BOOK TO BOOK: CREATIVE OR CROOK PT.1

Two posts in one day?!?!
Crazy!

Just thought I would take a second to get some things off of my mind plus another book review. And I am also going to starting a new monthly post Book to Book: Creative or Crook! I will be doing these once a month comparing one book to another with similar plots/characters/tone!

First off, I know I am going to get some slack for this but Frozen is really starting to drive me bonkers. I see stores over run with the stuff. Yes I understand that Anna and Elsa are the newest Disney princesses but seriously... I work in a store and we are flooded with Frozen. Now again don't get me wrong, I was probably the same way with the older ones. But if I have to hear Let It Go one more time I may have to let some expletives go.

Second, what is with the serious lack in decent non-cheese fest horror movies lately? I really want just a decent scare, maybe some messing with my head yet none seem to do it.

Last but definitely not least.... Supernatural. I am completely obsessed. I have even found myself looking for signs of the paranormal in my real life, although I know some of it is just for the show. And I can't help it if I see a '67 Chevy Impala and my heart drops and I pray that its Sam and Dean with Castiel or Crowley sitting in the back seat. I also can't help that my every day morning routine involves checking Facebook to Misha Collins to see the posts from set..

And now on to the best part!
ANOTHER REVIEW!!

I know I am kind of late on the bandwagon for this one but I picked it off of my shelf and though meh, why not. As a fan of the movie I never really thought much about it but I was pleasantly surprised.

Here is my review of Warm Bodies By Isaac Marion.

Now a lot people may be saying it was just like a zombie Twilight and I will say there are some similarities. Lets look shall we.

FIRST ROUND!

 VS

In Warm Bodies, there is Julie and R. R is dead while Julie is living. In Twilight Edward is dead and Bella is dead boring *cough*  I mean living. 

Score: Warm Bodies. While both sets of couple have the same kind of relationship, one is attached to the other in an unnatural fashion and the other is somewhat unwilling to make a move. R and Julie have by far more to contribute to an actual relationship. 

ROUND 2!

PLOT!

Now we all know what Twilight's plot is like. Boy meets girl, boys stalks girl, boy is dead,girl doesn't care blah blah blah. in Warm Bodies, Boy meets girl, boy eats girls boyfriend's brain and boy falls in love through boyfriends memories. 

Score: Again I have to say Warm Bodies. While I admire Edward's persistence in attempting to win over Bella, R and Julie just sort of happened. Although it is an unreal concept I felt that Julie and R's romance was less forced and less "oh hey you were the first one to look at me i love you". Julie and R's romance was more of a actual love story. 

Round 3!

LOVE TRIANGLES!

I am a sucker for a decent love triangle. One that puts parts of a girls personality against each other. For example everyone was always team Edward or team Jacob, Edward being the part of Bella where she was calm and predictable. Then there was Jacob, the part of her personality where she could be herself and warm. Meanwhile in Warm bodies there is Perry and R. Now Perry was Julie's boyfriend before R. R kind of ate him and his brain. Now you are probably thinking well then how is that a love triangle but it is. Perry did love Julie and after R ate his brain and his memories he remained a large part of why R fell for her. 

Score: I'm actually going to have to give this one to Twilight. To this day i still hear people asking friends whether they were team Edward or Jacob. Even though I do say that Warm Bodies had more of a lasting effect. No major conflict between the two boys but just enough to urge on the love. 

Round 4!

FEMALE LEAD!

VS

Ok.. here is where I get harsh. In Twilight Bella ... Bella is an average, boring, and unrealistically STUPID girl. I was a fan at first thinking oh i am just like her and then I read it again...dear jeebus. Now Julie is quirky and unafraid to speak her mind. I am pretty sure she makes fun of R more then I can remember. 

Score: Warm Bodies without a doubt in my mind. Looking back now i feel dirty for ever thinking that...

just blegh... 

Final Round!

MALE LEAD!

Now there are a ton of similarities including the fact that they are both dead. Edward, a vampire with a perpetual constipated face and can read minds and then there is R, a zombie who can show some emotion and eats minds. Now if we crossed book universes and R ate Bella i would be pleased. Anyways both men have their minds set on one girl, one they believe will change them and they really do. And both females change themselves as well. The boys go from a non-emotional vampire to a semi-emotional not exactly loving vampire and from an intelligent and too worldly to be a zombie to an actual human again. and a human who actually feels emotions. 

With 4 out of 5 wins Warm Bodies trumps Twilight!!!

Overall Warm Bodies differs in a few places from the movie but it is a fantastic read. It is sharp,witty and will have you rooting for them from the start. 

If you enjoy quirky romances with a twist check it out!

Toodles xoxo

Jess

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Hey everyone!
I am back today with another book review! I found this book on a whim while reading a cheesy BuzzFeed list about books you might enjoy if you liked The Fault In our Stars by John Green which happens to be my go to sappy/major feels novel. If I ever need a good cry I will either watch the last few Harry Potter movies (Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, Remus and most importantly Dobby the free elf.... oh the feels) or I will read TFIOS (when Isaac freaks I bawl). But this novel was quite a while down the list but I instantly became intrigued. As soon as i could i made my way to Goodreads and added it to my shelves. Not expecting too much from it as an overall plot, the book genuinely shocked me. I became addicted to it.

Written by the same author as Silver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock quickly became my new favorite novel.

Published last August, this novel is a must read for those who want a charming, yet eerie kind of novel that makes you feel everything you would want to. Whether it was Leonard's desperation for someone to simply say Happy Birthday, or his love for his favorite teacher who becomes an unlikely ally. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and how much it really makes you root for Leonard. The book gets rather dark quite fast but gets so much better, and a small bit more positive.

WARNING!!SPOILER ALERT!!

Centered around 18-year old Leonard Peacock the novel tells the tale of his plan to kill his enemy, who we learn was actually his old best friend, and also to kill himself. It is Leonard's eighteenth birthday and no one knows. His mother, a fashion designer who left him alone to sleep with " this French guy who loves sex", completely forgets about him. Not even his neighbor Walt, a Humphrey Bogart super fan, remembers. He plans on leaving different gifts for those who he liked, his friends and of course his mother before he commits suicide. He leaves his mother his hair which he chopped off and left in his fridge as a nasty surprise. .

            After all of the gifts are given and the day is through it was time for the final step, suicide.

This book has quite the twist and it makes it worth the read. I would recommend this novel to anyone who needs a fresh perspective. I urge you to spend just a few hours in Leonard's head and I guarantee you will walk away knowing something good will happen. No matter how bad your situation is, or how bad it ever was, reading this will make you see how good things do happen even in the darkest of points.

Overall i gave this a 4.5/5 stars on Goodreads... the half star because it ended. I WANT MORE!


Look forward to hearing feedback!
Feel free to follow me on twitter for more book reviews and more!
@Jessi_P
Or on Goodreads! I am always looking for a new favorite!
@Jess
Toodles xox

642 Things to Write About!!

Hey all!
It feels like forever since i have posted! but i recently found my copy of 642 Things to Write About by The San Francisco Writers' Grotto and thought what a challenge!

Here is my first challenge. Enjoy!

What Can Happen In a Single Second

What happens in a single second depends on the person. In a single second a love could be found or a love could be lost. In a single second someone could steal away everything good in your life and make living much more difficult. In a single second you could be stolen and held in a unbelievable situation.

A young girl, starting her first year of college far away from her small, dirty, remote town. She is new to the area. She is new to her life away from her family. Her father was always overprotective and never let her leave, she was a captive in her own home.She walks into her co-ed dorm not believing that she was finally away. Good looking guys with perfect abs peeking through their overly tight t-shirts and jeans that fit just right, and tall gorgeous girls with their hair perfectly curled all walked past her. She envied the perfect nature of their beauty. She wanted to be like them. In a single second she became a shell of her former self.

An older man, sitting alone in his house. Where his family once sat around the kitchen table, now lies a pile of burnt paper and rotted wood. Where the bedroom used to have clothes and beds now lies a pile of rubble. In a single second, a forgotten cigarette, and a dropped glass of beer he lost his entire family.

An elderly lady lays in her hospital bed connected to countless wires and tubes. She remembers her life. Her first dance where the cutest boy in school danced with her and her first sleepover. She remembers her father's rough hands after hours of hard work and his tight hugs that she missed dearly. She remembers her mother's corn bread, the recipe written on an old, ripped and yellowed sheet of paper. She remembers her children, each one with a distinct personality, now with children of their own. She misses her life away from the hospital. Her husband, once with dark hair, the color of the old bark on the willow tree beside the river, where they had their first date, is now greyed with age, sits beside her holding her hand for dear life. Her family stands around her smiling with tears in their eyes. In a single second all of the pain and suffering is gone.

A little girl, shy and nervous for her first day of school. She anxiously tugs at her mothers arm,not wanting her to leave. She reluctantly leaves and walks into her classroom. Fast forward 18 years and she tugs at her mother's arm, nervous for the big day. She is nervous but grateful because if it wasn't for that first day of school all those years ago, she would have never met the love of her life. As a lifetime ends, as children, as teenagers, now as an adult, they begin a brand new life. in a single second she becomes his.

A shy girl, just moved in with her first love and working hard to keep her mind off of her past. She worked nights at a dead end job that she never liked, and never had anytime to herself. She gets a call, telling her to be ready to leave, with no information or anything. Her mother and aunt come to get her and they rush to a hospital an hour away. They sit in the parking lot and she learns that her father is not doing well, he's not going to make it. She goes in and holds her dad's hand and tells him she loves him. In a single second we lose love,we lose family, we lose our past and look forward to the future.

A single second can make or break anyone. Whether it is good or bad we must learn to accept what we can't change and move forward.

Toodles xoxox

Jess

“All is as if the world did cease to exist. The city's monuments go unseen, its past unheard, and its culture slowly fading in the dismal sea.” -Nathan Reese Maher

I can not explain my fascination with abandoned buildings, 
They make me imagine stories that once took place there. 
Stories of far off times, 
Interesting people with secrets no one will know.
Furniture that probably witnessed unspeakable action, 
If only the walls could talk. 

Would they spill the secrets hidden behind the peeling wallpaper, 
or guard them with heavy hearts.

(http://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/abandoned-cinema.jpg)

Imagine the secrets a movie theater holds. The nervous sweat of a new couple on their first date, and the smell of long stale popcorn. The hollow screams from horror fans, terrified that the creature will devour them. 

Imagine the stories it once contained. A wife scared to tell her husband of a miscarriage, the husband hoping she never knows he poisoned her. A couple having a date night. She is afraid of his brother and hes hoping she will go home with him, just for her brother to murder them both in their sleep. 

 (http://www.123inspiration.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/abandoned-buildings-mathias-haker-31.jpg)

An empty room with everything intact is a thing of beauty. Was the person rushed out by a nuclear attack or forced to leave when she learned that her ex-husband put a mob hit on her. 

The bed, now covered in moss, what memories were made? Late nights staying up talking? Last goodbyes made? 

(http://indulgd.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/002-abandoned-buildings-matthias-haker.jpg)

When a room is left, furniture and all it makes me happy. The memories and all of the moments of pure joy or hatred swirl through even the image itself.

How many books were read in the fading light of a summer sunset after a long day spent outdoors. How many hearts were broken and looking for a spot to mourn, left their tear stain on the window ledges until they were soaked. How many children's first memories involved these windows, which were once clear and pristine. 

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/09/13/article-2419814-1BCAFD11000005DC-253_964x599.jpg)

The doors lead into a dark history. a murderer? An insane doctor hell bent on revenge? Human testing?

Can you imagine the screams that once filled these halls, from botched surgeries and mistakes no one wanted. The wheels of old rusted wheelchairs leaving the ghostly sound of their rotted rubber tires. The sounds of the screaming kids scared when the doctor pulled out a needle. The needle presses into the flesh, leaving the kid vulnerable and scared. 

I hope I didn't creep too many people out. If you have any more creepy abandoned places feel free to contact me on:

Twitter

Facebook

or

Google+

Toodles xoxo

Jess

P.S Double book review to come soon :) 

“I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday.” - Kris Kristofferson

Nostalgia.

When you see or hear something that reminds you of days past.

A song.
A picture.
A toy.
Anything.

It brings back a small piece of a time gone and makes the feelings rush back.
Whether they are good
or bad.
They are there.

Realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I cannot believe it has been 5 years since we lost her. 
The feeling of being in her presence, being able to see her shining smile and bright eyes,
it is truly something I miss dearly. 

I miss the way she would cheat at Go-Fish, sneaking a peek at your cards when she claims to see a bird.
I miss the way she danced in her wheelchair, moving her arms like a fool but still managing to make us laugh.
I miss the phone calls that were a joy to have, talking about random things while Papa was sound asleep snoring in the background. 

Most of all I miss her voice calling me sweetie, or calling her daughters by the wrong names.
I miss her little bits of sudden laughter out of nowhere. 
I miss her stories. 

She was the most amazing woman I ever had the chance to know. 

I miss you Gramma<3 





As many know, its been a rough time without her and we all miss her dearly. But as i know and as do many members of my family she is always with us.  

Toodles xoxo

Jess <3 

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” ― Cicero

Another book, 
Another rainy day. 
Perfect weather for the end of...

No Place Like Oz By Danielle Paige

What an ending!! I found myself shocked at Dorothy, I never thought I would say that. I assumed that her side of the story would be about how sweet little Dorothy Gale found her way back to Oz and befriended the Princess Ozma and boy was I wrong. Sure she was a tyrant in Dorothy Must Die but I went into this book with an open mind. She was seriously a spoiled brat!! I mean it. 

After Aunt Em made her a new dress for her 16th birthday her serious greed was obvious. She wanted more and more and would not stop until she got it. After receiving a mysterious gift from Glinda, the good witch, she was brought back to Oz along with both Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. Dorothy, who was more self centered than I previous imagined, never thought of her aunt and uncle. They wanted to go back to Kansas to their lives but Dorothy wanted to stay in Oz forever. 

After learning that Glinda was missing she enlisted the help of the scarecrow. He told her to become somewhat friends with Ozma but to lie to her about her true reason, to find Glinda. Dorothy began to mess with magic... bad idea. She became someone who was never satisfied, always wanting more. After everything Ozma tried to do for her and her family, Dorothy continue to lie to her. After Ozma planned a "do-over" birthday party Dorothy snapped. She was no longer the scared girl who wanted nothing more then to go home in the movie/book, she was a monster. A power hungry monster. 

I don't want to give too much away about the plot but seriously this was a much needed, satisfying prequel to Dorothy Must Die. I would love to see Ozma's story as well. The characters in both books were superb. Although I of course didn't like Dorothy I seen her torment when her aunt and uncle refused to give Oz a fighting chance. Over all I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for more. (NOVEMBER!!)

4.5/5 stars just because Dorothy is a brat. 

First impressions: 

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer By Michelle Hodkin

After see this book on a YouTube video i was intrigued. I really liked the cover and the book-tuber really seemed to enjoy it. I am always looking for a book to make me think and to really mess with my head and from what I can tell this will be good. 

The book starts with 3 girls using a Ouija board asking how the one friend would die. It started on the M, and past the U and continued to spell out Mara, the girls name.

What an entrance! 

I was sucked in right away. I really like the cover as well, its almost creepy and romantic. 

That is all for now. As always if you have any recommendations for me feel free to message me on twitter or Facebook!!

Toodles xox 

Jess

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” ― Dr. Seuss

What a feeling.
Finishing something.
Be it a book,
A special project,
A fantastic meal.
anything.

I just finished an amazing book. I enjoyed it so much I read it twice. It may very well tie Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children as one of my favorite books.

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige.

What can I say? i loved it and at the same time hated it, you know the typical emotions when reading an amazing book. You love the story and characters so much that by the end you hate it because its over. I wanted more and more as I continued to read. THAT ENDING!!!!! I now can not wait until the second novel comes out. 

Danielle's writing was phenomenal. Her words flowed and made the book thoroughly enjoyable. The characters were well executed and Dorothy was not only herself, as we know her in the movie and the original books, but you grew to be disgusted at her acts as the reigning "Princess". The Tin Woodman, The Cowardly (not so much) lion and the Scarecrow were characters like none others, creating both an understandable anguish and sheer terror for the main characters. The main character, Amy, was sneaky and charming. Her will to help others that needed it as well as her friendships forged throughout the story made her one to root for. When Amy was scared for Jellia, the head maid I was genuinely upset for her, she was a true friend. 

I really enjoyed the interaction with the main character with the secondary characters as well. I felt what I like to describe as make believe friendships with them. For example Nox, the stoic yet somehow sweet trainer. He trained Amy to fight and the kiss... woah. I knew that there had to be some romance in the novel and to be honest I was expecting it to be Pete, who turns out wasn't who I thought he/she was. (SPOILER!) 

Overall I really liked the book and I cannot wait until the second in the series comes out. I will for sure get it when it is out. 

Rating: 5/5 

First Impressions:

No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige

I literally can't get enough of Oz. First Dorothy Must Die and now this. This novella takes place 2 years after Dorothy returns from Oz. She was a wonder when she came back but now that the attention has worn off her large ego is shrinking. She no longer has friends in Kansas, aunt Em thinks shes crazy and even her chicken is acting weird. Its her 16th birthday and all the people who don't like her show up and do nothing but all they do is ignore her. 

I'm not to sure about this one yet. I am only a little bit in and to be honest Dorothy is a major pain. I rooted for Amy to kill her because her ego and her attitude made me cringe. You know those girls in high school who are always primping, always looking for a way to make people feel bad, like Regina George from Mean Girls, that is what Dorothy reminds me of. Sometimes I just want to reach into the book and tell her to shut up.  But I think that is the feeling Danielle was going for. Make the evil character something relate-able yet someone to hate. 

That's all for now :) 

If you have a book recommendation for me just message me on Facebook or Twitter. 

Toodles xoxo

Jess