Movie Review: Miss Heregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Rating: PG-13

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

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Hello, everyone! So today is a day that I have been looking forward to all month and pretty much ever since I first read the book about a year or two ago. The release day of the Miss Peregrine movie. GET ME TO A THEATER NOW!!!

I literally just now got back from seeing the movie and immediately hopped onto my laptop to write this review up for you guys since I'm so darn excited about talking about this movie I can't contain it any longer. I hope you guys enjoy my review of the movie so please enjoy!

1. The first thing I seriously freaking LOVED about the movie was the casting. I honestly can't picture any other actor playing any of the characters. They were all so well cast that the actors pretty much became their characters and I thought that was just awesome. They really brought the characters to life and gave them the perfect on-screen personalities that made them such unique characters in the book. I have to say my favorite portrayal was that of Miss Peregrine herself. I might just be a tad bit of a fangirl when it comes to Eva Green and her awesomeness . . .

So yes, I quite liked the cast a lot. Especially Eva Green. She's perfect.

2. Can we just talk about those Hollows though? They were seriously SO COOL and creepy, but still VERY COOL. They looked exactly like how I pictured them in my head while reading the book and my brother noted they looked like something straight out of Silent Hill. Which I was very happy about since the Hollows aren't exactly the most cuddly creatures. They eat eyeballs for goodness sake. The editing for all the other effects such as the kids' superpowers, the giant literal bomb dropping, the action scenes, and all the little details in between was so fun to watch play out on screen and it felt like I was glued to the screen the entire time I was watching. 

3. The movie was just so entertaining and worth every second of it. I thought the pace was great, although a little bit of a weird jump from event to event in the beginning of the movie but it wasn't anything to ruin the movie itself. There were also some subtle changes to the characters such as changing the ages of Olivia, Hugh, and Fiona, switching the powers of Emma and Olivia, and changing up a few details and the way some events play out but once again, nothing huge and actually some of the differences made sense in hindsight for the film. I think even if you aren't a fan of the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, this movie is totally a great one to see if you love sci-fi, action, mystery, adventure stories.

4. I think the only problem I really had with the film which I'm actually not mad about was the way the movie ended. If you've read the book, the last few chapters set up the story for the second book in the series, Hollow City, which takes place just after the first books ends. The ending of the movie was pretty different from the actual book and while it was pretty neat to watch the new ending and be surprised, I really wish the movie had been left open for a sequel should the studio go ahead with making a second installment in the film series. As of right now, there isn't any talk of a sequel that I've heard about but it would have been nice to have the movie end with the hope of a sequel since I seriously want a sequel. Like, right now.

Overall, I really loved the movie though the book was better. Then again, the book is always better so it's not surprising. I think huge mega fans of the series will love this movie since I'm pretty much obsessed with the books and I was dying to see the movie ever since it was announced that it was in development. I think people who haven't even read or heard of the books could really enjoy the movie and find at least one thing they loved about the film. I'm a huge Tim Burton fan so I might just be biased in saying it's one of his greatest films but I don't care. Tim Burton is a mastermind and I think he did an amazing job of capturing everything I loved about the book for a screen adaptation.

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So I hope you guys enjoyed my little mini-review of the movie and let me know what you thought about the movie if you saw it in the comments! I would love to know! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

September Book Haul and Wrap-Up!

Hello, everyone! Today I have my monthly book haul and wrap-up which I'm super excited to share with you all! I bought a few books to treat myself since it's been a while since I bought a few books online in one big order and thanks to a friend, I found a new site I wanted to try out called Thrift Books and long story short, I plan on ordering many more books from them in the future!

So, let's start with all of the books! Who doesn't love books, right?

The first books I'll start with are all the ones I was sent for review and I'm super excited about all of them and can't wait to read them all. 

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REVIEW COPIES:

Useless Bay by M.J. Beaufrand

Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne

It's Not Your Journey by Rebecca Lombardo

A Fabrication Of The Truth by Katie Kaleski

The Row by J.R. Johansson

The Rearranged Life by Annika Sharma

Everyday Magic by Emily Albright

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing

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BOUGHT BOOKS:

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen #2) -Barnes & Noble- Gift from a friend

So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti - Dollar Tree - $1

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell  -Barnes & Noble- $9

Royally Lost by Angie Stanton -Thrift Books- $4

How My Summer Went Up In Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski -Thrift Books- $3.50

Pizza, Love and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous by Kathryn Williams -Thrift Books- $3.50

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AUDIOBOOKS:

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket (ASOUE #7) -Audible- Free

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CD's/Vinyls:

Mansion by NF (Digital Download) -Google Play- $5

Pentatonix (Delux Editon) Vinyl- Amazon- $14

Handwritten by Shawn Mendes (Vinyl) -Amazon- $12 (gift for a friend)

Hairspray Original Broadway Cast Recording (CD) -Thrift Store- $1 (gift for a friend)

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Now that the haul is through, once again that was a lot to type, here are all the books I read this month including a book I'm currently reading and am almost finished with. I'm so happy that I was able to read so many books this month since last month I didn't do as well as I had hoped I would. Anyhoo, here are all the books! Yay for more books!

WRAP-UP:

 

Petrified by Olaf Moriarty Solstrand

Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne (The Nova Project #1)

It's Not Your Journey by Rebecca Lombardo

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket (ASOUE #7)

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Nika: A Seychatka Novella by D.H. Gibbs

Extraordinary October by Diana Wagman

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing

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So that's it for this month's haul! I probably went a little too crazy with the book buying and review copies but I'm super darn excited to read them all! Plus, look at all those awesome covers! How could I turn them away? It's just not right! Anyhoo, I hope you guys enjoyed this book haul! What did you buy this month? I would seriously love to know so leave it in the comments. Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Playlist #3: TFIOS Inspired Playlist!

Hello, my lovelies! Since I've been listening to a ton of new music lately, I've been wanting to compile some of my new favorite songs at the moment into a playlist but I wasn't sure which book I wanted to inspire the entire playlist. After a few days of weighing out my options, I decided to make a TFIOS inspired playlist!

I've already made playlists inspired by The Lunar Chronicles and one for when you're feeling THE FEELS big time so feel free to check those out if you want! I'm really excited to make a playlist inspired by this book so I hope you all enjoy the songs I've chosen for the playlist. If you have any suggestions on other books and series I should a playlist for, PLEASE let me know in the comments! 

Now onto the tunes!

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1. The Obvious Choice

2. My Thoughts Are Stars

3. Slowly, Then All At Once

4. Rollercoaster That Only Goes Up

5. Little Infinity

6. Funky Bones

7. It's A Metaphor

8. Not A Wish Granting Factory

9. Okay?

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So that's it for this playlist! I really hope you guys enjoyed this fun little post and if you listen to any of these songs, please comment below what your favorite track was! I would LOVE to know! Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

Review: A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Add It To Goodreads!

Rating: PG

Genre: Contemporary

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 270

Stand Alone

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Published: August 26th, 2014

The distinctive new crowdsourced publishing imprint Swoon Reads proudly presents its first published novel—an irresistibly sweet romance between two college students told from 14 different viewpoints.

The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out.

But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship.

Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together.... 

Rating:

PROS:

1. So for the past couple of years, I've heard so much hype about this book and how amazing it was and cute and just an all around good book and I needed to read it right now. However, I for whatever reason didn't rush to get to it. It sounded like it was a fun book to read and one I might want to add to my collection but I just never picked it up. Finally, though, I decided to order a copy when I saw it was on sale since I'm a sucker for cheap books and a few days later, it was in my possession. Now that you know this relatively boring story, here's the review!

2. As soon as I started reading the book, I was already digging it. I think I was pretty much sold on the story when I got to one chapter of the book that was told from the point of view of a squirrel. Like, yes! The viewpoints in this book make it so entertaining to read because everyone is so different, including the bench and the squirrel. They were quirky, funny, sarcastic, and thought differently about everything except for how much they all wanted for Gabe and Lea to be together. I found myself laughing out loud at Victor's snarky comments about them, the squirrel who loved his acorns, of course, the bench, and everyone else had something humorous to offer.

3. I thought the characters were really fun as well. Lea and Gabe were both very shy for different reasons around each other but both were smart, great writers and have supportive friends who pushed them to get out of their comfort zones in order to talk to each other and speak more than three words. It was really fun to get to know all the side characters of the story as they watch Lea and Gabe and give their own thoughts and opinions on the interactions between them. I loved that the main characters of the story didn't get to tell their own story which was refreshing and definitely different than most books.

4. I loved how fun and witty, romantic and sweet this book was. It was a quick read, an entertaining one, and the perfect book for anyone looking for something light and fluffy. I think this would be a nice book to read around fall or winter but it's great to read any time of year as well. This book has a lot to offer with its unique characters and fun storyline and plot that I really enjoyed.

The only reason I didn't give this book a five-star rating is because I just didn't love it. I really, really liked it, but just didn't LOVE it. I think it might have gotten a little slow at times and while the romance and chemistry between Lea and Gabe was there, I just needed a little something more to really hook me in and I just didn't get that. I still really liked it but I would have liked just something extra to make me swoon. Get it? Because it's published by SWOON Reads? . . . No . . . okay.

So that's it for this review! If any of you have read the book, who was your favorite character and why? Read on, bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

The Review Chain: It's Not Your Journey by Rebecca Lombardo + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

It's Not Your Journey by Rebecca Lombardo

Add It To Goodreads!

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Non-Fiction, Autobiography

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 210

Publisher: Pubkick

Published: August 21st, 2015

In her first published work, Rebecca Lombardo collects her internationally followed blog into the pages of “It’s Not Your Journey”. The memoir candidly details Rebecca’s two year long chronicle of her struggles with Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Self-Injury, and recovery from a Suicide attempt. Rebecca shares her very real, raw feelings on these subjects, as well as addressing other issues that have contributed to her downward spiral and eventual climb out of her own pit of despair. Issues such as the loss of her mother to lung cancer, the death of her brother, abandonment from friends and family members due to her hospitalization, and more.

Rating:

PROS:

1. So first off, I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by the author so a huge thank you to Rebecca and Joe Lombardo for the review copy! This review is part of The Review Chain, which is made up of a few different bloggers from around the globe who read and review select books throughout the month. This month I'm reviewing It's Not You Journey and if you want to learn more about The Review Chain, be sure to check out the link HERE! Now onto the review!

2. I don't read a ton of non-fiction books but from time to time I do pick one up just to step out of my comfort zone and read something different if I think it might be of interest and worth reading. This book was something that caught my attention and I'm really glad I ended up reading this one. This book follows the story of Rebecca and her journey with living with mental illness that includes depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and Bipolar-Disorder. All of these are bad enough on their own but for them to all interact with each other makes for an emotional roller coaster ride and Rebecca tells her story. This book is such an eye opener into what it means to live with these mental illnesses and what really goes on in someone's head who deals with such things.

3. I loved that Rebecca made points to define what differentiates certain mental illnesses and also highlights that mental illness isn't something that people can just 'get over'. Mental illness is something that not many people actually understand and the author helps those to understand just how they affect people living with such things as depression and anxiety as well as PTSD, which is another form of mental illness that affects people who haven't actually served in the armed forces at all. I learned a lot about mental illness that I didn't know before and even found some chapters to be very helpful with understanding them.

4. It was also interesting to read about as Rebecca talked about in her book how she dealt with loss, grief, and self-harm and struggled to find people who she could actually trust. It was crazy to see how many people she thought she could trust ended up leaving her as she went through her darkest times and she learned the hard way that not everyone is worth having in your life. I think this book offers a lot of valuable lessons and insight on mental illness for people who don't fully understand how it affects people on different levels.

5. I myself deal with anxiety and while mine isn't anything crippling, it still affects me in a certain way and Rebecca's story helped me to personally understand my own anxiety. I think this book is definitely worth reading for those who also live with mental illness as it might help them to understand themselves a little better. This book doesn't only talk about her struggles with depression and self-harm but it also deals with such subjects as body-image, self-esteem, setting realistic goals for yourself every day and much more. I highly recommend this one if you want to learn more about these subjects from a real person and not just general information.

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I'm 42 years old and I've been happily married to my best friend for 14 years. I've known that I wanted to be an author since I was very young. I grew up in Michigan with my amazing parents, and 5 older siblings. My husband and I don't have children, but we do have 5 cats that we adore. They are all rescues. I feel very strongly about being an advocate for animals. I enjoy watching movies, sports, and all sorts of television shows. I love to read when I can find the time, and I fancy myself an amateur photographer. I write a blog detailing the struggles I've endured in my life due to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. I have finally achieved my dream of writing a book. It's Not Your Journey is based on my blog of the same title.

Author Links:

Website

Facebook

Pinterest

Instagram

Google +

Twitter

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Review: Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne + Playlist + Favorite Quotes & GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, my fellow booknerds! Today is my stop on the blog tour for Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne hosted by Fantastic Flying Book Club and I'm really happy to be a part of this tour! If the cover alone doesn't interigue you, hopefully my review of this little guy will.

As always, I'll start by saying that I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. Now that we have that out of the way, let's move on, shall we?

Down below I have compiled a few of my favorite quotes from the book as well as the review, of course which you can read to get my thoughts on the book. Also, there is a playlist that I created which I hope you guys will enjoy listening to and last but not least, a GIVEAWAY! Let's get the show on the road!

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Add It To Goodreads!

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Science Fiction, Gaming, Fantasy

Score: ❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 496

Book #1 of The Nova Project series

Publisher: Greenwillow

Published: September 13th, 2016

The planet is dying. Centuries of abuse have damaged the earth beyond repair, and now all the authorities can do is polish the surface, make the landscape look pretty to hide the disease within. Two prominent yet mysterious businessmen couldn’t fix it, either, but they did something even better. Together, they invented Chimera, the most complex and immersive virtual reality video game the world has ever known. The Cubes in which Chimera is played quickly became a fixture of this landscape: part distraction, part hospital, and almost wholly responsible for holding up the failing world economy.

Miguel Anderson is also dying. He isn’t the only one who plays the game–everybody does–but Miguel has more reason than most: When players leave their Cubes for the day, the upgrades and enhancements they’ve earned for their virtual characters leave with them. New lungs to breathe poisoned air, skin that won’t burn under the sun are great and everything… but Miguel, born as broken as the earth, needs a new heart–and soon–if he wants any hope of surviving just a little longer.

Then the two Gamerunners announce a competition, with greater rewards and faster progression than ever before, and Miguel thinks his prayers have been answered. All he needs to do is get picked to lead a team, play the game he’s spent years getting good at, and ask for his prize when he wins. Simple, really.

At first, things seem to go according to plan. Mostly, anyway. Inside his Cube, with his new team–including his best friend–at his back, Miguel begins his quest. He plays recklessly, even dangerously, for someone whose most vital organ could give up at any moment, but his desperation makes him play better than ever. The eyes of the world are on him, watching through status updates and live feeds, betting on his chances. With greater rewards, though, come greater risks, and the Gamerunners seem to delight at surprising the competitors at every turn. As he ventures deeper into a world that blends the virtual and the real to an unsettling degree, Miguel begins to wonder just why the game was invented at all, and whether its stakes could be even higher than life and death.

Review:

PROS:

1. Okay, I'm honestly a sucker for a book based on video games or gaming of any sort. I think it's partly because all my friends are gamers and I've been sucked into that world for a few years now and every day I get a little more and more obsessed with games. I just adore them! So, when I first heard people talking about this book, I was interested by the cover. I mean, it's so darn cool. When I had the chance to potentially review the book, I jumped at it and crossed my fingers in hopes I would be able to do just that and long story short, I'm happy to show you guys my review for this book! Let's get started.

2. I really loved the world of Chimera and the 'real world' in which the characters lived. To be honest, they were both pretty scary worlds even though one had advanced technology and one was the advanced technology. The real world in the book was very much a fake one where even the plants such as trees and grass weren't even real, only holographs and illusions made by their advanced tech. People didn't know what simple things such as wheat looked like, didn't know what it meant to grow something from the ground, and a lot of people walked around with robotic hands, fingers, arms, you name it, all earned in the game of Chimera. The game itself was complex with it's constantly changing simulations bringing the characters into a virtual version of deserts, countryside, even the city. It was really neat and easy to picture in my head which kept me hooked.

3. The characters were all interesting as well. Miguel is a person who doesn't give up easily and he's very much a problem solver. Sometimes he lets himself go off course but he's always quick to get back on track. Miguel has a medical condition that keeps him from living to the fullest and he's slowly dying but he doesn't let that stop him from playing Chimera since he's natually just a driven person. I also really liked his friends both in the real world and in the game. A couple of them were slightly jerks but also had redeeming factors while playing the game. There was some nice chacacter development that I liked and it kept me dedicated to the characters while reading.


4. The book is fast-paced when it comes to the game-play and full of action as the characters battle their way through Chimera. It's a lot of fun to read and I think if you like gaming or just like books about gaming, this book is something I think you should consider picking up. I especially think that this would be the perfect gift for someone who's a fan of video games even if they're not big on reading. I also really liked that it had simliarities to The Maze Runner which I LOVED and reminded me a little of things such as Sword Art Online, Ender's Game, and The Giver. Overall, I just really enjoyed it as it had a lot to offer such as twists and turns, some mystery, and suspense.  

The reason I didn't give this book a five-star rating is because at times the book did get a bit slow and I found myself wishing it would pick up the pace even just a tad. I also thought the ending was a little too rushed and could've used another chapter or two to wrap up the book and set up the story for the sequel. Long story short, I quite liked this one. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository

iTunes

Read An Excerpt!

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About The Author:

YA sci-fi/cyberpunk writer. Fan of words and music and chocolate. Represented by Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management. My first novel, CODA, will be out Spring 2013 from Running Press Kids, and its sequel, CHORUS, will be released the following year.

Author Links:

Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Facebook

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Blogger's Choice Playlist!

I'm so super darn excited to share another playlist with you guys since it's always so fun to compile a list of songs together that remind me of a book whether it's by the lyrics or if it's simply the tone or tempo of the song. Here I have put together a little playlist for Gamescape so I hope you all enjoy the songs I picked out! Enjoy!

HEIST by Lindsey Stirling

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RUNNING GUNS by Alyssa Reid

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C'EST LA VIE by Eppic

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PEOPLE LIKE US by Kelly Clarkson


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BRIGHTER by Against The Current

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Follow The Tour!

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