Unbroken Movie Review

As y'all might know, occasionally Leah and I will go outside the Ya/Na world and read a fiction. memoir, poetry, contemporary, and so on. I recently read  Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. When I decided to read it it was because I saw it was becoming a movie. I had no idea how moving this story was going to be.


I did a short review on the book after finishing it, which I'm posting below.

    "I managed to squeeze this book in between several others I'm reading and I wont lie I saw the movie trailer and knew that I had to read it. This book is BEAUTIFUL, sad, and made me cry. It's a heart breaking and moving story that everyone should pick up. How one man could go through so much and not be broken by it is what will bring you to tears.

I hope too one day find the same courage and strength that Louis Zamperini had. And that when the catalyst of my life happens that I will come out stronger and wiser because of it. This book will give you hope. I absolutely can't wait to see this play out on the big screen. I'll be there Christmas Day tissues in hand."

I unfortunately didn't get to go on Christmas day because of family scheduling BUT I just left the theater about a hour ago from seeing it and figured I'd do a review while it was still fresh.

I have never before left a theater after seeing a page to film and had nothing at all the say negative about it. You know how it is... You leave and right away you and your friend start listing off and comparing between the two. I have no negative feedback to give. This movie was breathtaking and left me speechless.  

Everything from the scene set up to casting in my opinion were flawless. Seeing such well known authors in a new setting was amazing. You might not even have known there were such big names in this movie (that is unless you're like me and love books to film). Jolie cast Domhnall Gleeson who you would know as Bill Weasley from Harry Potter Series, About Time, and the upcoming Star Wars film. Another actor you might have heard of was Jai Courtney. He is mostly known for playing Eric in The Divergent movies, but is also set to be in the the new Terminator film coming out next year. Even with those names present there is no doubt who stole the show... Jack O'Connell. He is who plays Louis Zamperini in this film. I have only ever seen him in one other film and that was 300. With that being said he will be an actor I will keep an eye on in the future.

Unbroken shows the life of Louis Zamperini, who was a an Olympic athlete who joined the armed forces
during the second world war. Only to be captured by the Japanese navy after a plane crash in the Pacific. After surviving at sea for over a month in a raft he was then captured by the Japanese only to be thrown into several POW camps. The flow from one scene to the next, the depiction of how a person can be so torn apart, to the dramatic conclusion has me struggling to even write a review for this movie. It was just simple a film that I feel everyone needs to go see.

How someone can go through what he went through and come out of it as well as he did is something in itself. There is no way I could have gone through or done the thing he did to survive. This was a film I was so glad I got to see before the year ended. I know people keep saying that Angelina Jolie is still such a mystery when it comes to directing but if this is what we have to look forward too in the future from her, then I am on pins and needles until the next film she releases. A strong book and an equally strong movie.

“A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain. Louie thought: Let go.”

 10/10 Stars
-Angela

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Sydney becomes captivated by Ridge, her mysterious neighbor from the other side of the apartment complex. She can't stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. There's also something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore either. When a series of events brings them together, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

"I need someone who is willing to watch me brave the ocean and then dare me not to drown..."

First off December has been the month for good reads. Everything has been so good! Second I've been on a total Colleen Hoover kick. Third I think going into a book completely blank and with the smallest amount of information about the novel is the way to go. 

I picked up Maybe Someday only knowing that it was a story about a girl who falls in love with her musician neighbors and I assumed they hit it off. This book was so surprising. The story and the characters were SO far off from what I thought. All were such a pleasant surprise. 

Sydney and Ridge’s story was so different, and so original. It’s going to be so hard to review this book due to the fact that something right away was such a surprise. I'm going to give NO hint too what it is regarding because not knowing. and the fact that others kept it such a secret really made this story amazing.

This book seriously starts off with face punch. Literally. Sydney catches her boyfriend of two years cheating on her. With her best friend/roommate. When her neighbor broke the news to her about her friends romance she ends up staying with him and hes roommates. The two bond over music and instantly become very close.
She becomes a muse to Ridge, and helps break his writers block. From there a friendship starts to become more than that. 

They however try so hard to keep it platonic, because Sydney clearly just got out of a tough relationship, and because Ridge has been in one of his own for years. This is the thing about Maybe Someday that I loved. It was all about building a friendship then turning into a relationship. It's so hard to say it wasn't a typical relationship because it's not but at the same time it is. The characters are both so well written. I love stories where either the girl is super sassy, and/or the guy is kind of a jerk turned nice guy... Neither of them are these things and I thought I was going to hate that... NOPE. They are nice, compassionate, natural people. 

Colleen Hoover is the Queen Bee of building up stories, sprinkling it with little surprises, then when she thinks you're not looking she reaches into your chest cavity and pulls out your heart.

When she finally has everything presented to you and door A and Bs are set in front of you, you wont know how to feel. This was another one of her books that I didn't think I would end up so upset over, but I was. I was on a roller-coaster of emotions. I didn't think Hoover could surprise me any further than she did with Ugly Love, she managed to do so much more than that. Every sentence down the the very last word was so poetically and beautifully written. Not kidding, the last sentence of this book couldn't have been more perfect. May Someday is yet another book this month that will be moving to the Hall of Fame Shelf. Yes it was just that good. I will continue my Hoover obsession and will be purchasing anything she puts out in the future. 

10/10 Stars 
-Angela

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

I have had this book on my TBR forevvvvvver. Basically, it is a dystopian world that is ruled by a queen that has implemented a caste system. The caste system is divided by different types of labor, but most importantly it is divided by language. Each class has their own language (with one universal language) and it is against the law to know/learn languages of the different classes. Charlie was born with a special gift where she can recognize and understand any language just by seeing or hearing it. This is a very dangerous gift to have, because the punishment for the crime of acknowledging other languages is death. Her parents have closely guarded her and raised her to know how dangerous her gift is and how they must keep it a secret. Everything changes when she meets this guy named Max in a club and he and his friends speak a language she has never heard before (but because of her gift, she immediately can understand it). Max takes a liking to her and forces himself in her life.

 I really liked the basic concept of this book. The whole language thing definitely brings a new idea to the whole dystopian thing. I liked how Charlie's gift is so forbidden and how she really has to force herself to make sure she doesn't slip up and let others know. I love the relationship she has with her baby sister, Angelina. No matter what, she will protect her even if it means putting herself in harms way. I find this a very admirable trait. I like how the book switched POVs so you as a reader knew what was going on from many different character angles. Max is a huge likable part of the book as well. He is handsome and charming and relentless about getting Charlie's attention. I enjoyed their relationship.

"I pledge to keep you safe."

The book is really predictable though. I pretty much could guess what path the plot was going to take and how it was going to end after just a few chapters. Even the twists that came up (besides one involving one of her friends.. I didn't see that one coming!) and the ending/epilogue I predicted. I know I am probably alone in this (I don't care what anyone says.. I love insta-love and love triangles!!), but I really wish there was a love triangle... Well, I guess more of a love square. I really wanted one to develop between Charlie, Max, Xander, and Aron. Maybe something like this will develop later on in the series, IDK. I also didn't really like Charlie's friend, Brook. I hated her personality and thought that she was a really crappy friend towards Charlie.

Despite all of this, I still enjoyed the book. It was an easy and quick read. I will be buying the other books in the series, though they aren't a top priority. I would have given the book a higher star rating if the plot wouldn't have been so predictable. I also want to add how sweet Kimberly Derting is. I wrote her a letter via snail mail a few months ago (before I had even read any of her books) and she replied back VERY quick and included swag (bookmarks, book plates, etc). She is definitely one of the nicest authors I have written to and I really appreciate her dedication to answering letters from her readers!

3.5/5 stars

Naughty or Nice... 2 for 1 book review

I read two books involving the Christmas Holiday. Both books also involved bad boys.

Wait for You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Traveling thousands of miles from home to college is the only way 19 year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago. All she needs to do is make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe become a little more social. The one thing she didn’t need was to capture the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself. Cameron Hamilton has a secret past of his own and the determination Avery wasn't prepared to face. 

Clearly I love Jlynn books. I read at least two a month, so I decided that I would start her Wait for You series. Yup again she goes with a old school romance novel covers in good ole Jla fashion... Avery and Cam are our main characters. Avery is young, naive, and running from her past. I usually really love female characters Jla writes, but in this book Avery was just okay. I get that her past has broken her, but sometime all her lying was just dragged out. I felt it took way too long for it to be unfolded. In my opinion was just a little too much sometimes. 

Cameron however was a nice change of pace from the guys I'm use to reading from Jla. If you've read anything by her then you know that she usually writes about guys who are kind of jerk-ish then turn sweet. Cameron might be cocky but he was sweet from the start. He was also witty and charming. I really liked his character. Avery was just so/so, Cameron was spot on. I just wanted to shake her a lot and tell her to stop being so dumb!  I absolutely loved that it wasn't insta love with them. That it did start with a friendship and then became more. Reading Cameron ask Avery out over and over again was hilarious. The plot was set at a smooth pace, but the twist were a little predictable. No real shocker moment. However, since I liked Cameron so much he makes it on my nice list. The ending was sweet but still was just okay. I don't usually buy Contemporary books, and when I do I don't usually like them... I did like Wait for You I just didn't love it. It would rank higher on my list of Contemporary books I like. This was a sweet and nice December read, but sadly wasn't my favorite book by her. 

7/10 Nice Guy Stars 

Fever by Maya Banks

Jace and Ash share everything... including their women. When they meet Bethany, Jace begins to feel things he’s never experienced before: jealousy, and a powerful obsession that threatens him. Jace isn’t sharing Bethany; with anyone. He’s determined to be the only man in her life, even if it might jeopardize his lifelong friendship with Ash. Bethany will be his and his alone. Even if it means turning his back on his best friend. 

  

Maya Banks is an author I've recently started getting into. It was mainly because she has some of the most beautifully simple book covers. Absolutely love them. A few weeks ago I read and reviewed the first book in this series, Rush. I preferred Fever to Rush. Fever was a lot less 50 shades. But like Wait for You I preferred the male leading character in this book to the female. The leading characters in Fever are Bethany and Jace. In book one I thought I didn't really love Mia but now being able to compare her another fem (Bethany) I realized I liked her a lot more than I originally thought. Yes, Bethany is sweet even with her dirty past... but I just didn't like her. She was too whiny for my taste. She was another women I wanted to shake and ask her "WHAT THE EFF IS WRONG WITH YOU".  Jace however was a character I liked in book one, and knew I would like in book two. I enjoyed finally getting to hear how he thought. Even with how overprotective and needy he is, I really enjoyed him. This book wasn't nearly as scandalous as the first. The action does start right away... Like right away though! The book was more realistic than the first in it over all aspect.

This book was fast paced the entire time, but much like the first it had one moment in it that I just hated. It was mainly the times between Bethany's brother Jack and with Jace... I just don't think any of it would happen. I thought the whole book was super strong until the very end, because of those scenes with Jack. I didn't love the ending of Fever as much as I loved the ending of Rush, because I LOVED the ending to Rush. 

I will be continuing this series and will definitely be buying more books by Banks in the future. 

8.5/10 Naughty Stars  

Angela  

Raw by by Belle Aurora

 Raw by Belle Aurora

As soon as Lexi turned sixteen, she left home and took her chances on the street. Now, at the age of twenty-six she's educated, employed and amazing at her job. There's only one thing not amazing about her life now... She's being stalked. Someone that should scare her doesn't. So you're probably  wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker?This is how.

 

"Not everyone can be a fairy-tale hero... The world needs villains too." 

Angela here... To answer the age old question... Are stalkers hot? The answer is YES, yes they are hot.

Pretty sure Raw just moved to my all time favorites list. Everything from the plot to the characters were perfecto! Seriously, girl falls in love with her stalker; PERFECT CONCEPT!

The story focuses around two characters Lexi and Twitch. Lexi, oh Lexi; I loved how strong, independent and hilarious she was. She was an awesome leading lady that gave readers a ton of surprises. Is she insane, probably. She knows shes being stalked but since he has never done anything as far as she knows but watch she's never felt the need to tell anyone. Between the two characters it was very clear that Lexi had by far the most character development. Her emotions were all over the place, strong, then weak, then strong again, and sometimes you wanted to scream "get to the point"... But with the twist and turns that would follow the situation your jaw would be on the floor. Then there's Twitch... Holy sweet tattooed gods above, there's twitch. Everything about him was different from any other leading male I've ever read. He would go from hot too cold so fast it would give you whiplash. I absolutely loved his character. I love that Belle wrote to give him so much development, but did it in such small ways you didn't pick up on it right away, then it would smack you in the face. My favorite thing though was the way he looked. Tall and super tattooed. Like almost every inch tattooed. So when he's being described it made him new and interesting to hear about... and hot so freaking hot. Did I mention he has a candy obsession... Yep if you didn't think you'd fall in love with him when you start reading you will after that. Both Twitch and Lexi are amazing written and dynamic characters.

Their relationship is a flippin mess!!! The whole time I kept going back and forth between if I loved it or if I wanted it too end. Who am I kidding, I loved it so much. I loved that even though he's her stalker he would flip the script.

"Did I seriously just get rejected by my stalker? What the fuck?" 

The banter between the two is amazing, and manipulative. The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing he has going on was oddly super hot. He owns his evil and doesn't really care whos sees it or when it happens. 

"You wanna know why I lock my doors at night?"..."To protect the people outside of it from me."

The sub character in it are Nikki, Dave, and Happy. None of them are real constant characters, and none of them I was head over heels for, but in this story it didn't really matter. They all brought something too the table and I have no real complaints with them. The times they do present themselves they are funny, and I never questioned their appearance.

As far as the plot goes, going into this story I had no real idea what it was about except for a girl falls for her stalker. I didn't know anything else. I'm really glad I didn't. Going into it blind made it amazing. There was about 100 things that happened that I didn't see coming. The two big twist in the story were AMAZING!!!
One of them is set up from page one so you're waiting almost the whole story to hear it unfold and when it finally does, whoosh, it gets insane. The second twist is thrown in there so fast you had NO idea it was coming... You're just reading along then WHAM!!! I had to stop and re-read the sentence and ask myself if that really just happened... I swear my jaw unhinged and fell to the floor.

The plot, the flow, the characters, the world build all won me over. The story does have a few holes in it that I wont touch base on because of potential spoils, but even the minor things that popped up I was never truly bothered. I can really see people either loving or hating this book... I'm on the loving side I think it was inventive and brought something new to this genre. Raw was like a snowball rolling down a hill... It started small but strong and kept building till it was so  big and out of control that it had the best explosive ending. Because that ending.... THAT ENDING!!!! The last paragraph in a book is suppose to wrap everything up in a pretty bow for you, not completely come out of left field and blow your brains out. That's Raw's ending to say the least... Mind Blowing!!!! 

 10/10 Stars 
-Angela

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with the perfect boyfriend to the most gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants normal. But when Noah Hutchins, steamy, hot, girl-using loner comes into her life with his tough attitude, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible. 

I was actually really surprised by how much I liked Pushing the Limits... I think I have a thing for really cheese-ball covers. Actually I know I do. I'm pretty sure I was recommended this book by either Leah or a goodreads friend either way I kept pushing it off and I'm glad I finally picked it up.

Noah became a foster child after his parent died in a fire. He has been separated from his two younger brothers and bounced around from home to home. On top of all that he does what any good rebel would do and put on a bad boy facade. Echo is an emotional wreck. After a tragic accident she has repressed some memories and is slowly working to recover them. It doesn't help that her father is overbearing but yet barely there. Both Noah and Echo were written so well. At first I found myself liking and leaning more towards Echo but by the end I favored Noah. His character ended up giving me so much more than I thought I was going to receive. McGarry builds up intriguing characters and gives them interesting and strong back stories along with a new set of issues to handle that I haven't really read before. She ensures that both of them are realistic, with having their own separate lives, friends, and interest.

With a sweet way to have their two worlds clash I felt the story kept an interesting pace. What I was more surprised about was that this story had some twist in it. Twist I didn't see coming. Twist that were the reasons I started seeing Noah in a different light. When his full story is laid out I was beyond shocked at what was told. There was even a twist with Echo that surprised me as well. Noah ended up being a lot more  romantic than I thought he was going to be and his little Notebook dancing to no music thing was definitely swoon worthy. I really loved Noah's banter not only with Echo but with other people. His humor never seemed forced.

"Sup man," said Rico Vega, joining me in the back of Spanish class. "Sup" I answered. "How can they let you take Spanish when that's what you speak half the damn time?" "Why they let a bunch of gueros take English? You gringos gotta be stupid of you ain't got it down in eighteen years."

What I liked about Echo was that she was actually interested in non girly things... cars, pool, etc. What was a little more ehh for me was when Echo's truths started to show the plot did get a little spotty. Therefore the reason it didn't get a higher rating. I felt the relationship between the two, though in my opinion, not the most realistic was still really strong. Still Noah is what made this book for me. I really loved his character development and over all attitude. This story was heartbreaking, funny, and romantic without being too heavy on any one thing. The build up of this story is in itself a reason to read it. Along with the underlying little details. Her choice of names for each character was so perfect.


It's very rare for me to like a contemporary book, but this one was pretty spot on. Pushing the Limits is
something I thought would be predictable and was shockingly not.

9/10 Stars 
-Angela

Wicked by Jennifer L Armentrout

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout
22 year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student... She's part of the Order. An organization that hunts down and kills Fae. Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s 6 feet and 3 inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. Losing the boy she loved nearly destroyed her, but the tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants and needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. 

I'm pretty sure I start off every review for a book that Jla writes by saying something along the lines of this... JLA HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!! Another amazing novel. This lady can write anything. Contemporary, paranormal romance, NA lit, anything. If she published her target shopping list I would read it because I know she would make it amazing. Wicked was so wicked!!! Too me it was like the polar opposite of her Dark Elements series and I loved that (I love The Dark Elements)!I just loved that it was so different.

Wicked is a paranormal new adult and a first in The Wicked Trilogy. Pretty sure at one point I told Leah I thought I just got pregnant reading this. Whoosh it was so hot! It wasn't just the steamy scenes that made this book. It was everything. The world building, plot, flow, and the characters. Ivy is funny, strong, and awkward. The things that go on in her head are hilarious. Ren is so upfront, charming, and wickedly hot. The relationship between Ren and Ivy is almost insta-love but falls closer to insta-lust. Which I think is a good thing. The things they say to each other (mainly Ren) is so so yummy. 

"um, yeah. I do. Baking... is like a hobby." Okay that was a total lie. The only cakes I could bake came out of the box. It was Tink who baked the cakes from scratch. "And why haven't I been offered any cake?"..."You're going to have to get to know me better before you taste my cake."... "Was that an invitation? Because I'm willing to get to know you in any way possible if that means I get to taste your cake." "Invitation for....?" Oh my God. My words replayed. My face turned crimson. "You are such a pervert!"

I really enjoyed Ren as a character so much. He is seriously like the sweet caring version of Roth from TDE. They even both ride motorcycles. He also knows Disney movies. For some odd reason men knowing Disney movies is hot. Hell, Jla seriously can make anything hot. She did some job on Ren. Kid you not this was me 99.9% of the time he was involved...

He was the perfect leading man. Romantic and Take charge. One of my favorite things however is how Ivy is described. She's a curvy frizzy haired ginger. Loved it! The romantic scenes between the two of them are written perfectly. Saying they were hot would be an understatement. I was reading this at work and had to stop because I couldn't stop blushing. I can't wait to see what happens between these two crazy kids as the story continues. As for sub characters the main ones are Val and Tink. Val is Ivy's best friend and is a little on the slutty side (no judgement). But my favorite, FAVORITE character is Tink. OMG I love him so much!!!! The one foot-troll doll lovin-pop culture junkie-little brownie stole the show. Everything he says is amazing.  

"Grabbing a scarf off the chair, I threw it at him. He caught it, clutching it to his chest as he flew into the air. "You gave Tink a scarf. Tink is free!" He flew out into the hallway like a little cracked-out fairy, screeching, "Tink is freeeeee!" Ren looked at me. "What the actual fuck?" I sighed. "He's obsessed with Harry Potter. I'm sorry."

  

The Twilight, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and Salt and Pepa references he threw around killed me. It had been a long time since I had laughed that hard, and at a sub-character too. He took this story too a whole new level. 

"He ignored me. "Sex is best when it's one on one!" Stopping in the hall, I turned to where he was doing a pelvic thrust. "Isn't that a George Michael song?" "Maybe. but he was wrong. I like to think sex is best when it's like three on three or something. Seems more adventurous." Whatever. Goodnight, Tink." I closed the door as he broke out in a Salt-n-Pep a song. 

Every character in this book is so perfect. The plot if fast paced and action packed. There was never a dull moment, or a time I was bored. The plot starts strong and doesn't let up. There are two twist in this story. One was very predictable and one I had no clue was coming. I don't think I've ever updated my GR status so many times before, especially out of pure excitement. Seriously wasn't kidding when I said I needed water. This book was like a sauna!! And the ending. Holy sweet Jesus way to leave us hanging!!! Wicked has to be one of my favorite books and start to a series I've read all year.

10/10 Stars

-Angela

Angela pretty much summed everything that I wanted to say perfectly. All I really want to add is how much I really, truly enjoyed this book. It is by far, hands down, no contest my favorite JLA book so far. The plot stays interesting the entire time and you will not be able to put it down. Ren is my ultimate book boyfriend and has not only made a place for himself on the Holy Grail of Book Boyfriends list, but he has taken the #1 spot which was formally held by the (literally) out-of-this-world Daemon. Ren is a beautiful mix of Daemon and my former #2, Roth. I think what really sets him apart from the others is that there isn't a point in the book where he is angsty and has to/wants to push Ivy away. From the very beginning, he knows he wants to be with her and isn't shy about his feelings. He doesn't play games and is upfront with her the entire time.

The plot twist in the book left my jaw and my brains all over the floor. JLA bamboozled me!! She had me CONVINCED absolutely convinced that the story was going to go one way but at the very end (like literally the last page) she drops bombs everywhere and smacked me in the face with her plot twist. IT IS SO GOOD! I don't know how I am going to make it until summer 2015 for the sequel. If you haven't read this book yet........ ORDER IT RIGHT NOW YOU NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE ASAP. 

5/5 stars 

-Leah