Review: Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Eleanor and Park (Goodreads)
Publisher: St Martin's Press

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 26 Feb 2013

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 1250012570

Format: paperback (ARC)

Pages: 325

The Author on the Web:

Rainbow Rowell - Official Site

Rainbow Rowell - Blog

Rainbow Rowell - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Lincoln, Nebraska (1986)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: He'd stopped trying to bring her back.

I first heard about Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowel months before it was due to be released in the US from a friend who was dying for a copy and couldn't wait for it. I was headed over to England where it was out and so I offered to bring her back a copy. Then later on I received a copy for review and yet I found that I couldn't start it. All I had heard about Eleanor & Park  was how good it was and usually every time I hear that about a book I am horribly disappointed and feel like I was mislead somehow. Yet, I was still curious about this story and I finally allowed myself to be persuaded to read it on my way to Frankfurt recently for business. 

Once I started Eleanor & Park I couldn't put it down. I was so grateful that I had several hours of uninterrupted reading time on my flight so I didn't have to. I was also glad that the people around me slept on the flight over so that they didn't see my smirks of laughter or the tears in my eyes as I flipped through the pages of this story. I really find it hard to put into words just how much I loved this story. I loved the setting and all the characters....oh how my heart broke during some scenes. But it didn't just break, Eleanor & Park contained some of the best heart achy moments that I've felt in a good long while. 

I loved how this one was told from the POVs of both Eleanor and Park. I loved seeing inside both of their heads and their lives and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see where events would go next. When I did reach the end of the book I was filled with this deep sadness as I wasn't ready to leave this world. There is still so much more that I want to know about these characters. I want to know every minute detail of what happens next and yet at the same time it was a very well done and beautiful ending. 

Eleanor & Park, simply put, is an epic book of awesome and I public apologies to all those who I doubted when they told me to drop everything and read it. I am ashamed of my doubts because this story lives up to all of their praise and more. This is by far one of the best books that I've read all year and its just the beginning of my love affair with Rainbow Rowell's writing. This author could publish a book on grocery lists and I think I would read and love it. If you haven't read this book yet then you are seriously missing out. Trust this doubting soul and learn from me, Eleanor & Park is a must read will appeal to teens and adults alike. If this book doesn't break your heart and give you the warm fuzzies then you don't have a soul.*


 

*I jest...not really...yes yes...I do ;-)

Audio Review: Game by Barry Lyga

Title: Game (Goodreads)
Publisher:  Hachette Audio

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 16 Apr 2013
Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: B00C38S4WI

Format: Audio

Audio Length: ~13.5 hrs

Narrator: Charlie Thurston

The Author on the Web:

Barry Lyga - Official Site

Barry Lyga - Blog

Barry Lyga - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Lobo's Nod, Any State, USA // New York, New York // Brooklyn, New York

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: She had screamed, but she had not cried.

Jasper Dent Series Order
Book 1: I Hunt Killers
Book 2: Game
Book 3: Untitled (TBD)

When I Hunt Killers came out last year I was hooked. I fell head over heels for the audio and loved every bit of it. The narrator, Charlie Thurston, game me chills and once I heard that there would be a sequel to the story I knew that I would have to listen to that one as well. Sequels can be such hit or miss things and while I was really looking forward to Game I was dreading it as well. Would it fall into the cliched role of a transition novel with not much happening or would it surpass the book that came before? While Game didn't blow me away like I Hunt Killers did it wasn't your standard transition novel either. 

In Game, Billy Dent is on the loose and there is also a new serial killer running around New York City. They police there decide to bring in Jasper Dent to consult as he does have a unique perspective on things. And even though he's a minor and this is just a book I still find it a bit odd that he does all of this for free. But that is just a minor thought that I had while listening to this story. 

I mostly enjoyed this story and really liked its complexities. I enjoyed the twists and turns and was surprised a time or two during the course of this story. What I didn't like was how this one ended. I didn't like the cliff hanger aspect of it and how, as a reader, I am now forced to pick up the next book in order to find out what happens next. For me, cliff hangers are cheap plot devices that only take away my interest in a story. 

As with, I Hunt Killers, I enjoyed Thurston's narration although unlike that book I didn't get the same chills. Perhaps because this wasn't a continuation of a story and so the voices weren't fresh or new. It could also be because even though the story went to New York and Brooklyn - places that have some distinctive accents - none of the characters from there had an accent. Thurston gave them these lifeless voices that could have been from anywhere and I just think that it was a lost opportunity to further add some depth and realism to this story. 

I enjoyed Game but I didn't love it as much as the first book. While I'm curious to see where a third book goes I'm also miffed at being forced to read it. I think that there are better ways to drive a readers interest in continuing on with a series and it doesn't always have to be with a cliff hanger. Have I mentioned how much I do not like cliff hangers? I will most likely check out the third book but I'm not bursting for more, not like I was after finishing I Hunt Killers. 

If you enjoyed the first one you'll probably enjoy this one as well. Its a good installment in the series its just missing a little something that the first book had. At least, it was for me. I know many out there loved Game just as much if not more than the first book. Perhaps I just hyped this one too much up in my head to enjoy it fully. As an audio, it could have been better (see note on lack of accents above), but I will say that I will listen to the third book over reading it if Thurston is brought back as the narrator. He may not do a New York accent but he's killer with the voice he does for Billy Dent.

Review: Doctor Who Series 3 Volume 1 by Andy Diggle & Brandon Seifert

Title: The Hypothetical Gentleman (Goodreads)
Publisher: IDW Publishing

Source: Publisher / Netgalley

Publication Date: 19 March 2013

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1613775792

Format: ebook 

Pages:104

The Author on the Web:

Andy Diggle
Brandon Seifert

The Illustrators on the Web
Mark Buckingham
Philip Bond

Place(s) Traveled to: London, England (1814 & 1851)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First Line: NA

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm crazy addicted to Doctor Who and have been since I was a child. I watch the show every week and when its on hiatus I will watch old episodes on Netflix. But despite my deep love of the show I've never branched into any of the books or comics that exist in the world about it. That is until recently when this one appeared on Netgalley. I was really curious about it and so decided to request it. This was a quick read, as you can imagine since it is a graphic novel/comic.

There are two stories contained in this comic and both of them felt flat to me. The stories were just so-so and never once could I imagine The Doctor, Amy, or Rory saying any of the lines that they said. The whole thing felt so still and flat. And yes I know its a comic so its all drawings but I've read comics in which you get a sense of suspense and movement and that never happened here. The drawings were just blah and most felt like they were a bit unfinished. 

Overall, this one just wasn't for me and I don't think I'll be checking out other Doctor Who comics in the future. I may check out some of the books that are out there but I am doubtful if they'll live up to the show. For me, I think that Doctor Who will always be something that needs to be visual and if a comic can't bring me that same magic that I love about the show then I'm not sure anything will. 

Review: Play with Me by Kristen Proby

Title: Play with Me (Goodreads)
Publisher: Self-Published

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 26 Feb 2013

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 2940016319506

Format: ebook 

Pages: 298

The Author on the Web:

Kristen Proby - Official Site

Kristen Proby - Blog

Kristen Proby - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Seattle, Washington // Miami, Florida

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First Line: Ms McBride, Thank you for your inquiry regarding Will Montgomery and the rest of the team appearing at your hospital.

With Me in Seattle Series Order

Book 1 - Come Away With Me
Book 1.5 - Under the Mistletoe with Me
Book 2 - Fight With Me

Book 3 - Play With Me
Book 4 - Rock With Me
Book 5 - Safe With Me (2013/2014)
Book 6 - Tied With Me (2013/2014)
Book 7 - Breathe With Me (2013/2014)

After finishing Fight with Me I had high hopes for Play with Me which is Will Montgomery's story. Will is the brother of Jules (he's also in the NFL) and his love interest is an old college friend of Jules as well (she's a nurse and former rocker). We first see a glimpse of Meg in Fight with Me and she comes across as a bit bitchy there. Though we soon learn that there is a reason for that at the start of this story and it is a good reason even if Will is unaware of it at the time. This misunderstand leads to some early sparks to their relationship and adds some fun tension to the story. 

Though this chip on Meg's shoulder does get old after awhile. She didn't have the best life growing up but she holds onto things super tightly and seems to relish holding up this shield around her even if it means pushing away those that are closest to her. She wants to be loved but at the same time is afraid to trust and that is a very difficult set of circumstances to overcome. In all honesty, there were times while reading this story that I was amazed that Will stuck with her for as long as he did. Then there were other times when he annoyed me a bit with his overbearing ways.

Initially, Play with Me started out in the same formula as the previous books in the series but what set it apart from the others is that it was told from both Will and Meg's POV. And as you know, dear reader, I do love a good multiple POV story. Especially since if I was just in Meg's head for the whole book I might have been driven a bit mad listening her go over the same thoughts over and over. She does like to dwell. 

Despite the things that bothered me with this story it did manage to give me that heart achy feeling that I like towards the end. I did like the story even if I didn't fall head over heels in love with the two main characters. As with the previous books I did like seeing the various family members move in and out of this story and the humor that they bring to most scenes. Play with Me is another fast paced read from Proby and a good installment in the series. Its not my favorite but its not the worst one in the bunch either and one that I do recommend. 

Movie Thoughts: Star Trek Into Darkness (3D)

Title: Star Trek Into Darkness (Official Site)
Tag Line: Beyond the darkness, lies greatness
Release Date: 17 May 2013
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 132 min
Genres: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Series or Standalone: Series
Where Seen: Theatre (Frankfurt + Screening)
Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot

Distributed By: Paramount Pictures
Director(s): J.J. Abrams
Writer(s): Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof, Gene Roddenberry (TV Series)
Stars: Chris Pine (Captain James T. Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Karl Urban (Bones), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Anton Yelchin (Pavel Chekov), John Cho (Sulu), Alice Eve (Dr Carol Marcus), Zoe Saldana (Nyota Uhura), Benedict Cumberbatch (Khan)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Star Trek Series Order
Film 1: Star Trek (2009)
Film 2: Into Darkness

Sometimes when you are looking for a movie you just want to be entertained. You don't need a grand story line or even exceptional acting as long as there are explosions or what have you to keep the action going. And sometimes you luck out and not only do you get a great action packed movie but you also have a good story line. Star Trek Into Darkness is one of those movies that really delivers on all counts. 

From the opening scene you are thrust back into this world that JJ Abrams and Gene Roddenberry created in a pretty seamless transition from the humdrum of daily life. The visuals are absolutely stunning and when they show cities such as London or San Francisco you can easily picture that is how they will look a couple hundred years in the future. The CGI is pretty realistic and I just love the cinematography. 

I loved getting reacquainted with the new Kirk, Spock, Bones and the rest of the gang. All the actors brought the same characteristics to them all as the originals and even made them more. But Into Darkness is made by the awesome that is Benedict Cumberbatch  He was the perfect person to cast as Kahn. He just looks otherworldly and he acts the superior being haughtiness so very well. I loved how he interacted with the rest of the crew and just loved him as a villain  I've been so used to him as good guy Sherlock that I though it might be hard seeing him as Kahn but he does evil well. 

Another thing I liked is how Abrams continues to use Uhura in a more active role than she ever was in the tv series. Zoe Saldana is a pretty kickass actress and she brings a fiestiness to Uhura that I really like. Although I am still not a fan of the whole romantic story line between her and Spock. It just seems a bit unnatural since it seems so very anti-Spock. I also wish that this Star Trek was more like later incarnations of the TV show and allowed the women star fleet members to wear pants. The dresses just seem odd and a throwback to a time long gone when women were expected to be homemakers and not explorers or what have you. Though on the other hand I do like the little nods, like the classic uniform styles, to the original show. Its a catch-22 for me really.

The story line was also really good filled with just the right amount of action, tension, and one liners that are delivered at just the right moment in just the right way that made the whole audience laugh. Already I've seen this movie twice, once in Frankfurt where it was released last week and then last night at a screening, and each time the audience got into the movie. I do think that the American audience enjoyed it more (from outward reactions) but this might be because of the long standing love that US audiences have had with the whole Star Trek franchise over the last fifty years or so. 

Another thing that I liked about Star Trek Into Darkness was that you did not have to see the 2009 reboot film in order to see and enjoy this one. You are given all the background information that you need to explain who these people are and never once do you feel lost or that you are missing something by not seeing the 2009 Star Trek. Though if you have seen it then I think that it will increase your enjoyment of this one as all the actors really embrace the characters they play. 

It should also be noted that Star Trek Into Darkness is filled with JJ Abrams signature lens flare. Now, when I saw this for the first time I didn't notice it all that much. I was simply lost in the story and wrapped up in how events would proceed. I did notice it a lot more in the second viewing but that was also because I was actively looking for it. There are times when it bothered me, like when the flare started to blur out a characters face as they were talking, but other times it just seemed natural based on the scene and the reflective nature of life's everyday objects. This is just something that people are going to love or hate I personally don't mind it so much but do agree with critics who say that sometimes Abrams goes a bit lens flare happy. 

Overall, this is a great action adventure story. Its a wonderful movie to kick off the summer blockbuster season and already I am eager for another Star Trek film. I just love seeing this series grow and develop in the altered timeline and all the visual effects that Abrams has created. This one gets my stamp of approval and its worth checking this one out in theaters  I also loved it in 3D and will admit to ducking once or twice on my first viewing as debris and things popped out of the screen. This was a fun movie and one that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I've seen it twice and liked it just as much the second time around as I did the first.