White Bird in a Blizzard by Laura Kasischke

When Katrina Connors' mother walks out without a trace, Kat feels nothing towards it. Why would she? Her mother is a lot to handle. Plus she's falling in love, losing the baby weight, and discovering sex. This is all fine until she starts having dreams that become to real to ignore.

This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be. I wasn’t fully prepared for how suspenseful or how beautifully written this novel would be.

Katrina Connors is sixteen when her mother walks out on the family. Leaving no trace to where she went. Oddly Katrina isn’t at all shocked. Her family has always been a little different. Her mother has always wanted more and her father is what most people would consider a push over. As time passes Kat and her father start putting back the pieces of their lives and moving on, while this occurs Kat starts having vivid dreams which start to make her question what exactly happened to her mother. Katrina is such a interesting character with amazing and poetic depth. She makes for a character worth reading. Her interactions with the side characters make for such an interesting dynamic for this book, and sets it aside from a lot of other books in it's genre. I loved that every character is built up so slowly and steadily so that by the time you get to the end of the book the characters you thought you knew so well turn out to be nothing like what your mind created. White Bird will have you questioning everyone and everything.

White Bird in a Blizzard best asset is that it starts off as a coming of age story and then eventually transitions into a mystery thriller. It has a read out and feel so much like Gone Girl that it made getting wrapped up in the plot just as easy as it did for the characters.  I would usually comment on the fact that Laura’s writing does get very detailed on every aspect, and usually I would think this is too much but with this novel it just works. The metaphors and turn of phrases she uses fit perfect into every situation, helping paint the most vivid pictures. Laura has it so that she is dropping hints left and right about what is actually going on, but still leaves you questioning every detail. Though it does take about 70% of the book to really pick up it is more than worth it for the ending you just won’t see coming. This book leaves you hanging until the very last moment with an ending that will forever have me wanting more.

9/10 Stars 
-Angela 

Shortly after reading this I was able to watch the movie, and it was absolutely amazing! So beautifully filmed and the acting is stunning. 100% a must see. 10/10 rating.

Allegiant Movie Review

Allegiant the third film in the Divergent Movie Series follows Tris and Four as they decide what to do now that the fraction system they were raised with has been dismantled. With the fractionless taking over Chicago and rebel groups forming, the two decide they need to go beyond the walls to find the help they think their crumbling city needs. So umm... We just saw Allegiant, and we have no idea what we just watched. Allegiant is loosely based on the book. Talking the first 300 ish pages are the first 30 minutes of this movie. Yeah you heard that right. The rest of it, well, your best guess is as good as ours.Allegiant starts off with the wall being blocked by orders from Four's sister, I mean mom, Evelyn. Tris and Four (mainly Tris) decides that they need to know what it beyond the wall if anything. Of course Tris can't leave her conniving brother so Four comes up with a non legit way of breaking him out (can we all just take a moment to say sucks to suck Tris HOPE YOUR DECISION WORKS OUT FOR YOU). After that happens the three start to leave the city... Of course they end up picking up Peter, Tori, and Christina also under unrealistic events, on the way out. At this point we'll be real, the movies not going bad, but then comes the scale the wall to escape the city scene... And good god is it cheesy.

If them scaling the wall in a bizarre manner wasn't enough the director decided what the movie NEEDED was a slow mo explosion scene. Yeah, it's bad y'all. So over the top dramatic. It was like something out of an 80s action movie.. However they manage to get out. Once out they enter the Scorch Trails... Oops we mean the Fringe. A dry waste land where they still somehow manage to know what direction to head. At one point Caleb looks thoughtfully at a puddle and says "This was radioactive sometime in the last 200 years." COOL BRO THANKS FOR THE INFO. While running and trying to find outside survivors, Johnny Weston (we don't know what his name in the movie is) is determined to find them and stop them... This is where the director said we need more slow mo!!! AND PUT IN AN EVEN WORSE CAR JUMPING OVER GAP SLOW MOTION SEGMENT! This had us rolling! Before things can get even slower the outsiders show up conveniently through a force field (Katniss didn't even have to shoot her arrow in... Oh wait...), throw everyone into these weird gummy bear bubbles, and float them back to their headquarters.

Which happens to look like JarJar Bink's under water house but is actually O'Hare airport. Unlike the book it's very fancy and there are a ton of people living there which really weirded because in the book its' a janky place. Once they have arrived they have to take these intense baths where they are covered in orange jello and then receive new tattoos.

Tris gets a legit job with the director David because she is the only true pure. Four does security and search and rescue and Peter and Caleb are stuck doing surveillance on Chicago. This is where cool new weapons come into play. We get introduced to some neat serums, cool laser tag style guns, and Four learns how to fly rumba vacuum cleaners. They all spend some time there before Four starts thinking things aren't what they seem after he goes on a super sketch mission. He finds out they are kidnapping children from their crank parents in the scorch, clearing their memories, and are not out to save them. Four tries to get Tris to leave with him but of course she doesn't. Four is told he can still leave and they will take him back to Chicago. He decides  this is the best plan of action and gets on a plane to leave. Mathew a new character who is introduced (he so ugly hot like Steve Buscemi but younger and hotter and slightly less creepy)  tells him that he needs his help. Four crashes the plane in an awesomely awesome fight scene killing almost everyone on board including all 45 pilots and starts walking home (ultimately ends up captured).

Once Tris is back she knows David has been lying and that Four is gone she decides it is now  time for, her brother, and Christina to leave. Somehow Tris know how to fly one of these future planes... We get she saw how autopilot worked ONCE but she know how to entirely fly the plane. She also figures out how to make the plane invisible. Once back in Chicago the three of them have to figure out how to stop the memory perfume from being spread throughout the city... But first they must break out Four... Insert cool guns, more gummy floating things, and another BA fight scene.  Things go down, shenanigans happen, rumbas are used, and ultimately of course the city is saved by the teenage gang. 

There were some highs in this movie:
There was a lot more Four than was expected. The angst-sty romance between Four and Tris isn't annoying like in the book. Caleb and Tris relationship is better. Weapons were cooler. The story line flowed better. Peter (Miles Teller) continued to be a joy to watch. Fight scenes were bitchin. Four has a steamy shower scene (that alone is worth the pricey movie ticket purchase). It was a lot more action packed than the book. And it was a lot easier to follow than the book (sometimes) was.

But there were some lows:

You could clearly tell when it was shot in front of a green screen (aka the entire movie). Camera was at times very shaky. The digital block things were odd and felt like when you try to watch 3D without the glasses. Tris knowing how to do any and everything was confusing.  The floating gummy things were dumb. The fact that when people where captured they would cover their heads with bags- example: Peter was captured and taken to Erudite headquarters with a bag over his head. Ya boy lived in erudite headquarters with Jeanie it's not like he doesn't know where he is. And the movie felt long. At one point we checked the time and it had only been an hour and felt more like three.

So all in all we understand why the movie is just called Allegiant and the next will be called Ascendant. Allegiant the book is around 530 pages and almost all of it is in this movie. So it's safe to say Ascendant will be its own thing. That being said we are very confused as to what that thing will be. The biggest question of all still remains... How will it end??? Will it go back to the book-the road less traveled or go down a road we already know. Our bet is sadly after seeing this that they are going to change this ending (which we will be devastated about... because lets be real its what makes the book so amazing and bold). We are more excited now than we were before to see the final film.

Four Factor- 10/10
Movie rating- 4/10 maybe 5 stars

-A&L

The 5th Wave Movie Review

"After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them."

We aren't even going to beat around the bush with this... We just saw The 5th Wave and WE LOVED IT! This was a movie that if you follow us you know we have been waiting for. Everything about this movie had us excited. We were glad when they decided to turn it into a movie, we were over the moon about the casting choices, and we loved all the publicity leading up to it.

Just gonna jump right into things. First, the cast... Chloe Grace Mortez was who us as fan choose from the get go, so when she was officially on board we knew right away she was going to crush it. She is a badass. She is someone on and off screen that we love. She is the perfect Cassie, and she nailed the roll (like we all knew she would). She is a girl that is tough in real life and is a very family based person. Those real life traits seeped into this film, in the best possible way. I'd like someone to tell me they saw KickAss, read this book, and didn't think this has to be our Cassie Sullivan... YOU CAN'T! We wanted to laugh with her and cry with her and we were sitting there rooting for her to get to Sammy (even though we have read the book a combined six times). She just did a fantastic job.

Next, Evan Walker (Alex Roe). He is someone we haven't really heard of in the past, and was probably the one we were most worried about. Never fear Alex Roe is the epitome of Evan Walker perfection.... Pretty sure the lady and her daughter in front of us said it perfectly when he appeared on screen.... I believe the exact statements were "Good God he is all man!" and "MEOW!". Oh it's not just his six pack and face that are nice-his acting and fighting are too. He has an amazing fight scene that we knew was coming but didn't know it would be so good! I think we both air fist pumped right after. We officially want to roll around in the wilderness fighting aliens with him... Like fighting aliens is a fantasy of ours, but doing it with Alex Roe would be a dream come true. I (Leah) was kind of skeptical about him when he was first cast, but I am 10000000% sold. He absolutely killed the part and made me fall in love with him just like he fell for Cassie. His fight scenes were so bad ass, but he also was able to show the tender part of the character that could have been easily missed. You go from bad ass to sex kitten to sweet guy all in a two hour span. Mortez and Roe's chemistry is on point.

Zombie (Nick Robinson) is an actor we've seen before and loved. So hearing he would be our zombie made us ridiculously happy. Both of us agree he perfectly captured who and what Ben Parish is. He has that boy next door-laid back-charming thing going on. Ringer (Maika Monroe) was a pleasant surprise! We really liked the casting choice for her. Monroe is tough and sassy and brought Ringer from the page to screen. She is a survivor and she really proved herself in the movie. We were hoping for a little more of that famous Ringer Cassie banter of the battle of the alpha females, but it's all good. Lastly Sammy (Zackary Arthur)... Good god, they couldn't have picked a cuter boy! He knocked it out of the park by being able to be this sweet little nugget (lol) and then also trying to be this soldier that is now expected of him. I think his part touched us the most because it really made us remember that these are KIDS that are out there fighting. And when he cries your heart will shatter!!! Such a great new young talent.

The movie plot wise sticks pretty close to the book. It's action packed and laid out very well. It is a little more rush then the book, but it seemed necessary. In the book it's over months and in the movie it seems as if it's more like a few weeks. We still get the ba fighting, plot twist, alien goodness, and romance we were hoping for. The series of events stay in order and are true to the book. There were things of course that were changed. We want to preface this by saying even if there were changes we were still completely happy with the outcome of everything. 

Here are a few things (avoiding spoilers) that were alerted or left out that we noticed/wanted/really liked: 

-Pound cake talks. 

-Where the book covers several characters and POVs the movie more focuses on Cassie and Zombie.

-Time spent of Evans house. 

-They go to a camp but there's no ashpit.

-Cassie doesn't stay under the car long and doesn't say "here I am come get me you son of a bitch!". I (Angela) love this scene in the book so much. I think it sets the tone on who Cassie really is. (This and ashpit are included but different from the book. Both were ones we were hoping would stay 100%  true but again still ok)

-Reason Cassie's not on the bus. 

-There are a lot of quotes from the book in the movie. A lot with Evan and Cassie were the same. 

-We were hoping the movie would include: Evan's shark speech, the flaw in their plan speech, the crucifix solider scene exactly as in the book, the mayfly moment, and the lousy Hunter scene. Some where include and just altered, but some where left out.

-Evan walkers fight scene is better in the movie. 

-How Cassie and Ben interact the first time again, better in the movie. 

-The ending plays out different, but stops the same. 

-There was one HUGE change that you will either love or hate involving Evan. This was my (Angela) biggest "disappointment". I didn't hate the change it was just something I didn't want altered. 

There could be tons more things we could highlight or say we're good or bad but overall we are sooo happy. We had fun watching it. The acting is great. We don't think fans of the series will be letdown. And we pray Infinite Sea will be announced soon! Because if you've read the books you know how it ends. And you know what will happen next but we still need visuals! This will be a movie we will see several times in theaters.

10/10 Stars

-L&A

Angela's Fall Favorites

Recently I started doing a post where I do a complete recap of my seasonal favorites. The seasons might be a little slurred, but only because this is new and something I just started mid-year. That and I live in the south and our seasons are all over the place. Just a heads up I plan on missing December and picking this back up in January.

What I really enjoy about doing this post is I don't just talk books, I talk about all my favorite things. Movies, television, events, and more. My last seasonal post only included things from the months June through August... So yes this one is going to be my favorites from September, October, and November.

Top Five Fall Reads:

These are my favorite reading picks of this fall. They're the books I gave the highest ratings on Goodreads and our blog. These will only include fresh reads for me, nothing that I happened to re-read, and are in no order:

1. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas. Celaena has returned to the empire and is seeking vengeance for everything that has been taken from her.
2. Darken the Stars by Amy A. Bartol. Kricket is being held against her will and the man holding her wants to combined forces so they'll be unstoppable.
3. Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren.  A comic book writer and a comic book store owner go from friends to something more.
4. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Six misfit criminals are hired to pull of the an impossible heist.
5. November 9 by Colleen Hoover. Ben and Fallon meet on the same date once a year for five years and pick up their relationship right where they left off. But only for one day.

Top Fall Movies: 
As with the other catergories not all of these came out during this time perio.

The Road Within- Vincent (Robert Sheenan), a boy suffering from Tourette's syndrome is sent by his father to a treatment center. He then runs away with two friends (Zoe Kravitz, Dev Patel)  from the center with plans to head for the beach to spread his mothers ashes. The Road Within was a really fun short film. Each character brought something so interesting to the table. For fans of Me Earl and the Dying Girl and Men, Women, & Children.

How I Live Now- Based of the Ya novel by Meg Rosoff. Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) is sent to live with cousins she's never met before in England. While there a war breaks out and the kids decide to stick it out and go on as if the world around them isn't falling apart. While waiting out the war Daisy and her cousin Edmond (George McKay) start a romantic relationship only to be torn apart and sent to different locations. This movie visually is stunning, the cast is perfect, and it ended up being one of my favorite ya movie adaptions I've seen this year.

Mockingjay Part 2- Duh right? You had too have known this would be on my list. I mean its the last freaking Hunger Games! It was done oh so right too. I left the theater 100% satisfied. This was an amazing series, that turned into and amaze set of films. Perfectly casted, and perfectly portrayed. This will probably always be one of the most successful book to films I'll ever see. It's right up there with Harry Potter. Really just can't believe that it's over.

Favorite Fall TV Shows:
These might not all have aired this year, but that doesn't stop them from being my favorites.

Misfits Season 1-2. The season part is very important because after season two the show really drops off. This show is so freaking hilarious!!!! It's about several teens who are doing community service when a storm breaks out and people get meta powers from it. Each teen has a different power each of course getting them in and out of trouble. The best part of this show is Robert Sheenan. Good Lord! Every second he is on the screen is amazing and would have me laughing until I cried.

The Flash- I think we all know what this is about. And it happens to be another show were someone is struck by something and forms powers... What can I say; I love meta humans. This wasn't a show I thought I would easily fall into, but before I knew it I was marathoning it on Netflix. Grant Gavin is the perfect Barry Allen. My favorite part is how Arrow is brought into it. Just makes my love for Oliver Queen that much stronger.

Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance. Yeah, I might be one of the last people on earth watching this show, but ask me if I care?! I DON'T. I have watched every season of Survivor and I aint afraid to admit it. This show is just as fun as it was when I watched season one. Team Joe!

The Walking Dead Season 6- Pretty sure this season wont be over by the time I post this... Again don't care. This season has been amazing so far. I've even liked the episodes where they've focused on a single character, and usually I find those so boring. So stoked to see how and where they leave this season off... Who will survive.

Favorite Fall Book Reviewer:

Problems of a Book Nerd. Recently stumbled upon this review and she is freaking adorable. She's currently studying aboard and even manages to work that into her reviews. She's one of the few reviewer I watched who will show you a list of books she's hauled and then within a few weeks will have reviews posted about them. Most will haul books hen well never see them again. She also has a vast taste in books and is constantly recommending things I've never heard of before.

Top Fall Music:

Last time I picked an entire album this time I just have a few songs.

Adele Hello- Who isn't blaring this song right now?! Pretty sure everyone is not just obsessed with this song but with the music video as well. Can someone please tell me what makeup she uses because it is so on point it hurts.

Justin Bieber Sorry- Uh yeah, never thought a Bieber song would make any kind of list of mine, but hey there's a first time for everything. I've honestly really been enjoying the music he's been putting out lately. Also completely in love with the "dance" version music video he has up of this.

Hailee Steinfeld Love Myself- You don't want to like this song... But really can't help it. It's so freaking catchy.

Favorite Event:

This is an easy one.

Yallfest! Leah and I went ham on Yallfest. We managed to see every single author we wanted to, go to every event we wanted to, and get to every giveaway we wanted to. We snagged massive swag and a ton of ARCs. We brought both our husbands along with us so it made getting to everything and the wait in lines so easy! The only thing we were letdown about was that Rick Yancey had to cancel due to being ill. It seems like we can't catch a break when it comes to him. Every time we try to met him something happens. 2016 though we will meet him!

-Angela

The Scorch Trials Movie Review

We have a lot to talk about when it comes to The Scorch Trials movie. I think we both can agree on three things. First that we were both very excited to see this movie because of all three books it was our favorite. Second that we were both very nervous about how this was going to play out on the big screen. Third that when the movie ended we were both very surprised about how we felt about it. Of course we went on a date last night to see the early screening of it. 

This review might be a ramble jamble insanely unorganized review but whatever that is kind of our thing... So here we go.

First TST had a lot, A LOT of changes from the book. We knew going into it that this was going to be happening. The fact that things would be changed was never hidden from us. There were clear and present changes in: How they spent their time in the WICKED compound, some of the events that played out while there, where they end up after the compound, what happens when they are in the scorch, what happens when they meet up with the rebels, what the infected look like, characters deaths, characters relationships, and pretty much the entire ending. These are only some of the changes as well. However, don't let that get you down, these changes were good ones! Some of the scenes in the book can be a little confusing, but it was all adapted so well for the big screen.  Plus there are still a lot of things that were present from the book as well. TST movie also goes a lot darker than the book and a lot of other YA adaptions. Almost receiving an R rating. The language is more "mature" along with stepping up the amount of violence and gore.

We know that a lot of people were worried about the cranks and what they would end up being like. It has been a good minute since either of us have read the books, but if we're not mistaken we believe in the book they were more human with a side of wonky infected brain.We remember them walking a more normal pace and being able to speak. In the movie they took it in a World War Z direction and were straight up one step away from The Walking Dead. WE LOVED THIS. It had us so stressed out and waiting on the edge of our seats for when they would come out. They were so scary! There is one scene in particular when Brenda and Thomas go down into the tunnels.... Even in the book it sounded scary, but the movie takes it to another level. There are a lot of moments were you don't know WTF is going on and then these crazy things just pop out from no where. Good thing Dylan O'Brien was there to protect us.

The cast was a surprise too. It turned out to be super star packed. We have of course one of the stars from Teen Wolf play Thomas (Dylan O'Brien). Who was originally a worry for a lot of people because everyone seemed to think he looked "too MTV" (why is this a bad thing again?). He continues to make a Thomas. The other crazy actors we got were: Clary from the soon to be Shadow
Hunters TV show, the Los Pollos guy from Breaking Bad, a girl who looks like Zoey Kravitz (she's apparently a British model?), Little finger from GOT (and yes he's as big a dick in this as he is in that), and that's not our only GOT star, we got Jojen Reed (he is so adorable it hurts). No wait there's more... We get this guy from Arrest Development (the second you see him you'll say "how the F do I know this guy") and then to round it all we get the motha effin sniper from Saving Private Ryan. Seriously it's one scene after another of "wait a second... is that Los Pollos the freaking chicken meth dealer from Breaking Bad.... Yes Yes it is.... OMG SAVING PRIVATE RYAN!" We were freaking dying with laughter when we finally figured out who half the people were and why they looked so familiar. Each character brings SO much to the table and does a killer job with their role.

It's been awhile since We've had this much fun watching a movie. Think a lot of extreme and professional movie critics have been way too harsh on this film. We both really enjoyed it. There's a lot more holes filled in in this one than the first, there's a butt ton more action, and the changes made increased the story-line. Let's be real though, it is pretty dang hard to translate something from print to screen. Especially when it comes to a YA dystopian fantasy where you have crazy scenes from James Dashner's head. Like when they first enter the Scorch and the one kid's head gets popped off by some lead balloon thing... How the F were they going to translate that to the big screen? The director and screenwriters did a great job deciding what was important and what could be changed to be a little easier for a movie. Overall, it was fantastic. Fast paced, gripping, and a ton of fun. The Scorch Trials in our opinion was better than the first. Yes, again there are a lot of changes. Yes, this plot is again super fast paced. Yes, a lot of information is thrown at you. No, this movie might not be for everyone. But the both of us as fans of the series really enjoyed this adaptation and left the theater both happy and satisfied. To us the opinion of fellow book readers, no matter if they loved or hated the books, matters more to us than movie critics opinions.

We've said this before and we'll say it again; we had the pleasure of meeting James Dashner at an event last year. Since it was an event were only a limited number of people could attend we got to actually spend time with him and talk. We have met a lot of authors and he is hands-down still one of our favorites. He took so much time talking, signing everything you brought, answering questions, and has such a bright personality. He was everything you hope an author will be when you meet them. Trust us when we say that not all authors who we've met having the same success he is, are as pleasent to be around *Cough Veronica Roth Cough*. The fact that he fangirled with us about Dylan O'Brien also had us sold. He has us very excited to see what they do with The Death Cure.

-8.5/10 Stars
A&L

Dark Places Movie Review

I love any and all of Gillian Flynn’s novels because they are creep as F. Seriously, how does she come up with this stuff? Anyway, I have had the premiere for Dark Places marked on my calendar for MONTHS. One day I was browsing the On Demand section of DirecTV and noticed that Dark Places was listed as a new release. I was really confused because per my calendar, it wasn’t due to come out for several weeks. Turns out, DirecTV had some doing in the production so it came out on DirecTV first. Awesome for me! I got to see it way earlier than what I expected. I balked at the price of it at first ($7.99 for a 3 day rental), but then remembered that I originally planned on seeing it in theaters (where a ticket would be at least $10).

The cool thing about the movie is that it was a lot easier to figure out who did it. My husband has never read Dark Places (or any Gillian Flynn novel, for that matter), so he had no idea what he was getting into. Let me preface this by saying that he really isn’t a big movie watcher or book reader because he hates sitting still for long periods of time because he has a short attention span. While watching Dark Places, he was HOOKED. I only had to do minimal explaining regarding the plot, but he was able to get a good solid theory of who the murder was about half way through. When I read the book, I honestly couldn’t make heads from tails with what was going on because it was SO much. I love the way Gillian Flynn writes because she throws in so many little details that you get confused and forget about small things, then the ending happens and BAM all that stuff you forgot is right there in your face. Overall, the book translated very well to screen. Even if you haven’t read the book (which you need to RIGHT NOW) or plan on watching the movie with someone who hasn’t read it, it is still a good choice. Some things may be slightly confusing, but if you really pay attention (especially to the flash backs) then you can figure things out pretty easily.

One of my favorite things about the movie is how they handled present time versus flashbacks. There are a LOT of different POVs when it comes to the flashbacks, so it could have easily gotten muddled and confusing. It was directed very well and is easy to follow if you are watching Libby’s mom, Libby, or Ben’s flashback. For present time, it stays in Libby’s POV. In the book, I really liked how Gillian Flynn counted down to the night of the murder from the beginning. In the movie, it isn’t as clear as that (for example, in the book it would say Two Days before the murder) but you don’t feel like you are missing anything.

Charlize Theron killed it as Libby. I really had my doubts about her, because in the book, Libby is described as being this small statured angry woman. Charlize Theron is very tall, and I personally have not seen her in a dark role like this. SHE KILLED IT. She completely embodied Libby and all the anger that she carried. She was able to show all the emotions that Libby carried in her head, but never really showed on the outside. I think overall I really liked all of the casting. Chloe Grace Mortez was creepy as F as Deondra. I really love where her acting career is going and think this movie only added to her already stellar resume.

4/5 stars

xoxox 
-Leah

Paper Towns Movie Review

As usually just left the theater and came straight home to do a review. Before I get started on all the juicy details there are two things I want to go right ahead and get out of the way. First, yes, WE GET BLACK SANTA!!!! and Two the cameo that was hinted at is as perfect as people said. Seriously when "it" happens everyone in the theater died. So happy, so cheeky, so John Green. Loved both of these things. 

On too the movie and the review. If you don't know Paper Towns is about a boy named Q who is just floating through his last few weeks of high school. He mainly just hangs out with his two closet friends, pining over his crush from childhood from afar, and living within the comfort zone he has made for himself. That is until his crush, Margo, sneaks into his room one night asking him to come with her to right 9 wrongs. 

First casting for this film was spot on. We know that Nat Wolff (Q) is going to be adorable, sweet, and entertaining. It's a given, he's just so charming. He nails awkward teen boy right on the head. We know Cara Delevingne (Margo) was going to be fun to see for her first "real" on screen performance. And yeah, she was great to watch... But there is no doubt in my mind who really stole the show. Justice Smith (Radar), Austin Abrams (Ben), and Jaz Sinclair (Angela). These up and comers really made this film. Especially Austin Abrams, who brought so much comic relief to this film. The moments he is on screen are so hilarious. There wasn't a second he was present that I didn't find myself laughing. Both Austin and Justice brought so much life to Radar and Ben. If anyone else would have been casted I don't think the film would have been as fun as it was. Nat, Justice, and Austin have so much on screen chemistry there's no way you wont fall in love with these three. They're the perfect band of misfits. All these characters managed to capture all the teenage angst you're hoping for. 

Paper Towns is a coming of age story that manages to avoid labels therefore avoids a lot of the usual cliches. Don't stress though it is for sure a John Green film. It's relate-able, fun, and of course packs a powerful message.  The pace of the film matches that of the book. It starts off with a bang, levels out in the middle, then delivers a strong ending. Like TFIOS, Paper Towns stays pretty close to the reading material it's based off. Though there is one big change from the book to film, there is no question as to why it was changed. It gave the story more of a push (in my opinion) to a more a proper ending. Even the small/"big" changes were perfectly done and I feel readers of the book wont be disappointed in the things that are altered. If you're not a reader than the ending might be something you wont see coming...the story ends in a way that manages to defy expectations and eschew the "teen-movie-romcom" norm. The ending was personally my favorite part of the film. The prank scenes are fun and will have you laughing, the little details are much appreciated, and the heavier moments hit hard much like the book.

Paper Towns isn't my favorite John Green book... because lets be real, nothing compares to TFIOS. I think the film surpassed the book, and for that I'm thankful. Paper Towns is a film about living each moment, about seeking a great perhaps, and about seeing people for more than face value. All these wonderful values are laid out for us and delivered so strongly. Really satisfied with the film and it has me very excited about seeing the soon to be Looking for Alaska. The casting, direction, and soundtrack were all stunning. Very happy with the way this sweet film played out and I don't think John Green fans will be disappoint. Great summer film.

9/10 Stars 
-Angela 

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Movie Review

Recently Leah and I had the pleasure of sitting in on the Papertowns panel with John Green, and while we were there he said something that just stuck with me about books that become movies. He said that a great book to film adaptation, though the book and film will without a doubt be compare, however can stand on it's own. That you should leave the theater loving it as a movie and try not too completely compare the two. As avid readers and girls who constantly see books that become films there are two things I can say about that statement: that it is completely correct, but that it is really hard to do. When it comes to Me and Earl and the Dying Girl this statement took new life for me. This film holds it's own.

Leah and I just left the theater and I knew right away I needed to come home and talk about the film we just saw. If you read either of our reviews on the book than you know that both of us just thought the novel was alright. It was comical, light, but the ending I think is what kind of let both of us down. It's comparison to TFIOS was off, the high remarks on goodreads had us both a little confused, and there was just something we both felt was missing. I think I can speak for the both of us when I say that we now know what was missing. Me and Earl, and the Dying Girl movie gave us everything we wanted and more. The film had so much more emotion and depth than the novel. I know that everyone who sees the trailer is thinking "wow didn't we just dehydrate ourselves and spike Kleenex sales enough last year with TFIOS", please don't think that. The only thing that they have in relation is a sick girl. That's it.

This film blew me away. It's a film following quirky, interesting, and relatable characters. Best part is that it's a film about making films... Which would have most thinking this would lead to an awkward play-out, but it actually gives this film something so unique. The characters though quirky are ones you will be cheering for and falling in love with. Greg (Thomas Mann) is cruising through life, trying to keep a low profile, and just make it out of high school. His only real friend, though he wont admit it, is Earl (RJ Cyler). The bad boy loner from the poorer side of town. The two have been friends forever and making parodies of movies since they met. Making films like "A Sockwork Orange" and "Rosemary's Baby Carrots". The relationship they

have though odd has always worked out for the two of them. That is until one day Greg's mom forces him to hang out with his classmate Rachel (Olivia Cooke) who has been diagnosed with cancer. As you can probably guess Earl and Greg are asked to make a movie for Rachel. This starts the blossoming friendship of three loners. Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke nailed the characters. They took characters that in the book I felt no real connection too and made them into characters that brought me to tears by the end of the film. That is not the only thing that changed from the book. There are several scene changes that also made the movie a heck of a lot better than the book. It's as if J. Andrews listened to the readers reviews took them in and made the changes needed while keeping the things we loved. So happy that the accidentally drug scene was left in as well as the pillow masturbation talk. Another very present change is the over all connection and friendship between Greg and Rachel. In the book Greg and Rachel really don't have much of a friendship in my opinion. In the film however their relationship and friendship is something so beautiful. So having the characters take a different direction made it easier for audience to connect with them. My favorite change however was the complete change of the ending.

As I said above, when reading the book when it came to the ending I was highly letdown... When it came to the movie it was my favorite part. The unique composition, the beautiful cinematography, and the way it was taken to a new emotional depth that we didn't get out of the book. When I say a new depth I mean oceans

deeper than what the book gave. This went from a mediocre book to an absolutely stunning film. And saying stunning is truly an understatement. A strong indie movie with a casting of new comers really gave this film everything it needs to be a knock out. The filmmakers truly deserve a round of applause for taking a trope filled genre that has recently been increasing and becoming a bit tired and giving it new life. This film deserves way more hype than it is getting. Every movie mark was hit: perfectly placed dry humor, great casting, unique elements, and a film that could have easily been dark was made light and loving. It's been a long time since we've seen a movie that made us laugh till we cried and then just flat out cried.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a film more about the journey than the destination and it is well worth the climb. This is a summer must see. This review only gives a light shade of how I felt towards the film. Simply put: This movie was how book to film should be done.

10/10 Stars 
-Angela 

The Martian by Andy Weir

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate leaving him behind thinking he is dead. Mark finds himself stranded, completely alone, and with no way to contact Earth.

“It’s true, you know. In space, no one can hear you scream like a little girl.”

The Martian is a science book that fits into a fictional storyline and this is what makes this story so amazing. That being said it's also a book that could fit in any number of genres.

The Martian  will more than likely be one of the best things I'll read all year. As much as I like science I'm in no way a science brainiac, so when the science overload started I feared I would be weighed down by all the facts. Turns out it was the opposite. Everything is broken down so that anyone can catch a grip on it. 

The main reasons I wanted to pick this book up was one: the amazing ratings it holds on goodreads and two: because I love the idea of someone being stranded on another planet. Somewhere a person has to figure out how to survive somewhere no one is meant to survive on. Weir nailed his delivery. Mark Watney is written to perfection. He has a style and flow that makes him seem so realistic and relatable. He's a character that will take you by surprise and one you might not fully understand right away. When we are first introduced to Mark you'll see right away that he is a sarcastic joker. At first this was kind of a turn off for me... I was wondering how someone in his situation could be so cavalier. As the book goes on your can see that it's the way he is surviving. Him taking a light approach to everything might of just been his greatest survival tool. I also really embraced the fact that he would have these freak out moments where he would be so over thing, screaming F this planet, then would take a moment to get himself together and figure shit out.

The plot and storyline of this book is something so simple yet so gripping. Can you imagine how terrifying it would be too be left on a planet completely alone? The fact that you just breathing could kill you. A place with no food or water source!!! That thought alone makes me want to run to Costco and stock pile. Knowing that you have to be alone until the next Mars mission happen?!!? Pretty sure I failed to mention that the next mission isn't for another four years! I would go mad. Even the moments that the story is a little slower there is something still so addictive about it.

The best part about this book isn't it's laid back character with a snarky remark to all things; it's that such a simple idea was laid out so well. While reading this novel I had to actually stop myself and remember that I wasn't actually reading someone journal . That this is fictional story that just happens to feel so real. 

This is a fast paced -can't put down survival read with a message that is so strong. Seriously, if the last paragraph in this book doesn't give you goosebumps then you have no soul. The Martian has a plot line that will keep you on the edge of your seat and a character you'll be cheering for. I can't wait to see this book play out on the big screen.

10/10 Stars 
-Angela 

sidenote: Matt Damon is the perfect pick for Mark Watney.

Perfectly Casted Characters Pt1

We've said it a million times, we love when books become movies. We also go gaga over when a casting director nails their choices. It's not just about finding someone who just happens to look like the character... because lets face it sometimes they end up not looking anything like them. It's about having the right attitude, about being able to capture the emotions we felt towards the book, and about having a certain presence that will capture our hearts. Here are our choices for actors we thought nailed or will nail their page to premiere roles.

Shall we start with the most obvious one??? The entire cast of The Harry Potter Series... DUH Right!? But of course the even more obvious ones are Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. We don't think the movie franchise would have been nearly as successful with anyone else playing Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The added bonus was for us getting to see them grow not only in age but in their acting. I think we can all agree that The Harry Potter Series is the most successful and well done book to screen.

Our next pick is Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters in The Fault in our Stars. Wow, just wow. I think we really got everything we wanted when they cast him to play the tear jerking Augustus. His boyish charm, sweet persona, and down to earth attitude pulled from his real life ways made him the perfect match. Ansel has such a way about him and we think this was the perfect movie character for him to play. Being no stranger too the Ya book to film world we've also been able to see him play Caleb Prior in the Divergent Trilogy. As much as we love him in that role we just can't get enough of him in TFIOS. This gripping and emotional role might have been hard for most to reach, but dang it if he didn't make us feel all the feels that the book left us with. Well done movie world! Well done!

Next up we have a newbie to the book to film thing, and that is Mae Whitman in The Duff. We loved her version of Bianca. So comical and confident. Bianca's no care attitude was nailed by Mae. Bianca in the book might not have been our favorite, but movie Bianca was someone we loved. I mean when she wears that outfit made up of crocs and pajama pants I about died! She really brought all the sarcastic mojo needed to nail this roll. Everyone's calling this the new version of Mean Girls, and I think they would definitely fall into the same genre.

Don't have too ask me twice

Theo James as Four in Divergent! What? You've never heard of him? Ha, yeah we were just kidding... We know you have. Theo is an amazing example of when not just the actors attitude fits the person but so does their looks. Besides the eyes Four sounds like he was written based off of Theo James himself. "Spare upper lip, full lower lip, deep-set dark blue eyes (so dark they are almost black) long lashes, deep voice, more than six feet tall, muscular, ears that stick out, short hair, and large nose"... So mmm yeah pretty sure that sums up both Four and Theo description well. Theo did an amazing job portraying the tough as nails Four as well. We loved that Theo makes us feel like were still reading the book while we're watching the movie. Think we can all agree this casting director deserves a raise! Thank you!

On to the next one... Robert Sheehan as Simon in The Mortal Instruments City of Bones. We know a lot of people don't think Lily Collins was the perfect Clary, or that Sexy Campbell Bower was the best pick for Jace, but we think we can all agree that Robert Sheehan is an amazing choice for Simon. He has the I've been friend zoned so many times- best friends forever- I'm the one you should be introducing to your mother because hey I'm not your brother thing down. We love seeing Robert do interviews, his overall attitude both on and off the screen are so captivating. He brought all the heart eye for Clary and nerdy friend charm we were hoping to get.

There are a few people we would like to "Pre-mention"... We say it like that because they haven't actually starred in the film yet. BUT, we still think that they are going to portray their soon to be Page to Premieres perfectly.

Thomas Mann as Greg Gaines and RJ Cyler as Earl in the film version of Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl. Even though psychically both Thomas and RJ don't fit the part, the scenes we have already seen lead us to think that maybe changing their appearance up a bit was a good idea. RJ seems to have the sarcastic and surprisingly good friend attitude down and Thomas seems to have the I'm to awkward for this world idea nailed. We are both so excited to see this movie hit theaters.

Chloe Grace Moretz as Cassie Sullivan in The 5th Wave. This is the movie I (Angela) am most looking forward to seeing in 2016. I remember reading the book even before the movie was opted and thinking how amazing she would be as Cassie. Just seeing her in KickAss 1&2 sealed that deal for me. She's sassy, strong willed, and always says what shes thinking both on and off scree. She's also no stranger to P2P, staring in both Carrie and If I Stay. We know that she can do emotional while still giving us all the "Cassie is a complete bad ass" feels we need. It doesn't hurt that she is so close in age and physical appearance. The main reason we think she's going to nail this?.. Is because the book is all about the unbreakable bonds of family, and we all know Chloe and her family are tighter than glue in real life. January 2016 can't come soon enough!

And to wrap this all up we leave you with this.... The steamy fine and the man designed to blow girls minds... Nick Bateman as Miles Archer in Ugly Love. This film might actually defy science and get us pregnant. But why do we really think that he will crush this role with high standards? That's easy to answer, because the fans chose him. We as readers asked for him to play Miles Archer. And having an author and film makers listen makes all us coho fans very happy campers! We haven't gotten to witness a lot of his acting skills (only seen him in Hobo with a Shotgun) but I'll be honest... this film could just be him standing drinking a Capri sun for two hours and I wouldn't complain. He has the look and were hoping he has the attitude to to knock this role out the park. Seriously, why is 2016 so far away???

The Duff Movie Review

So last night we went out on a total GNO, like we usually do for page to premieres... We got on our bedroom slippers, threw on some yoga pants, grabbed some candy and headed out to our local theater for the 7oclock showing of The Duff. For those of you that might not know this movie is based off a book, The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger. From the previews, we knew that this was going to be a loose adaptation of the book, but we were excited nonetheless. 

The book follows 17-year-old Bianca Piper. She's the average looking, smart, quirky girl in her group of friends. Bianca has never had a problem being the less noticeable girl in the group until one night the most popular jock in school, Wesley Rush, tells her shes the "DUFF". 

The movie did an EXCELLENT job of taking what was on the pages of Keplinger's book and making it into something more. We went into this knowing that it was going be a "new age" version of Mean Girls, and suspected that's probably where it would stop and would more than likely fall on the side of way to grilled cheesy... BUT, this movie turned out to be a nice surprise. It was funny, witty, had great chosen actors, and went better than the book did. We spent most of the movie laughing our heads off at the witty jokes. I (Leah) know that I could relate to Bianca on SO many levels and every time she would say or do something hilariously awkward I would be like "OMG THAT IS SO ME" in my head!

Robbie Amell did an amazing job portraying jock turned nice guy Wesley, while giving his character both life

and humor. Skyler Samuels and Bianca Santos who played her best friends Casey and Jess were both sweet and well chosen sub characters. Bella Thorne who plays Madison, Bianca enemy in the film was someone I (Angela) thought was an interesting and not-so-good fit for the new Regina George in this movie. I again found myself pleasantly surprised. She ended up playing the part rather well. There's no doubt though who stole the show;  yes it was Ms. Bianca Piper herself. Mae Whitman was the perfect choice to play Bianca. She was funny, quirky, and took the character to the next level. She was just overall well portrayed. The movie also does a really great job with its supporting characters, such as teachers and Bianca's mom. They add an extra level of funny to the plot that you don't expect.

The movie itself was rocking just under two hours and I think that was the perfect length for this film. The Duff movie did an amazing job capturing what high meanness is really like all while managing to make audiences laugh. I know a lot of people are saying that this movie seems mean because it's focusing around just a negative word, but well let you know first hand it's not! It's just a coming of age story that shows a girl figuring out that high-school doesn't define you. You definitely have to not judge the book or the movie by the cover on this one. It starts out focusing on the negative but by the end you have a feel good story that leaves you walking away with a good message about being yourself.


Angela's Rating- 10/10 Stars (I liked it way better than the book)
Leah's Rating- 10/10 stars (Me too!!)

Paper Towns by John Green

I want to start by saying that I think it is impossible for John Green to write a bad book. Seriously, everything I've read by him makes me feels all sorts of stuff and makes me fall even more in love with his writing style. He is witty and the story is full of dry humor.

Q is an ordinary guy that is about to graduate high school. He makes good grades and stays out of trouble. He is planning on leaving Florida behind and going to college at Duke. Every thing is going as planned until one night his next door neighbor of almost all of his life, Margo Roth Spiegelman, knocks on his bedroom window and persuades him into coming with her for a night of mischief. The two spend the night righting wrongs and wronging rights of their classmates who they will soon be saying goodbye to soon after graduation. At the end of the night, Margo says her goodbyes to Q as well. She then disappears, and when she doesn't come to school the following week it is apparent that she has runaway from her life. Q spends the rest of the book on a treasure hunt of sorts trying to find out if Margo is leading him to her, whether it be her dead or alive.

I'll be honest, I had a lot of ups and downs with this book. Mostly ups, but there is a chunk of the book where Q is on the hunt following clues that he thinks will lead him closer to Margo, but really he is just chasing his tail in a circle. His friends get frustrated with him, he gets frustrated with himself, everyone gets frustrated with Margo, and I just wanted someone to get to the point. I feel like John Green was trying to do a lot of character building during this chunk, which I appreciate, but it didn't really add much to the plot. You get some deep insights on how to view people and why people do things the way they do them, and you also learn a lot about Walt Whitman.
The characters are pretty amazing. I think my favorite character is Radar because he is the person in their group of friends who is the most logical. He is also the one that is there when Q needs him, despite whatever else is going on. I love the comedic relief that Ben brings, but he is that friend who dumps you as soon as they get a girlfriend and they're that friend that fixates on wanting do whatever it takes to move up the social ladder and be cool. Ben is still a good friend to Q, but I feel like neither one of them are the best friends that they could be to each other.

I spent most of the book disliking Margo, to be honest. I really, really loved her at the beginning of the book during her adventure with Q, but as the book went on, I found myself disliking her. I felt like what she was putting everyone through was so selfish. When we started to learn more about the why's, I felt more sympathetic towards her but in the end, I still think she behaves like a child who can't handle life and needs to get away. Lacy on the other hand really surprised me and went from being one of the token mean girls to really coming and being an integral part of the ending of the book. I really wish Angela, Radar's girlfriend, would have had more air time. She was really funny and witty, so I think she could have added a lot to the characters.

My favorite parts of the book is the adventure between Q and Margo at the beginning. Right from the get go it pulls you in and gets you hooked. After that, my other favorite part is the the road trip that the group takes. I was laughing with tears coming down my face with a certain incident that required Ben to use a bottle. The cow incident was also pretty hilarious in a morbid, poop your pants kind of way.

Overall, I think this is a great book. If you like John Green's writing, then this book will be no exception. It is a great contemporary novel that focuses on angsty teens and lessons they have to learn in order to grow. I'd also like to recommend The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider. It reminds me SO much of Paper Towns. The main female character, Cassidy, is very much like Margo and I found myself feeling the same things towards both of them. These are both great books, and I think they should be on everyone's TBR list because I think everyone will pull away different things from the stories depending on their own life experiences.

Also, Paper Towns will be released as a movie in June of this year. I checked out the actors that are going to be in it, and I think it is spot on! I LOVE the actress (Cara Delevingne) that is cast for Margo. I think she is going to do an excellent job. I really can't wait to see this movie. I hope all John Green books get made into movies.

4/5 stars