Armchair BEA Day Four: Book to Movie Adaptions

I tend to have a problem with most book to movie adaptions. Usually one is way better than the other and the endings are almost never the same. I tend to like to read the book first because in most cases the movie is different in some or all aspects. For instance I knew that Wayward Pines was being turned into a television show, so I finished the book before I started the show. Obviously, since the show is just starting, I can't yet tell you how the two compare.

One book that I really liked and also liked the movie was The Notebook. Yes, there were differences but I thought they were both well done.
   

One of the movies that had the biggest difference from the book was Breaking Dawn (Part Two). I went to the theater with someone who had not read the book. I clearly remember saying "Wait, this didn't happen in the book. I won't spoil any of it for those who don't know the difference.

 

A book that I recently finished was Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell. This would make an Awesome movie. It would scare the pants off of most horror fans, if it was done correctly.


Frozen Charlotte is based on a real doll and a real song. The story is a cautionary tale concerning a young girl called Charlotte who refused to wrap up warmly to go on a sleigh ride to a New Year's ball. Upon arriving at the ball, her fiancé discovers that she has frozen to death during the journey. The dolls were based on the song.  The name is used to describe a specific form of china doll made from c. 1850 to c. 1920. The dolls also used to be penny dolls because they cost a penny to buy. Most of the dolls were manufactured in Germany. The dolls were sometimes placed in puddings, as a prize, if you got the doll you won. Reminiscent of the dolls hidden in Kings Cakes at Mardi Gras.

I don't know if this sounds creepy to you but imagine many tiny busted dolls who have minds of their own, and a knack with needles. Believe me, the story is creepy!

What do you think? Would you watch a Frozen Charlotte movie? What book do you feel needs to be adapted into a movie?

Armchair BEA: Day Three: Character Chatter

Characters can make or break a story. I have such an eclectic reading taste so I usually like things that other readers may not. One day I am checking out a kid's picture book and two days later I'm in zombie mode. I guess I will just read whatever I can get my hands on.

Characters You Love: To Hate
Liane Moriarity has a knack for characters. Not all of them are good, but all are well written. You may be surprised who you decide to feel sympathy for. If you haven't checked her out I can highly recommend Big Little Lies



Characters Who Have Lost Their Mind: Or Have They?
For me,  Adam Nevill wins the award for best written character. Catherine from The House of Small Shadows is fascinating. Is she losing it? Has she already lost it? Is the story reality or is she trapped in her own horror story? Guess what, You will have to read it to find out!!



 Diverse Characters:
Best group of diverse characters has to go to Michelle Kilmer's When the Dead. Imagine what an interesting group you would get out of an apartment full of people. Now, throw in zombies. There is good here and bad here, and the writing is excellent!




Historical Characters:

Vivian from Orphan Train is written so expertly . After reading Vivian's story you will feel as if Christina Baker Kline must have ridden the orphan train in real life. How did she get such a good grasp or the feelings and emotions of the riders? You really must read to find out how well written this one is!

Armchair BEA: Day Two: Visual Expressions and Social Media

Visual Expressions. When I hear those words the first thought that pops into my mind is rebus. Which brings me to The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by Shirley Neitzel. A rebus is a picture that represents a word. Below is an example:



As an Early Childhood Education major I can tell you that children will memorize the story, which leads to reading comprehension. These are the best types of stories to read aloud as the youngsters love to shout out the words that are represented by the pictures.

The second thing that comes to mind with visual expression is the Walking Dead Compendium. Obviously this one is not for children due to language, pictures, and innuendos. I have never been a big comic book fan, but these compendiums are SO much more. I feel like I am watching a film unfold before my eyes. Sort of like the flip books we made as kids but slowed down in speed. If you are a lover of the Television show you really should check out the books. I am a new fan! Comics rule!

        


Social Media:   I am not the best at maintaining my presence on the social media hubs. But I am there and love to hear from everyone. Twitter is so much fun. You really should check out Maureen Johnson on there. She is hilarious!
https://twitter.com/videoclimber  Here is my Twitter link
You can find Maureen Johnson here: https://twitter.com/maureenjohnson

All of my links are listed at the side of the blog. If you have any questions or concerns or a link isn't working feel free to contact me.

Armchair BEA 2015: Introductions!

Armchair BEA 2015! Welcome!

This is an introduction post where we are to introduce new readers to our blog by answering questions. Read on for my answers!

1. Why do you love reading and blogging?
     I love reading because it helps me escape into another world. It is fun and interesting and is good for your mind. Blogging is fun because it teaches me so much about technology. Blogging is a wonderful way to meet authors, other bloggers, and fellow readers.

2. What is your favorite genre and why?
     Lately, my favorite books have been historical fiction books. I also love historical non-fiction. History is just so interesting and we can learn so much from it.

3. What book are you reading right now?
     I am currently reading The Mapmaker's Children. It is so well written and I love stories that can go back and forth between the past and the present. I love that the author has included some facts about the story and where she gleaned her information along with the story itself.

4. What book are you most looking forward to reading this summer?
     The book I am most looking forward to as of right now is Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.  I loved reading To Kill a Mockingbird and I would love to revisit those characters.

5. If you were stranded on a deserted island what author would you want to bring with you? Why?
    I would bring Rhiannon Frater. Since she writes several zombie novels, she should know how to survive alone. Even if she doesn't know how to survive, it's okay because she can entertain me by telling me stories.


I hope you enjoyed reading my answers to the questions. If you are new to my blog...Welcome! It's Wonderful to have you here. If you have been here all along, thanks so much for continuing to read my blog. Here's wishes for a great Armchair BEA!

Review: Wayward Pines (the show)

Luckily I was able to finish the book before the first episode aired tonight. Although, I'm not sure if I should have read it first. I found myself comparing the two throughout. I love Matt Dillon but am not sure he is who I would picture for the lead role. I am already having some issues with the differences between the book and the show. I am also hopeful because I didn't love the ending of the novel, so maybe I will be surprised by the ending of the show. The first episode seemed to move through a lot of the book quite quickly, so I am sure there will be differences on the horizon. I am looking forward to seeing how the show handles some of the surprises throughout the book.

You can find out more about the Wayward Pines here: http://www.fox.com/wayward-pines/

Review: Pines (the book)

SO, I was really wanting to finish this before the Wayward Pines show started tonight. Luckily I finished it on Tuesday. I was finished reading in only two days. The storyline moves quickly and keeps you guessing. Just when you think you know exactly what is going on, you loose your mind, because your guess was totally wrong. This happened to me several times throughout the story. This is a book that you really want to go into without spoilers. It could easily ruin the storyline if you know the outcome of the story. Getting there is half the fun. I didn't really love the ending. I may have scrutinized the story a bit too much. This one is best to just sit back and enjoy. If you don't think about it all too much, the storyline itself is fine. The writing was a little strange and unusual. I wasn't particularly fond of the jumping back in forth in the storyline, but I understand why the story was written this way. A quick read that had me thinking of Lost, the television series.