The End & The Long Road - G.Michael. Hopf

The End

I have said it before: dystopian stories are having a moment.

And I am hugely susceptible to their wiles.

When TLC Book Tours approached me about reviewing the first two books in G. Michael Hopf's New World Series, how could I say no? My head knows that most dystopian books turn out to be a disappointment (thanks to the flooding of the market), but my heart cannot resist. In each new series, I see a potential next Hunger Games. And each new author is hoping I see the same thing. 

Hopf's series differs significantly from the Young Adult style to which most dystopian novels adhere. A former marine, Hopf's passion for his subject bleeds through the pages. His goal is to create awareness through entertainment.

The books are set in the very near future. Gordon, a former Marine, lives with his family in San Diego when an EMP attack renders the United States without any form of electronics. Gordon's brother and active Marine Sebastian is serving in Afghanistan.

What follows is a high-action drama surrounding the two brothers as they try to survive in the new world.  For the most part, I found the scenarios Hopf presented to be extremely plausible. An EMP attack is a very realistic way for America to be taken down and the pandemonium that would follow is nearly unimaginable.

Movie Monday: Animal Farm

Animal Farm (1954)

On the second and fourth Monday of every month, I feature Movie Monday. I recognize that few people have the time or desire to read the amount I do, especially when it comes to the 100 Best Novels list. Luckily, Hollywood loves adapting a classic and I love a good movie almost as much as a good book.

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a great weekend and stayed very warm. Here in the Midwest, things are completely out of control cold. I'm hating it. I just do not handle winter well. 

It's the perfect weather to cuddle up with a cup of tea and a good book - or a good movie for that matter.

Back in October, I read George Orwell's classic Animal Farm for the first time ever. You can go read the post about it refresh yourself on all my thoughts. In summary, though, I loved it. It's a classic for a reason.

When I picked up the 1954 film adaptation, I had high hopes. The animated movie, unfortunately, did not live up to those expectations.

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra - Colm McElwain

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra

As you all know, I have tremendously enjoyed getting involved with the book tour world. It has brought such variety to my reading, something for which I am very grateful. It also has brought some wonderful books into my life.

Today is another first experience, albeit one in the same vein. A few weeks ago, I was contacted by one of you about reading and reviewing a new book. I happily agreed and am so glad I did. Thanks, Lauren, for approaching me. I hope you are the first of many to do so!

The book, James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra, falls slightly out of the typical for Read.Write.Repeat. While I suppose it could be classified as young adult, it really is geared toward a slightly younger age. Since I'm constantly saying that there is something for everyone here, I figured it was worth the diversion.

James Clyde is a delightful middle age book. I think it would be especially appropriate for young boys. Maybe a great option for those who don't love reading and need just the right thing to entice them?

The book had a charming, youthful feel. It felt like a mix of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Eragon. Young orphan boy discovers his past is not at all what he thought it was when he is transported to another world with two friends. While it is a pretty typical formula for this type of thing, the setting and characters were fresh.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I am so so excited to be starting a mini series today! Let's be honest - how many of you got excited just when you saw the title of the this post? 

So, first, a little background...

When I met my dear, sweet husband, there were a few holes in his pop culture knowledge. For one, he had never seen the show LOST. Tragic. We starting watching through it together soon after we started dating and finished it up right after we got engaged. I told him I wouldn't marry him until he'd seen it all. We've also watched through all of The West Wing together. Before we met he only read for pleasure very occasionally. He's come a long way in that area for sure. No one can say my cultural education for him isn't also actually educational. 

One particular glaring gap that needed immediate attention was his Harry Potter virginity. He not only had never read the books (no surprise there), he had never seen the movies. When I realized this, my attempts to turn him into an avid reader were still in their infancy. I had no hope of convincing him to read the books; I had to settle for the movies at that point.

Being the wonderful sport that my husband is, he consented and we watched all eight movies within a few weeks. Since then, we've watched 4-8 again. He's not a huge fan of the earlier ones just because they still have a pretty "kid movie" feel to them. 

Ok, ok. I swear this introduction is about over. The rest of the story basically boils down to this: over the holiday season, I convinced him that we should listen to the audio books together. You all know that we're big fans of audio books for when we are traveling. I have been feeling the itch to read through the classic series again  for a few months now (it's been over six years for me!) and really wanted to enjoy the experience with Kevin. 

Movie Monday: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Before we dive into Movie Monday, I wanted to quickly announce the winner of the My Mother's Funeral giveaway! Congrats to Jamie! You'll have to let us all know what you think of the book after you read it!

On the second and fourth Monday of every month, I feature Movie Monday. I recognize that few people have the time or desire to read the amount that I do, especially when it comes to the 100 Best Novels list. Luckily, Hollywood loves adapting a classic and I love a good movie almost as much as a good book.

It seems like ages since I read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. I finished it at the end of August, which may as well be a lifetime ago. The classic novel did not do much to impress. Yes, it was good, but it never captured me the way some books do.

Thankfully for the movie version, I am head over heels in love with Dame Maggie Smith. The Dowager Countess/Professor McGonagall ranks as one of my all time favorite actresses.  If she, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and Jennifer Lawrence would just make a movie together, I could die happy.

As with nearly everything Dame Smith does, she is golden. Actually, she literally is in this movie. It is, I believe, the only role I've ever seen her play with blonde hair. It's also the earliest work of hers that I have seen. Physically, she appears quite different than she does in her recent roles, but her on-screen spark and talent apparently arrived early in life and are everlasting.

The Heart of the Matter - Graham Greene

The Heart of the Matter

In an ideal world, I would post about a book from the 100 Best Novels list every Thursday this year. I mean, after today I already have two of the 52 taken care of, right?

*insert laughter here*

I think I'll keep aiming for two per month. After all, you I just finished telling you how crazy my life is about to get. 

Today's book actually is a holdover from 2013. There are still a couple of those floating about. The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene falls in as the very last representative of the Modern Library list from last year.

Greene set the story on the West Coast of Africa during WWII. He based much of it on experiences he had while stationed in Sierra Leone. In the book, Major Henry Scobie manages local law enforcement, including the mission to catch diamond smugglers. His wife, Louise, lives as a bit of an outsider from the other Brits in the area. She eventually convinces Scobie to allow her to live in South Africa for a time. Her absence creates the unexpected opportunity for the highly moral Scobie to fall into adultery.

Taking What I Like - Linda Bamber

Taking What I Like

Today marks new territory for me! Taking What I Like by Linda Bamber might be the first book of short stories I have ever read - at least in my adult life.

It seems crazy, I know, but I have always been drawn to full length novels. Being the sucker for character development that I am, short stories sometimes irritate me; they leave me wanting more information on the characters' journeys.

That being said, when I received the opportunity to read Bamber's collection, I hesitated initially. The concept interested me, but I wasn't sure I could overcome my indifference to the medium. In the end, I obviously decided to give it a try. I figured it was about time I gave short stories a real chance.

Taking What I Like was initially described to me as "eight short stories that playfully respond to and reinterpret classics." As you know, I am all about the classics lately. Bamber's stories focus mainly on Shakespeare, although she swings briefly by Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and also the artist Thomas Eakins.

Some stories focus on characters of Bamber's own creation. In my favorite story, perhaps because I can relate to is so well, a college professor laments teaching Jane Eyre to yet another cohort of students. In another, an actress works issues while playing Henry IV. Bamber spends a great deal of time representing Shakespeare characters. Some stories and unique retellings of Shakespeare's plays. Others place his characters into new situations. For instance, the opening story finds the cast of Othello serving as the English department of a northeastern college.