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Hey guys! Thank you for your support and loyalty in reading my blog posts here on blogger but I can no longer manage 2 blogs and so you can continue following me at my official blog page here for more on fashion, books, movies, and other whatnots. Thank you once again.

The Fault In Our Stars book review (you may pick up on spoilers)

Yes I read it fast and I was definitely moved by the story. The transition from all the funny scenes to the saddest moments is smooth. I suppose you could call the love story of Hazel and Augusts unconventional but it is due to the circumstances they face. Hazel Grace is a 16 year old thyroid cancer patient with mets in her lungs and needs medical assistance for her breathing. She meets a funny and attractive boy named Augustus Waters who is a survivor cancer patient of osteosarcoma at the Support Group. He is the best friend of Isaac who later goes blind after his surgery. There aren't a lot of characters but they are the major characters that the story revolves around.

John Green has given us a story of young lovers in a war with cancer. The funny moments make me forget the fact that the characters are dying and when I do realize it I feel sad. It definitely isn't a difficult read and I can't wait to see the film. It is rare to find a film or a book about people who are dying and are making the best out of the time they have left. To be honest I was reluctant to read it just because of the fact that it's about teenagers who have cancer and to me cancer isn't my friend. But I was wrong not to try and as you can see I've fallen in love with this book. That is why I highly recommend it, you'll never know you actually might like it.

The most important theme I've picked up from this book is about relationships and how important these ties are. The best way for me to relay them is to show you some of the funny parts.

Hazel and her mom

Me: I refuse to attend Support Group.

Mom: One of the symptoms of depression is disinterest in activities.

Me: Please just let me watch America's Next Top Model. It's an activity.

Mom: Television is a passitivity.

Me: Ugh, Mom, please.

Mom: Hazel, you're a teenager. You're not a little kid anymore. You need to make friends, get out of the house, and live your life.

Me: If you want me to be a teenager, don't send me to Support Group. Buy me a fake ID so I can go to clubs, drink vodka, and take pot.

Mom: You don't take pot, for starters.

Me: See, that's the kind of thing I'd know if you got me a fake ID. (p.7)

Gus and Hazel

G: Hazel Grace, it has been a real pleasure to make your acquaintance.

H: Ditto, Mr. Waters.

G: May I see you again?

H: Sure.

G: Tomorrow?

H: Patience, grasshopper. You don't want to seem overeager.

G: Right, that's why I said tomorrow. I want to see you again tonight. But I'm willing to wait all night and much of tomorrow.

H: You don't even know me. How about I call you when I finish this? (holding the book)

G: But you don't even have my phone number.

H: I strongly suspect you wrote it in the book.

G: And you say we don't know each other. (pp.36-7)

The best and touching moments are of course at the end of the book. It is during Gus's prefuneral and his letter to Van Houten about Hazel's eulogy.

Isaac's eulogy for Gus

...But I will say this: When the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without him. (p.258)

Hazel's eology for Gus

...I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful. (p.260)

Gus's letter to Van Houten

...People will say it's sad that she leaves a lesser scar, that fewer remember her, that she was loved deeply but not widely. But it's not sad, Van Houten. It's triumphant. It's heroic. Isn't that the real heroism? Like the doctors say: First, do no harm... (p.312)

Oblivion movie review

 

Yes you're probably tired of only seeing book reviews and wondered "Whatever happened to the movie reviews?". To be honest, I didn't make time for watching but now I have and as you can see from the title we saw Oblivion. It's a sci-fi film featuring Tom Cruise who plays Tech 49  Jack Harper, one of the last astronaut tech assigned on Earth to maintain the security of the Hydrorigs, which extracts the remaining resources of the planet and send them to the Tet which is the escape vessel for the humans after the war and the Earth became uninhabitable. He lives with his partner/lover, Vica and they are classified as an effective team. They are expected to leave for the Titan in 2 weeks to be with the rest of the survivors and prior to their mission, their memories were wiped off for security purposes. Regardless, Jack still has flashbacks but does not recall who the woman in his visions is and why he is remembering her. It is what makes him curious and derives from the mission and in turn becomes insubordinate.

 

 

I did not know what to expect at first but as I followed it became easier for me to predict what happens next because of other films that have similar plots one of which was distinct I almost yelled it out loud in the cinema was from Moon (2009) as soon as Tech 52 Jack Harper landed his ship to repair the drone. What amazes me most is the tech used and where they live. For some reason, David and I are attracted to it and want to have a place like that to live in. Jack's aircraft looks like a dragonfly to me with the two round things as the wings and the long, narrow body. The motorbike is simplistic in appearance. It looks like an ordinary bike, pimped in white. I can't comment on the guns because I am not a pro at identifying them other than what I've seen in Fringe.

 

There are some cases that make me form theories as to why the story was set in that way just like when Tech 52 Jack Harper disappeared, I wondered where he went and throughout the voice over when Julia and Tech 49 Jack Harper's daughter was on screen, I wondered if it really was 49 who was talking. It wasn't until 52 came with the scavs that I concluded he must have been as curious as 49 because he had the same vision when he saw Julia running after 49. The effects of course are great but the story, when it's supposed to reach its climax immediately falls including the ending. The film could have been better but it's still safe to say that it is a good film but personally I'd rather see Moon again rather than this.

The Infernal Devices #1: Clockwork Angel book review

This is the first book of The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare and is set in Victorian England. Tessa, a 16 year old girl moves from New York to London after her aunt passed away. She is unaware of what is waiting for her and who. She is faced with difficult decisions and facts to accept whether or not she likes it. Her struggle to find her brother, love issues between best friends and discovering her true identity. It is quite overwhelming for someone so young but that is the story of our protagonist.

It is a really great start introducing the heroine and a new world. Being a fan myself of stories about magic and victorian england, this book has definitely satisfied my craving for such. There is such a geat mix of characters and it's as if you have one of every kind.

Characters:

Tessa Gray as mentioned earlier is the protagonist of the story. She thinks at first that she's merely an ordinary girl who is moving with her brother to England. It is only when she arrives that her ability to shapeshift was to be used and she is to be trained by the Dark Sisters in preparation for her presentation to the Magister.

Charlotte Branwell is not only a Nephilim but the head of the Institute of the Clave in England. She may be young and small but she does have a big heart is persists on proving herself worthy of being chosen to lead.

Henry Branwell is also a Nephilim and Charlotte's husband. He is an inventor, however, his devices have yet to prove his capabilities as an inventor.

Will Herondale is the playboy who is desired by women the moment they see his angelic face. The typical characteristics of a hero he's got such as the body and the fighting skills. In essence he is an introvert but uses his sarcarsm and arrogance to shield himself from prying eyes/minds that want to attach themselves.

Jem Castairs is probably one of the kindest characters and although he does not have to-die-for features like Will, his personality is charm itself. But no one can be too perfect therefore his character is a sickly one who may be at the brink of death if he does not take enough dosage of drugs into his system.

Jessie Lovelace is the spoil brat who squanders the money left to her by her parents when they died. She has no interest in being a Shadowhunter although she is born into it. She isn't all bad because there are scenes that show her as an average human being with feelings other than the thrill of spending such that she can care for others. She wants to have normal life and not have to fight like a man like Charlotte does. She is similar to Will when she hides the part of her the can be kind.

Themes:

Love is almost never absent in the books that I read and this is no exception. At first we see our heroine with no partner at all to have to choose between best friends, Will and Jem. But it isn't only Tessa but Sophie as well who may not have realized what Thomas saw in her to be fond of her until she lost him to the clockworks. Charlotte and Henry have an interesting relationship because of the way they just work together. I'm not sure how much of their marriage is out of feelings and emotions and how much of it is just the pure benefit of it. Henry gets to use the lab while Charlotte gets to be the head of the house. There is also Tessa's love for her brother, Nate, which pushes her to find and rescue him from de Quincey.

Trust is delicate. It is difficult to earn but easily lost. Upon arriving in England, all Tessa wanted was to be with her brother and not beaten up by the Dark Sisters when she failed to change into whoever owned the object she held. Tessa could not trust anyone in the Dark Sisters' house to the point that she'd written letters for her brother but did not send them. Instead she hid them under her matress where no one would look. And then at the Institute with the Shadowhunters who she does not know and isn't sure that they are telling the truth about her and is skeptical whether they are to use her like the Dark Sisters did or not. The obvious trusts in the story is when Charlotte and Henry seek information thru Mortmain and Camille. Between the two, it is only Mortmain who broke the trust. Not only did he break his ties with the Clave but also to the Dark Sisters who he had Will and Jem fight off as a decoy and de Quincey by the Clave since they were of no use to him anymore.

When I was reading I thought I was learning new things and I like their explanations for example of how one becomes a vampire. According to the Codex, vampires and werewolves are humans infected with demon disease. At times I wish that I could have a copy of the Codex too so I that I can learn about the creatures in the story.

Overall it was a great read. I recently started thinking about why the author took such a long time to reveal the clockwork angel's power when Henry had already inspected it. He is a character who is unable to produce a functioning device but not someone who cannot understand the mechanism. But yes the author has her reasons and we can keep it at that for now.

Crossed book review

I think I was quite slow in finishing this book. I was still interested in the story but the second installment I found boring in some ways and kind of exciting in another and then annoying. 

The first discipline I had to learn was that when reading a story like this requires me think like the people that are situated there to understand why they feel the way they feel and why they do what they do. 

However, the love story which is highly emphasized was the boring part and I suppose that is the reason I got annoyed. Some scenes were touching like when Vick was talking about Laney at the canyon. The exciting one is the part about Xander's secret, which really intrigued me and surprise, surprise I could not figure it out until it was said in the story. 

I believe that there is a potential but at the moment it looks like a draft that has yet to be edited. I am still going to read Reached because I think that the trilogy still has something to offer because I haven't been totally put off by this book but the story is very interesting as well as the way Ally Condie makes her lovers work their way into loving each other freely.

Les Miserables (2012) Movie Review

Film poster

It was only a week ago that I've watched this interpretation in the cinema and at first I think I wasn't fair because I kept on comparing it to the actual play. And so when I had watched it again a few days ago, I managed to keep an open mind and concentrate on cinematography and adaptation from a musical in the theater to cinema. If you do not already know but I am sure that my loyal readers do, the need for this mentality is because an audience of a film at the cinema is completely different from that of an audience at the theater.

The appreciation is different, which is also why for this musical to be successful as a film there has to be a a way for the audience of a cinema to relate to the story without tiring themselves of the songs.

The story remains the same and so if you have seen either the play or the film then there are no spoilers needed. At the most, this review is going to be about the major actors selected as well as their techniques and interpretation of delivering the songs.

Jean Valjean

Although his understanding and interpretation of the songs are great I am not entirely sure if Hugh Jackman's voice is right for this part but I can't think of another alternative if not this either because upon hearing his voice every time he sings, I just don't get the same fluttery feeling like I do when the others are.

Inspector Javert

I don't know why Russel Crowe has to walk on ledges as if he's walking on a tight rope and yes I know that it is not about the voice I'm referring to now but I just had to say it. I don't know if it's a foreshadowing to his suicide but I can't really stretch it that far. In a nutshell, his voice and interpretation is definitely great.

Fantine

Personally, I believe that Anne Hathaway gave it all her heart and soul. It wasn't completely about her voice that made her performance compelling but the way she portrayed Fantine without overdoing it.

Cosette

Amanda Seyfried's voice is angelic and it what this part needs from the actress. Although I am not taken away by her character, she did the best there is for her to offer and make her part stand out just as everyone else's.

Marius

Eddie Redmayne I think has one of the best voices in this film and I would say his overall delivery was great and met my expectations or perhaps even more and I am not saying this just because I think he's good looking but I really did pay attention to his facial expressions, body language and of course his voice.

Éponine

When Samantha Barks sang On My Own I was hesitant at first because it is my favorite song and I wasn't sure whether or not I was ready to her a new interpretation but I am at ease now because I have not heard a fault and I am not disagreeing with her style. For some reason I've been thinking that if I am asked what character in the play I would do, it would be Eponine.

Thénardier and Madame Thénadier

Helena Carter never ceases to please. In any musical or play adapted to film that she starred in such as Hamlet as Ophelia and as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd has she failed to satisfy our need for entertainment without losing the essence of the characters from their original productions. To work with Sacha Cohen brings more laughter into the mix in the theme of misery. A bit of slapstick here and there is like adding some garnitures to dishes for a bit of fluff and balance.

Gavroche

The French Revolution

Daniel Huttlestone makes me feel both sad and happy. His voice is simply magical that I can't help but be awed by him. I believe that a musical whether it's in the theater or in the cinema is incomplete without a chorus. The songs become more powerful when they sing in unison or in harmony.

Pandemonium Book Review

Pandemonium is the second book in the Delirium trilogy by Lauren Oliver. We follow alternating scenes of Lena's present life back in the city and her life in the Wilds. The transition is well layed-out that it doesn't become irritating or confusing.

Knowing that Alex isn't around pose challenges for Lena to face on her own making her stronger as she decides to use his image as her source of motivation. We see her development from coming to Wilds weak from their escape to Lena pushing herself becoming tougher and more courageous.

Love is a theme that always creeps up on most stories, especially here. Even though Lena is trying to be psychically loyal to Alex, she can't help falling for Julian and Julian learns to love and accepts the 'disease'.

Pandemonium and Delirium are really different in terms of style, which is great in some ways but so far I haven't had a problem with this change and I haven't read a trilogy that follows such a style. It is definitely a thumbs up and I look forward to reading the next book.

Catch Up Challenge

I signed up for this challenge to keep my readings regular because in my opinion just like doing fitness and keeping up with a diet plan, someone or something that keeps me accountable for my routine motivates me not directly but it is at the back of my head and it somehow pushes me. Below is a list of books that have been on my shelves some for years and others are new that I would like to read (not necessarily in this order) completely this year.

• The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

• Crossed by Ally Condie

• Reached by Ally Condie

• Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

• Envy by Anna Godbersen

• Splendor by Anna Godbersen

• Van Allen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

• Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

• Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (definitely before the movie comes out)

• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Matched book review

It is definitely unlike the other dystopian books I have read recently. Although the plot of having a government rule over everything that happens in your life, who you're paired with, what you eat, where you live, etc... Everyone thinks that they are safe and sound. However, compared to Delirium, which is another dystopian book that also controls who is partnered to who, the main character, Cassia Reyes finds out at the beginning who her match is. The story we follow is not how she falls in love per se but falls for someone who is not her match and is someone who should not have one according to their society. She struggles to keep everyone safe but in the long run she merely wants the freedom to choose and for everyone else to have the same liberty, she and her Romeo, Ky Markham must find a way to either convince their society or to rebel from it and fight for what is right. I'm not entirely sure whether I really like this book enough for me to declare it or recommend it but for some reason I do want to finish this trilogy perhaps because I want to know what happens in The Outer Provinces since Oria is too perfect to have a real adventure, which is probably why I am confused about how I really feel about the book.

The Scorch Trials Book Review

Just when they thought they were safe, there was more to come. There are unexplainable happenings and they come across uncooperative people that may or may not be trustworthy to begin with. The story continues from when the gladers have been rescued and Thomas has difficulty falling asleep. After waking up to seeing the victims of the Flare at the windows of their room they all panic and try to find a way out. Finding a way out has never been easy, just as the Maze wasn't. Finding their rescuers hanged in the dinning hall and then the mystery of Teresa disappearing only to find a boy named Aris in her room.

No Teresa and no idea how to get out are the initial problems of the gladers until they meet the rat-looking man from WICKED who tells them that they have to move on to the next stage of the experiment. To be honest, I am not sure how I really feel about the second book of the Maze Runner trilogy. There are more questions raised, more puzzling and more confusing. If there's anything James Dashner succeeded in this book is the expression of feeling frustrated. Through the most part of this book, I definitely felt just as annoyed as the characters about their situation hiding from the heat of the sun, finding a place to stay and keeping safe. I suppose the reason why I don't like it as much as the first is because there isn't much to learn about their surroundings and it always feels like there's only dead ends no matter how much further you go.

I am still interested in knowing what happens in the end because I am keen on learning the reason for the existence of WICKED. I want to know whether it really is good and just using the cruelest means possible or they're just plain bad.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner book review

This is truly an amazing book. It is the first in the trilogy preceding The Scorch Trials. It follows Thomas' story from waking in a box up to his and the Gladers' escape from the Maze. They all start out the same when they arrive. Their memories have been wiped out except for the basics like their name or how to walk. Thomas wants to satisfy his curiosity by pushing questions like that of why were they sent there? who sent them there? what are their ages? Unfortunately, not everything has an answer and as I've said earlier, their memories have been wiped. Everyone is left to figuring out how to get out of that place, however, a series of unfortunate events occur that end up pointing fingers at Thomas.

Thomas is one of the major characters in this trilogy. He is very inquisitive and finds it difficult to contain himself when his desire for information exceeds his need to shut up at certain times and/or just saying the wrong thing as a whole. He is braver as well as smarter than the rest of the Gladers. Despite being the second-to-the-last sent to the Glade, he reacts faster and manages to keep himself together far better than the others did when they were first brought into the Glade. He, along with Teresa, Newt, and Minho are somewhat the strategists in the story and find the escape route towards the Creators and to give them what they deserve.

Their desperation to leave the Maze is due to a couple of factors, the most important one being Hope. Hope that there is a way out even if it takes a long time to find that one exit. It is what driving-force them to continue with their lives by building a community-like life in the Maze by having systems/jobs to keep the Gladers busy. 

The second factor is that after Thomas had been sent by the Creators, everything changes like the day after he arrives they send another one, which everyone finds unusual because the Creators only send one every month. To make him look even more suspicious is that they sent a girl who at first the Gladers thought was dead and then suddenly startles everyone by waking up yelling "Everything will change" then back to unconsciousness. And of course, the heroic act of Thomas, outsmarting a Griever, a vile creature that kills anything in its way that is not of its kin, must not be forgotten because no one has ever survived in the Maze at night and yet not only did he survive it but managed to save Alby, the leader of the Glade who was at the point of death before the Grievers even arrived.

After The Ending has been triggered by Teressa, everything has been fast paced from then on. The sun disappears and the sky turns grey. The doors don't close, which means protection from the Grievers at night is lost. The Creators no longer sent food via the box. Everyone starts to hustle and bustle and so does the reader.

The language/dialect the author used is interesting. Such that the Gladers are speaking in English and yet they way they speak it is as if it were another and once again we start to learn how to speak the same way they do via Thomas when he tries to use it every once in a while.

It is a very exciting book and it has a lot to offer. There is always something happening even in silence and I find it almost impossible to let go of my copy to eat or the like. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who takes pleasure in reading adventure/action, dystopian, mystery books.

Wreck It Ralph Movie Review

Before going on our lovely trip to Paris, David and I decided to watch the long awaited Wreck it Ralph. It's about a video game villain called Ralph in a video game called Fix It Felix set in an arcade. It follows Ralph's story of wanting to change from being an evil character into a good character.

Ralph's job is to destroy the apartment building, which would be repaired by Felix and then tossed off the building by the tenants. After being insulted in his game's 30th anniversary, he feels that he has to prove himself.

In the film, the term Turbo is used when a character decides to jump to another game and act as one of the characters there. Unfortunately, when that character dies in the other game he doesn't revive, which means that game and his own game's plugs would be pulled.

Because of Ralph's want for change from good to bad he heads off to another game called Hero's Duty to win a medal signifying him as a good and rewarding character because it is mentioned in the movie that evil never wins.

However, a problem occurs after receiving his medal delaying his victory and he ends up facing new challenges. It leads him to another game called Sugar Rush, a racing game and is at first bugged by a glitch character, which then becomes his friend.

He makes new friends along the way and faces enemies that could destroy all the games in the arcade. It is a really great film that not only has great animation but also has an actual story worth following.