A Cocktail & Convo With TBTB -- Book to Movie Adaptions

 Every other Thursday (errrr Friday this week) here at the Broke & The Bookish is  A Cocktail & Conversation time. One of the TBTB members will pose a question to 2-3 of the other members of TB&TB crew about books, life, music, etc and then they'll answer and we can converse about it. So grab a cocktail & cozy up for some conversation. It's 5 o'clock somewhere, friends.

Julia Asks:

What is your favorite movie that is based on a book?

Lori says:  Ooh!  Good one!  There are so many books to movies that I have actually enjoyed.  But I think I will go with To Kill a Mockingbird.  I think that they did a great job of capturing the heart of the story.  The music was great.  The casting was great.  I think shooting in black and white was a perfect choice to bring out the simplicity of Macomb.  Gregory Peck absolutely stole the show with his portrayal of Atticus.  He got the character right down to the gesture.  And, according to IMDB.com, he brought Harper Lee to tears with how much he reminded her of her father--the model for the character.  I think that as far as books to movies go, this is definitely one of the best in terms of sticking to the book and in terms of overal cinematic greatness.

Paula says: Oh gosh- I'm going to have to pick two. First off: Coraline. I read the book in college - and even though it's targeted for young adult- it still managed to give me the heebeejeebees. The movie perfectly captured the childhood nightmare quality of Neil Gaiman's book. And from a technical point of view - the fact that it's all stop motion and hand made is so awesome to me. Someone actually knit all of Coraline's tiny clothes!
Second (and more recent): Cloud Atlas. This is my favorite book- I have a quote from it above my book shelf... I've written posts about it here. I was terrified that a movie would ruin it. But no- I was a mess of tears (of joy) the whole time. It brought to life (and brought new aspects to-) a book I have loved so much for so long.  

Jamie says: To be honest, very recently I watched Perks of Being A Wallflower and it trumps any of my past favorite book-to-movie adaptions. It was AMAZING and I couldn't have asked for anything better out of a movie. I felt so many FEELS like I did with the book way back when I read it in 2004 (I think). I do think that helped that I hadn't read it recently but remembered the important parts but didn't critique it too closely in the details. But seriously that movie was amazing and even  Will liked it and we rarely agree on movies.



For an encore on July 9th we have best & worst book to movie adaptations slated for Top Ten Tuesday! To get your brain warmed up for that tell us YOUR all time favorite book to movie adaptation!

Video Post: Help Paula Get Better at Quick Reviews!

Hey All! Lately I've been discovering that I get a bit too excited about books with people outside of our happy little blog land and I need your help figuring out how to give people 30 second recommendations and not talk their ears off. More in the video below!

Books I mention in the video (and show off for a second) are: Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr. and The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

And that non-stop squeaking in the background is my dog being way too excited about toys... sorry!

Kelly's Top Ten Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

For the future Top Ten schedule and how to participate go HERE!

Compared to last week's topic, things are about to get depressing up in here. Today's subject is about books dealing with tough subjects, whether it be abuse, suicide, grief, or just whatever speaks to you personally.

1. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - We get slammed with two tough subjects here: a friend's death and an eating disorder. Before reading this, I never really knew how destructive and complex anorexia could be for everyone involved. Of course, Anderson's Speak should also get a mention here.
2. Crank by Ellen Hopkins - This is the first book in a trilogy about a girl who gets caught up in a drug addiction and how her choices affect her family, friends, and life. It's very dark and VERY powerful.
3. Dreamland by Sarah Dessen - When I picked up this book I expected it to be a light, fluffy (and I mean fluffy in a good way) read like the majority of Sarah Dessen's other books, but I was completely wrong. Dreamland is almost scary with its realistic scenarios of domestic abuse. 
4. Hold Still by Nina LaCour - I only read this within the last week but it's one of the most accurate books portraying the grief after death (in this story's case, a friend's suicide). The feelings of depression and despair the main character experiences are completely real.
5. If I Stay by Gayle Forman - If you ever want a book to completely break your heart, this is it. A car crash is traumatizing enough, but when it kills your entire family and leaves you alone...heartbreaking. 
6. The Fault in our Stars by John Green - While of course all of John Green's books are witty, fun, and full of adventure, they all have a more serious side. This is one of his best, bringing the wake of cancer and it's side effects to life.
7. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay - Though mostly fictional, this book regales the horror of concentration camps during WWII. This particular story takes place in France, and the Nazi monstrosities that were allowed to happen on French soil still haunt the citizens of France to this day.
8. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Almost as much as what went on in WWII, the racial prejudice in America absolutely sickens me. Kathryn Stockett's story of 1960s Mississippi made me nervous, uncomfortable, and scared while reading it.
9. A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer - Even scarier because it really happened, this is a terrifying tale of an abusive mother, both physically and psychologically. 
10. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson - This is another book I thought would be a nice, light read but left me SOBBING by the end. As opposed to The Fault in our Stars, this book looks more at the effect of cancer on an entire family.

Broke and Bookish Book Haul for 4/28 - 5/11

Paula's Book Haul

So this weekend was one of my favorite weekends of the year... the Wake County Library Sale. Although I didn't go as many times as last year (I went all 4 days it was open...) I still snagged a whole bunch of books and for only $20 yessss!

My actual haul was 19 books and that was after I told myself to put some back and forced myself to walk past all the pretty old books.

They are (in no particular order):
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
The Glass of Time by Michael Cox
M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony
The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber
Raptor Red by Robert Bakker
Dinosaur Planet by Anne McCaffrey (it should be noted that this is now the second book I own call Dinosaur Planet and they are completely different series and oh my gosh how are there 2 campy scifi series out there with "Dinosaur Planet" as their title. Thank you Dear Library Goddess I love you)
Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl
Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton
Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart
Hector and the Search for Happiness by Francois Lelord
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K Dick
Time out of Joint by Phillip K Dick
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
City of Illusions by Ursula K. LeGuin
From the Earth to The Moon by Jules Verne

Also I need it to be noted that Raptor Red has quite possibly the COOLEST holographic cover in the world and the book itself is told from the perspective of a raptor... so I haven't even read it and it's found a special beautiful place in my heart.

 

Now to get of the internets and roll around in glee on my new books!

Daisy's Book Haul

Egalleys For Review:
-The Program by Suzanne Young: seriously, this book just sounds like something that I will LOVE!
-Raven Flight by Juliet Marillier: I squealed when I was approved for this, I loved Shadowfell!
-Dragon's Child by M.K. Hume: I am slightly obsessed with King Arthur, so I think I will just devour this book.
-The Lady and the Laird by Nicola Cornick: there's something about men in kilts...
-Spies and Prejudice by Talia Vance: there are SPIES! And a lovestory lightly based on Pride and Prejudice! YES!
-Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner: I'm a bit ashamed that I haven't read the first book in this series yet, but I will fix this!
-Once We Were by Kat Zhang: I wasn't fully convinced by What's Left of Me, but maybe Once We Were will spice things up!
-How To Love by Katie Cotugno: it sounds like a perfect summer read, dealing with real issues!
-A Little Night Mischief by Emily Greenwood: it sounds like a really cute historical romance :)
-Once Upon a Tartan by Grace Burrowes: I've said it before, but there's really something about men in kilts..
-All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry: this sounds like it could be really amazing!
-Unbreakable by Elizabeth Norris: I really enjoyed Unraveling and after that ending I NEED to know what happens to Ben and Janelle!
-Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: I've heard nothing but amazing things about the author's writing and am very excited to read this!
-Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin: LOVED MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH!! SO EXCITED!
-Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund: trusted sources tell me I need to read this series because I will love it, consider it done!

Bought:
-The Hero's Guide To Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy: The Hero's Guide To Saving Your Kingdom was SO FUNNY! I totally loved it and am excited to go on more adventures with Liam, Frederic, Duncan and Gustav!
-The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan: it's set in PARIS and it sounds EPIC!
-Icons by Margaret Stohl: ok, so I still need to read Beautiful Creatures, but I've heard REALLY good things about it and decided to just buy this one because it sounded awesome.
-Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: I finally bought this book after all Sarah from Sarah Says Read's recommendations! Now to read it...
-The Originals by Cat Patrick: it's about CLONES! Need I seriously say more?
-The Elite by Kiera Cass: I still need to read The Selection, but I just needed to buy this...

Jamie's Book Haul

I received Tumble & Fall by Alexanda Coutts this week for review from FSG and I AM SO EXCITED. Definitely an anticipated read for Fall 2013. Basically the premise of this book is that there is an asteroid plummeting towards earth and there is nothing anybody can do about it and the book chronicles these last days of these teens who are just waiting for the world to end.

Our Broke & Bookish book haul is inspired by memes like IMM & Stacking the Shelves& Mailbox Monday. This is just our very simple way of doing it collaboratively so we can participate in all of them and not have to choose one.

Lori Reviews Pain Parties, Work

Title: Pain, Parties, Work:  Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953

Author:  Elizabeth Winder

Published:  HarperCollins, 2013

Where I Got It:  I received this book from the publishers.

I really like Sylvia Plath.  I love her poetry--it's so honest and real.  Even more than that, I love reading her journals.  In her journals, she sounds like any other young college girl.  Her concerns are/were my concerns--boys, school, clothes, and her appearance.  Yet, you most often hear about Sylvia Plath the depressed artist.  While she was this, she also had bouts of normalcy that masked the pain.

That's what Elizabeth Winder seeks to explore in her study of the month that Plath was a guest editor at Mademoiselle magazine in New York.  Winder walks the reader through the entire process, day-by-day--what Sylvia did and saw each day of the experience.  Plath went into the month extremely excited to become a posh New Yorker.  She spent a good amount of her money on buying just the right clothes.  These clothes would be sophisticated without trying too hard to make her fit in.  She was ready and excited to see the culture of the city.  Yet this summer wound up being the summer Sylvia wrote so truthfully about in The Bell Jar.

Winder uses excerpts from Plath's letters and journal, as well as interviews from her fellow editors.  All of these portray Plath as a young woman who believed that females could be both smart and beautiful.  She was determined to be both.  She was not the pained artist who cared nothing about appearance.  She cared very much about the things that most 20 year old young women care about.  Still, she was quite disappointed and disillusioned by the experience of being a guest editor.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I think that the author did a fantastic job of pulling together various sources to write a detailed description of Sylvia's month in New York.  I really like the organization of the narrative--Winder covers the first week before covering Plath's life before the guest editor position, the carries through to the aftermath of the month in New York.  She uses a lot of quotations from Sylvia's fellow editors, most of whom could not imagine that Sylvia's life would turn out as it did.  Why?  Because she seemed so much like them.  I like the extra features that Winder includes in the book, such as the text boxes that cover in more detail an aspect of Plath's life, such as talking about Plath's love of paper dolls as evidence of her love of fashion, or the chapter entitled "A Dictionary of Adolescence," which defines some important parts of Sylvia's life.

All in all, I think that this is a great book for anyone who is interested in learning more about Sylvia Plath or for anyone who really enjoys The Bell Jar.

Early Buzz about The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

So seriously you guys, after I was done squealing over getting my hands on the e-arc of The Bitter Kingdom, I just finished the book I was reading in no time and moved on to this one, because well, I LOVE this series and Rae Carson's writing and I couldn't wait till August to find out what happens to Elisa and Hector!!

I even conquered my fear of reading the last book in a series for this book. This is the level of love I have for this series!

Here are just some quick first reactions upon reading The Bitter Kingdom (a full review will be posted closer to the release date on my personal blog):

-OMG, I just love Elisa! She's such an awesome character and I'm still wowed by how much she's grown over the course of this series!

-HECTOR! *swoon* *sigh* *generally all the things*

-The Inviernos are seriously creepy!

-Loved the council of the three queens! I have so much love for Cosme and Alodia, they are awesome and YES to the women being in power!

I don't want to spoil anything but I do have to say that I am fully satisfied with this ending except for the fact that I'm infinitely sad the series has ended! (This is a plea to Rae Carson to write more books, pretty please?)

You can pre-order this book here and YES YOU WANT TO!

And if you have also had the honor of reading this book early, please let me know! I'm DYING to talk about this book because it brought ALL THE FEELINGS!

My rating: 5+ stars

Bridget Reviews Stalking You Now

Title: Stalking You Now

Author: Jeff Strand

Published: February 2013, DarkFuse

Summary (from Goodreads): The reprehensible man sits in the restaurant. Laughing with his friends. Entertaining them with a story about his wretched behavior.

He doesn't know that somebody at another table is watching him. Somebody filled with hatred. Somebody waiting for him to be alone. Somebody with duct tape and a gun.

It's a night for vengeance. And a hell of a lot more.

Review: This is a cute little novelette that I got from NetGalley. I’m totally into dark, thriller-y type things, so I thought this would be right up my alley. Don’t get me wrong, I was correct, but not for the reasons I thought.

Like I said (and like you would also think from the description), I thought it would be a dark thriller. Instead, it was more of a dark comedy, and definitely the kind that makes you say, “Wait, what??” and turn back to what you just read to make sure you didn’t read wrong. I thought it was a really clever plot: the guy with the duct tape and gun is the narrator, stalking the “reprehensible man.” However, you’re hit with a twist right away: the reprehensible man is not, objectively, so reprehensible; while you start out thinking that the stalker is seeking justified vengeance, you soon discover that it’s quite the opposite.

I can’t say much more about this without revealing major plot points, and since it probably works out to about 50 paper pages (I read it on my iPad), I imagine it won’t take anyone much more than an hour or so to read.

Bottom Line: I thought this was a pretty good little story. I thought the narrator’s voice was hilarious, and really enjoyed reading it.

I’d recommend this book for: Anyone who needs to amuse themselves for an hour or so with a darkly comedic, thriller-ish story.

Rating: 4 stars