Movie Review: City of Bones

Am I the only one who thinks it's surreal that just last year, we were freaking out over casting news and scouring the web for set pictures, and now the actual movie is actually out...? Like- in theaters.

Yeah, it's cray-cray.

I apologize in advance for how unorganized this following review will be. The thing is, I just have way too many feels about this movie to try and organize it into a coherent, well-written review so this random list of thoughts and such is what you're going to get instead. :)

I didn't have time for a re-read prior to seeing the movie but I thought that the movie captured all the key scenes very well. If they had lost some of the small moments in between, it wasn't big enough to notice. The pacing was very fast and full of action. There was literally not a moment of down time and I loved that. 

The cast was wonderful. Any other argument is invalid. Lily Collins played a great Clary- I'm normally not a huge Clary fan, but I really enjoyed her portrayal. To those who doubted Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace, eat your words now because he was absolutely fantastic! And the chemistry between the two.... Let's just say that I am not an adamant shipper of Clace in the books, but I was squealing and flailing like crazy every time they had a Moment in the movie 

Other character-related thoughts

• Really enjoyed seeing more Simon-Isabelle interaction. Give. Me. More.
• I had my doubts about Kevin Zegers as Alec, but he nailed it!
• "Godfrey Gao more like Godfrey WOW." Amiright? That being said, I feel like the movie took away some of Magnus's flair and humor. He was more intense and badass, which was nice, but I really missed his flippant side. Hopefully they can bring out more of that in the later movies.
• Lena Headey totally kicked ass.... in the moments before she lost consciousness, yes, but still.
• Hodge's story line was slightly altered. I liked it, and I'm really interested in seeing how it continues. 
• Jonathon Rhys Meyers.... Well. He definitely took his own spin on Valentine- slightly more madman-esque and creepy. Brilliant portrayal but. Please. Lose. The. Braids. Just. No. 

Overall, though, I think the characters lost a lot of their normal humor and wit in the translation to movie form. There were a lot of great direct quotes from the book (which my inner fangirl greatly appreciated) but I really missed Isabelle's flippant sass and the ever-enjoyable Jace-Simon banter.

The special effects were great- especially in terms of how they portrayed the Institute. By far my favorite location in the movie- the Institute's library gave me a good idea of what I want my heaven to look like. The runes looked amazing and I could tell that a lot of detail went into incorporating the runes not only on the shadowhunters but on various artifacts. I personally thought the demons were pretty dang scary.... especially that little demon child. *shudder*

In terms of how well the movie followed the book, Harald Zwart did a great job. I'd say the movie nailed all the major plot points- and I understood the ones that they had to change. 

BUT. THAT. ENDING. The movie differed greatly from the book in terms of the ending, and I am still left with a bunch of conflicting emotions about that. I understood some of the changes that were made, but others kind of disappointed me. 

This is one of the better movie adaptations out there- pretty high up in my list of favorites- but it's not without its faults. I think it definitely helped to have read the book because the world-building was only briefly explained. The pacing was so fast that had I not had prior knowledge of this world, I would have been a little lost. That being said, I did really enjoy this movie and words cannot describe how excited I am for the next one.

RATING: 4 STARS

Last note:

To all the reviews out there calling City of Bones a Twilight wannabe.

Stop.

Just. Stop. 

Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Had Sequels

Hosted over at The Broke and Bookish

Coming up with 10 books for this list was... surprisingly hard.

As I looked back on all the books I'd marked as read on goodreads, I realized just how many of those books were part of a series. Must go out and explore more stand-alone novels. 

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

The whole book was about Amy and Roger coming together and I'd really like to see how they are as a couple.

Death by Denim by Linda Gerber

The ending of this was good, but too open-ended for my liking!! I need to know what happens to my OTP!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

DAT. ENDING.

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

First off, this book was perfect as a stand-alone. I wouldn't change a thing about it. But I love the characters so much that I definitely would not mind a sequel. 

Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

The fairy tale curse aspect is so cool and I definitely think it could be explored further in a sequel or spin-off. (*ahem* I'd particularly love a Beauty and the Beast retelling...)

Reckoning by Lili St. Crow

What even was that ending?!?!?! Endless. Frustration. If ever there should be a sequel for a series that has already ended, it would be for this one.

Sold by Patricia McCormick

I think this as a stand-alone was absolutely perfect. Flawless. But McCormick captured the protagonist's voice and the hell that she was going through so beautifully that I'm sure if she ever decided to write a sequel, it would be equally wonderful. Plus I really would like to know what happens to the protagonist after that ending.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

I loved Remy and Dexter! I'd love to have a whole book to see how these two fair after Remy's in college.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

In my opinion, this is the only Dessen book that really needs a sequel. Hallie and Macon. I just- I WANT SOME ANSWERS, OKAY?

The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

I don't know if this one counts since Marchetta has said that she has an idea for a Jimmy Hailler book in mind, but I haven't heard definitive news about this would-be book yet. 

But I want it. Really, really badly.  

Review: The Eternity Cure

Title: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publication date: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: I recieved a copy by Netgalley in return for an honest review

Rating: 4.5 stars

Goodreads l B&N l Amazon l Book Despository

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

As far as sequels go, I'm glad to say that The Eternity Cure did not disappoint- which was quite a feat considering how much I loved The Immortal Rules. This book made me feel so many things- from anxiety to anticipation to short-lived joy to heartache- that I'm going to have to break down this review piece by piece.

The Characters
Allie. Badass as ever. She is both fierce and fearsome, which makes for a great vampire, yet she also carries vulnerabilities and insecurities, which makes for a great, relatable protagonist. In this book, Allie is really starting to come into her own, accepting and embracing her new vampire life. I'm really excited to see where Kagawa takes this character in the next book. Especially with the way this one ended.....

Zeke. Bookish bad boys better watch out because Ezekial Cross is making the Nice Guy persona very swoon-worthy. My favorite thing about Zeke, aside from his innate goodness is his unwavering loyalty and faith. In that respect, I think he and Allie complement each other very well.

Jackal. Oh, Ms. Kawaga.... what have you done? I think Jackal just became my favorite character in the series!! I loved how I was constantly guessing whether he would end up a hero or a villain. There are little moments when he proves to be a good ally (and great comic relief) but there is always this understanding that he can't be trusted. I guess I'm just a total sucker for morally ambiguous characters with snark. I also enjoyed his twisted sibling relationship with Allie- it brought some much needed humor and lightness into an otherwise dark story.

Kanin...... is such and interesting character. After two books, I'm still not completely sure what to make of him. Kanin takes a bigger role in this book which was quite nice because I love his demeanor, especially in relation to all the other characters. For me, Kanin is definitely the most intriguing one to read about.

And, in case you were wondering, Sarren is still as twisted and sadistic as ever.

The Plot
As always, Kagawa's pacing was perfect. This book had me hooked from the very first chapter and kept me enraptured all the way up to that jaw-dropping ending. Literally, I openly gaped at the book when I got to the last page. But don't worry, no spoilers for you!

The most notable thing about this book was that there was a lot more gore than in The Immortal Rules. On one hand, this was nice because more action was happening throughout the book- and, really, who doesn't love awesome fight scenes? On the other hand, it did feel just a tad bit excessive. There are only so many pages I can stand of sword-slashing and vampiric dismemberment.

The Romance
This is pretty surprising for me to say, but I was a little unsatisfied with the romance. It's not that I didn't like the romantic development (because I totally support the Zeke/Allie ship) but the initial meeting between the two, namely Zeke explaining why he came after Allie, did not feel very natural to me. I may be in the minority here, but, following the events of book 1, it didn't seem like their relationship was at a point where it was realistic that Zeke did the things he did for her.

All in all:
The Eternity Cure was a very riveting read. Kagawa has hit the character-plot-setting trifecta once again.
Warning: this book ends with one heck of cliffhanger. Unless it's 2014 and the third book is out, prepare junk food on hand to eat away the feelings.

Cover Reveal: Cress

Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

By Marissa Meyer

To be published February 4, 2014

My thoughts:

It's. So. BEAUTIFUL.  *o*

Definitely my favorite cover in the series thus far.

Top Ten Beginnings & Endings

Hosted over at The Broke and Bookish

BEGINNINGS

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” 

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

 "My father took one hundred and thirty-two minutes to die. I counted."

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

“She will fight for light, and he for dark,
Battling through the ages for loves sweet spark.
Wherever two souls adore truly, you will find them, lo,
The brave Juliet and the wicked Romeo.” 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.
It did not end well."

ENDINGS

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

"'Yes,' I said. 'Isn't it pretty to think so?'” 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
"I love you. Remember. They cannot take it."

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
“Instead, I try to adjust to the dawn, letting the tears fall where they may, because it is morning; it is morning and there is so much to see.” 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This one's spoilery so I won't include the actual text but just- ALL. THE. FEELS. 

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

No spoilers for you! Let me just say that my. Mind. Was. Blown.

That is all. 

Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta

brb crying because of the beautifulness

On the YA Crush Tourney and Comic Con

Some of you may know that during the 2012 YA Crush Tourney, my boy, Will Herondale, made it all the way to the finals just to lose by 30-some votes in the last half hour to Adrian Ivashkov.
It was traumatic and heart-breaking and just talking about it is giving me traumatic flashbacks so let's not.

And as if that weren't bad enough, the same thing basically happened this year as well!

grrrrrrr.....

Richelle Mead totally threw down the gauntlet and promised a Dimitri-POV scene from book 1 if he won. Cassie Clare followed up by promising the cave scene from CP2 in Will's POV if he won.

But. He. Didn't.

Bitter? Who? Me? YES.

Darn you, Richelle Mead and your tempting temptations. To all the people who didn't vote for Will: imagine me giving you the Look of Disappointment. Uh-huh. I hope you're happy with yourselves. *hisses*
Dimitri had a constant lead of about 500 votes so it wasn't like the loss came out of nowhere and I didn't see it coming. BUT STILL.
U G H
My poor shadowhunter baby.

If it were any other fictional boy that Dimitri had been up against (and really, I mean any other character at all), I would not be this upset.
But- Will Herondale. You guys know how protective I get of him.

So. Congratulations, Dimitri. I guess.

still bitter.... I am a bittermelon

All I can say is that the extra POV scene better be good......
I'm still holding out hope for next year, though! I WILL SEE WILL HERONDALE WIN THAT DARN CRUSH TOURNEY IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO.
And they do say that the third time's the charm. *fingers and toes crossed*

-End Part 1 Rant-

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT COMIC CON.

AGAIN.

This year's SDCC is probably the best one that I've never been to. Let's list the reasons why, shall we?

• X-Men Days of Future Past entire cast
• Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss (the trolls....) + A SHERLOCK PANEL
• Benedict Cumberbatch's adorable video (brb sobbing)
• TMI PANEL (aksjdhflaksdjhf)- EVEN GODFREY GAO WAS THERE
• Robert Sheehan being his adorable geeky self and his camera
• Game of Thrones cast
• New Catching Fire trailer!!!!
• Colin O'Donaghue being his perfect Irish self
• Veronica Roth + Divergent cast
• Karen Gillan shaving her head! O__O
• Avengers. Avengers. All things Avengers
• Superman and Batman in a movie?!?!!?
• HUGH DANCY IN A FLOWER CROWN (way to go, Tumblr! #fannibal)

If you have no idea what I'm talking about in the bullet points then chances are you haven't been shamelessly stalking the internet for Comic Con updates. Good for you. I don't recommend doing this because it is literally painful each time you see something awesome that you're missing out on.

But here's the thing: just as I was starting to accept the fact that I'm not at this super awesome event, THIS GUY SHOWS UP:

LOOOOOOKI!!!

........

Tom Hiddleston shows up in full Loki attire to introduce new Thor 2 footage...

1. No

2. No

3. N o

4. NOPE

5. NOoOOOOOoO

I. Will. Never. Get. Over. This.

Goodbye, cruel world.

*crawls into a corner and sobs*

-End Part 2 Rant-

What I've been up to....

I... have been a very bad blogger.

Many apologies, my lovelies, for being so absent the past two months. A lot has been happening and I just wanted to give you all an update on my life. For one, I graduated high school!!

Aw yiss

I graduated at the end of May and just recently got back from my college orientation. I've got a tentative schedule all set up, met my roomie, toured my future dorm, and I am just super excited!
~Ahhhhh, college life, here I come!

In the mean time, I've been busy with a summer job and when I'm not working, I'm usually binging on TV shows, ranging from angst-filled Chinese dramas to trashy reality TV to the emotionally crippling Game of Thrones and Supernatural.
U G H
I can't even talk about GoT yet because it's still too soon after the-event-that-must-not-be-spoken-of, also known as that-episode-when-George R.R. Martin-ripped-my-heart-out-and-ate-it.
However, I can tell you this: Supernatural. Is. Ruining. My. Life.
Stupid Winchesters with their stupid bromance and their stupid self sacrificing and I JUST CAN'T

I am obsessed.

That being said, I have been in a horrible reading and blogging slump. I actually read a ton of books before I fell off the radar and I have rough outlines for reviews written, but I just never really got around to finishing them because those books were all spectacular and everyone knows those are the hardest reviews to write. So.... I just didn't. Yes, shame on me. 

Anyways, the point of this post is to give you guys an update on what I've been up to and to be a jump start back into blogging. I'VE MISSED YOU ALL SO SUPER MUCH. And I can't wait to start catching up on what I've missed!

Alrighty then, dear readers, until my next post! 

*Mwah!*  <3