, even though she was sure he hated her, he made her feel like who she used to be.  So he makes an offer.  Her.  Him.  Alone at the beach house every Wednesday able to lose themselves and take what they needed from one another.  Seems simple enough, though the line between love and hate is very thin.

Rating: 4 Stars

                This books was a quick fun NA read.  I flew through it in a few hours and enjoyed the story.  I found the characters to be interesting and relatable.  I liked Aria from the start seeing what she was dealing with and respecting her values.  I was a bit leery of Tristan at first.  I thought he had turned into a bit of a douche really but as the story progressed and I learned the whole story he grew on me quickly.  And I really wanted to know more about the past they shared and found myself wanting to flip the page to see what would happen between them next. 

                The idea of the book, a enemies with benefits type of thing was interesting.  I liked that they both needed that day for release from their lives.  The story grows and unfolds and we learn more about the characters and the sexy fun times were pretty steamy but did not fill every page leaving plenty of room for a good story.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good second chance story or even just a good steamy NA Romance.  This review is short so as not to give away too much but I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.  If you had one day away from the responsibilities and pressures of your current life what would you do to unwind?  Me?  I wouldn't mind a Tristan but honestly I'm such a nerd I'd curl up with a book or sleep.  Until next time...

Remembrance: Love, Reincarnation, Second Chances, or Fate?

                Hello everyone!  I hope you all are having a good week thus far.  Today’s book for review was provided by my favorite NetGalley and Barclay Publishing for an honest review.  

                Remembrance is a story of love, reincarnation, second chances, and all the messy stuff that comes with it.  I went into this book knowing very little about it.  I knew it was about Lizzie, a typical high school girl, who has a good boyfriend and a best friend since the sandbox but things get turned around when a new guy comes to school and she has this feeling she knows him already.  I knew there was a reincarnation aspect to the story and that was all I knew to dive into it. 

Rating: 4 Stars

                I really enjoyed it.  The story moved along quickly and kept me interested.  There was a bit of cheesy but I enjoyed it.  At first I wasn't sure if I liked Lizzie but over time she grew on me quickly.  I understood the reasons for the struggles and stupid mistakes she makes throughout.  She is 17 and young and confused about life and the new feelings she has, plus the situation is complicated.  I don't want to give too much away but I liked how her thought process went, she made changes in her life based on how she felt and not just about this new appearance but on how things had been changing before that.  I liked that it wasn't strictly Drew related.  I also loved her interest in art.  I can't draw for anything so yeah but I do love to read and write and that is my version and I love getting lost in it like she does.

                Which leads up to Drew.  He went and made complicated.  I understood his logic after even if I found it inconsistent, young and flawed boy thinking it was.  It fit in the whole of the story.  I admit though that his actions through the first part of the book left me not caring for him too much.  He was so hot and cold I wasn't sure he was worth it but even then I liked the change he sparked in Lizzie. 

                Lizzie's best friend Chelsea was also back and forth for me.  I loved how they had been friends for so long and their past history was touching and relatable.  Still there were times when Chelsea pushed Lizzie to do things even when Lizzie made it clear it made her uncomfortable and it seemed like Chelsea was too concerned with getting things as she wanted than about her friend.  Though Lizzie has her bad best friend moments as well for sure it just seemed at times that Chelsea was a bit self centered and the friendship was more one sided. 

The other covers in
the series!

                The story for me had different elements.  There was the main drama aspect of the romance for sure but it also had lots of little things happening alongside them.  I liked the wonder and debate about past lives and how they can impact the current life. If you are given a second chance can you make better decisions and right wrongs or are we doomed to repeat the same mistakes again?  How do you try to compute this while still in high school?  When your biggest concern should be about a dance or graduating to be tossed such serious life affirming questions is touch. 

                Remembrance is the first book in the Transcended Time series for which there are 3 more books already out for the taking.  This book could stand alone, things wrapped up smoothly enough though you do wonder about certain aspects which is where the next book, Vengeance, picks up.  I look forward to continuing on and seeing how things continue.  I can't say much more.  I would go into this book open and not knowing a ton and just enjoy watching everything develop. After reading this I'm also even more excited about reading Madows other series The Secret Diamond Sisters. 

                That's all for today.  I will have my Paper Towns book and movie review up for you on Friday.  Also don't forget to check out my review of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas and enter to win a signed copy of the book here.  Now as usual please comment and share your thoughts below I love having a chance to discuss with other book lovers.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on reincarnation and second chances? Do you think you can change things or is fate unchangeable?