Life of Pi The Movie - The Teenager and The Bengal Tiger

It has been a week since the movie "Life of Pi" was shown in theaters all over the United States. Directed by Ang Lee and distributed by 20th Century Fox, the story was adapted from Yann Martel's 2001 fantasy adventure novel which revolves around an Indian boy from Pondicherry named Piscine Molitor Patel/Pi who managed to survive 227 days stranded on a boat floating in the middle of Pacific Ocean together with a carnivorous Bengal tiger named Richard Parker as his sole companion. The novel is said to imply "issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age" that the main protagonist had shown thorough the entire story.

Hitting the screen last November 21, the Life of Pi is garnering positive reviews all over the web and was described by RottenTomatoes as a "groundbreaking movie" and gained an average rating of 8.7 out of 10. "A 3D adaptation of a supposedly "unfilmable" book, Ang Lee's Life of Pi achieves the near impossible -- it's an astonishing technical achievement that's also emotionally rewarding," RottenTomatoes commented.

Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times, on the other hand, saw the film as a “miraculous achievement of storytelling" and "a landmark of visual mastery." He also referred to the film as one of this year's best films, which "combines various religious traditions to enfold its story in the wonder of life".

Reading With a Cup of the Most Expensive Coffee? Starbucks $7 Costa Rica Finca Palmilera

Raise your hand if you're guilty that you enjoy reading the most with a cup of coffee beside you like I do. Well, come on, admit it, we all know the smell of coffee especially raw coffee beans in our system has a magical touch of calming our frenetic nerves at once. And when one mentions coffee, it's impossible for the word "Starbucks" not to cross your mind.

Seriously, it's impossible for readers and writers not to include Starbucks in the list of their favorite places to hang out. With their homey ambiance and popular coffee-blends, every one would surely enjoy a perfect afternoon in their coffee shop munching on their favorite dessert and sipping their favorite cup of coffee while reading a book or surfing the internet in their iPhones, iPads or netbooks.

And if you happen to be a Starbucks fan then you might be thrilled to know that there is a new coffee blend to add up on their luscious selection. But this isn't the usual coffee-blend for this is "the most expensive black coffee served up in Starbucks' history", the Costa Rica Finca Palmilera, which worth $7 for a Grande-sized cup.

"Every Day", The Fantasy Romance Novel That Defies The Conventional Love Story

From vampires falling in love with humans or angels choosing to betray their nature to follow their hearts, young adult novels nowadays have pushed their limits to present a new breed of romance stories. But just when we thought that these "forbidden love" and "supernatural-theme" romances are the bizarre genres we could meet, another writer had proved that imagination has no limits in creating possibilities.

David Levithan, American young-adult novel editor and award-winning author known for writing the controversial YA novel Boy Meets Boy, has again surprised YA fans with a one-of-a-kind love story that seemingly defied the conventional love story we usually know. And that's what he introduced in his 2012 New York Times bestselling novel, "Every Day". Described by Entertainment Weekly as a "wise, wildly unique" love story, Every Day talks about a teenager called A who "wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life."

According to an article from New York Times written  by Frank Buni, Op-Ed columnist for The Times and author of Born Around, the novel showed "Levithan’s talent for empathy, which is paired in the best parts of the book with a persuasive optimism about the odds for happiness and for true love."

In this novel, Levithan has indeed "pushed himself to new creative heights" as he tells the story about an unknown entity called A "who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life" and the complexities he must face for loving a normal girl named Rhiannon. Will it be possible, can he truly be love by someone when he is destined to change every day?

Drooling Cover of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles

Before Edward Cullen, Damon Salvatore and Alexander Sterling made themselves known to me, it was Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac were the first vampires that I thought were worth drooling for (especially after I've watched Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt brought them to life in the big screen). Although Lestat was not the romantic, chevalier di immortales the present generations would be fond of, he was the perfect depiction one could create that accurately describes a vampire. Ruthless, seductive, bold, defiant and yet sensual and elegant, Lestat although they may refer him as the "Brat Prince" for me is the greatest fiction vampire the dark fantasy genre has to offer.

That's why when I accidentally stumble upon this new cover of The Vampire Chronicles (Volume I), the urge to buy it and read again the adventures of Lestat, Louis, Claudia, Armand and the other di immortales spawned from Anne's Rice dark enigmatic imagination was damnably irresistible. And though it might be late and quite uncanny to get into the vampire genre with the Merry Holidays coming, I bet no Anne Rice fan will say no to get his/her hands on a copy of this book.

With its classic design, the chilling lettering painted with bloodily red and mysterious railings similar to that of a funeral or an old haunted castle, this published copy of The Vampire Chronicles Volume One is an eye-candy festive for any vampire and dark-fantasy readers that crave and collect vampire series.

Beautiful Creatures Another Awaited Film in 2013

New York Times bestselling fantasy young adult novel Beautiful Creatures will soon hit the screen early next year starring 19-year old Australian actress Alice Englert and Stoker star Alden Ehrenreich. With the novel originally written by authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Beautiful Creatures, the film rights was bought by Alcon Entertainment in 2009. The film was directed by American screenwriter and occasional film director Richard LaGravenese, who was popularly known as the writer of Fisher King.

Early in 2012, it was announced that Jack O' Connell and Alice Englert were announced to play the lead characters of Lena Duchannes and Ethan Wate. But not long after, O' Connell dropped the role and Alden Ehrenreich was picked for the role of Ethan Wate instead. Other casts include Emmy Rossum as Ridley Duchannes, Viola Davis as Amma, Emma Thompson playing dual roles as Sarafine and Mrs. Lincoln and Jeremy Irons as Macon Ravenwood. Stars Thomas Mann, Kyle Gallner, Zoey Deutch, Tiffany Boone, Margo Matindale, Andrea Frankle, Camille Balsamo, J.D. Evermore, Lance Nichols and Leslie Castay are part of the casts.

Filming for the said film started in May 2012 in New Orleans and ended in late July. According to Director LaGravenese, he "chose to incorporate real special effects and computer-based ones for certain scenes."

Barnes & Noble Cyber Monday Sale

After giving 50% off discounts last Black Friday, the big American book retailer Barnes & Noble is up and ready to welcome Cyber Monday by offering 50 to 60% off on their products. Yes, you heard that right! And to top it all up, they're also giving away $20 worth of gift card when you buy their NOOK with your MasterCard. 

How exciting this year's Cyber Monday will be!

Barnes & Noble Cyber Monday Sale Offers includes 50% off on selected eBooks, 60% off on their DVDs and Blue-rays where you can get awesome movies like the Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Abraham Lincoln: The Vampire Hunter and Dr. Seuss The Lorax more than half their original price. Aside from that, they also have a deal to all anime fanatics and otakus in town as they take 50% off on selected manga box sets. How cool is that? Arigatou gozaimasu Barnes & Noble.

Most Popular YA Books Released this November

Although November is about to end, this post I'm sure won't be late to update your To-Read-Books list because we're bringing you the top ten most popular YA books released this month under the "fantasy" and "supernatural" genre. So better grab a pen and a paper, and take note of these books that will sure be a hit to all YA book lovers.

• Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone Book 2) by Laini Taylor

Goodreads Rating: 4.45 out of 5 stars | 2,124 ratings

Release Date: November 6, 2012

Summary: "Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world."

Art student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is—and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

• Undeadly (The Reapers Diaries Book 1) by Michele Vail

Goodreads Rating: 3.95 out of 5 stars | 384 ratings

Release Date: November 20, 2012

Summary: "The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird..."

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. 

• Deity (Covenant Book 3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Goodreads Rating: 4.62 out of 5 stars | 2,675 ratings

Release Date: November 6, 2012

Summary: "History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time."

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. 

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. 

• Touched (Sense Thieves Book 1) by Corrine Jackson

Goodreads Rating: 4.18 out of 5 stars | 240 ratings

Release Date: November 27, 2012

Summary: "Remy O’Malley heals people with touch—but every injury she cures becomes her own."

Being sent to live with her estranged father offers a clean start and she is eager to take it. Enter Asher Blackwell. Once a Protector of Healers, Asher sacrificed his senses to become immortal. Only by killing a Healer can a Protector recover their human senses. Falling in love is against the rules between these two enemies. Because Remy has the power to make Protectors human again, and when they find out, they’ll becoming for her—if Asher doesn’t kill her first.

• Reached (Matched Book 3) by Ally Condie

Goodreads Rating: 3.97 out of 5 stars | 2,877 ratings

Release Date: November 13, 2012

Summary: "Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without."

After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising—and each other—Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again.

Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Might Be the Next Hit Saga in the Big Screen

August 23, 2013, the set date for the film release of one of the most awaited films of 2013, Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Based on the first book of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments Series, Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was first announced on August 22, 2009 by Clare at a book signing in New York City that The Mortal Instrument will be adapted into a trilogy of films.

A year later, Constantin Film and Unique Pictures announced that Harald Zwart (director of Karate Kid) will direct The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones, after Scott Stewart. In the same year, its distributor Screen Gems announced that Lily Collins has been picked to play the role of the main protagonist Clary Fray. The following year, they also confirmed that Jamie Campbell Bower has been cast as Shadow Hunter, Jace Wayland. Finally on August 2012, the filming started in Toronto.

And now after the Twilight Saga has ended, everyone's excited to witness another book series film adaptation to hit the big screen. Mortal Instruments focuses on the story of Clary Fray, a girl who thought all her life that she was like any other teenager but that was until her mother all of a sudden disappeared and she met a stranger only visible in her eyes named Jace Wayland, who introduced himself as Shadow Hunter who kills demons roaming the Earth. Later on, she was faced with the truth that she was destined to become one of them too.

“Clary has the ability to both create new symbols and make runes that are stronger than other people’s," Clare described her character. "The movie was definitely made by people who love the books and wanted to do right by them.”

Better World Books Black Friday Sale

Save on your books and e-books this Black Friday at Better World Books!

All ye' bookworms and book lovers, I have an announcement to make as the end of Black Friday ticks near. Better World Books is an American online bookseller that collect and sell books online to earn some money-- and "a social enterprise with a mission to promote."

And this Black Friday, they offer you up to 20% off when you buy 7 used books as a part of their Black Friday Sale. Just use coupon code "BOOKFRIDAY12" at the checkout. Plus, Better World Books have free international shipping that let's you save more. Their Black Friday Sale though is not valid on new books or books that ship from other sellers.

 The best part is when you purchase from Better World Books, you also take part in their book donation and funding for literacy. They also raise money for non-profit organizations like Books for Africa, Book Program in Quincy, Worldfund in Latin America, Room to Read and National Center for Family Literacy.

Amazon's Kindle Fire HD Treat this Black Friday and Cyber Monday

E-books have changed our conventional ways of reading and brought us a new kind of reading experience, offering us portability at its best. Having copies of our favorite books all digitally stored in our portable devices, tablet PCs and smart phones. And if you're an e-book fan then you'll definitely will be frantic to hear that Amazon.com is offering great deals for their Kindle Fire HD devices for this year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Check out their special prices for Kindle Fire 2 Series: Kindle Fire HD 7", Kindle Fire HD 8.9" and Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G.

Here's the whole story from PRWeb.com:

Black Friday Kindle Fire HD Cyber Monday Kindle Fire HD 2012 Deals & Sales At BlackFridayCyberMonday.com

Check Special Prices for Kindle Fire 2 Kindle Fire HD 7", Kindle Fire HD 8.9", Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2012 Deals

"An avid reader of books always wants his favorite titles to be close by for reference and reading. This is sometime quite impossible while traveling, as carrying a thick paperback edition of any book is a bit inconvenient. The Kindle Fire HD comes as a solution to this particular situation with multiple attributes. One can store a number of e-books of their desired titles in this e-book reader. The ease to carry not only one but many book through digitization has come to the solace of the book lovers.

Check Special Prices for Kindle Fire HD at http://www.blackfridaycybermonday.com/kindle-fire-hd

Books to Buy on Black Friday

After tonight Thanksgiving dinner, tomorrow's Black Friday will sure be hectic. And as much as I love to say no in accompanying my Mom to the mall, it doesn't need any premonition for me to figure out that will be futile and I will still be drag by her whether I like it or not. Good thing though, Mom like any other mothers get so preoccupied in rummaging the shops and stalls that I can easily sneak to the nearest bookstore I can find (like I always do) and buy new books.

Ohlalala!

And if you happen to be in the same agenda as I do, then here's five newly released novels under the fantasy and YA genre, you might want to add up on your book list:

• Interview with a Vampire: Claudia Story by Anne Rice & Art and Adaptation by Ashley Witter | Publication Date: November 20, 2012

Unbelievable as it may seem, I was just two years old when the film adaption of one my favorite vampire classics Interview with a Vampire brought fame to Kirsten Dunst who played the role of Claudia, a little girl who was doomed to become a vampire after Lestat bit him. Originally was described by Anne Rice to be a five year old girl, Claudia soon outgrew her child state and despised the fact that she will never be a woman forever, thus creating the conflict for Lestat and Louis in the original novel.

Sypnosis: A richly-illustrated adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, told through the eyes of the vampire Claudia, who was just a little girl when she was turned by the vampire Lestat. Though she spends many years of happiness with her two vampire fathers, she gradually grows discontent with their insistence upon treating her like a little girl, even though she has lived as long as any mortal man... and her lust to kill is certainly no less than theirs.

• Reached (Matched Trilogy Book 3) by Ally Condle | Publication Date: November 13, 2012

The conclusion to Cassia's journey set on a dystopian community controlled by the Society wherein all you do are controlled and commanded by them. But with a momentary glitch from them, Cassia's began to question the workings of the Society and their ability to choose what they want for them even if it means destroying the perfect algorithm the Society had set.

Sypnosis: One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion. Now Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.The wait is over.

• Finale (Hush Hush Book 4) by Becca Fitzpatrick | Publication Date: October 23, 2012

The final book to the Hush Hush Saga. In this long-awaited conclusion, Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

Sypnosis: Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him.

"Mary Had a Little Lamb" Author Made Thanksgiving Possible

I know the title sounds weird. But as weird as it is, it is based on a historical fact--a fact you probably didn't know about Thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of the classic nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb", was an influential magazine editor in the mid-19th century. She also became known for her persistent campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. According to History, she petitioned for a national Thanksgiving holiday for close to 40 years, believing that "Thanksgiving, like the Fourth of July, should be considered a national festival and observed by all our people."

Well, all her hard work paid off when President Abraham Lincoln issued a "Thanksgiving Proclaimation" on October 3, 1863 and officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving.  78 years later, on December 26, 1941, the Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official holiday. The funny part is the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade tradition began in 1920's, long before the Thanksgiving Day was actually proclaimed as a national holiday itself.

YA Books to Read this Thanksgiving (Part 2)

So we're through with the first batch of YA books I recommend bookworms to read while devouring their turkey this coming Thanksgiving. Well, this is the other half of the batch (which is consist of new three YA books that has been released this year):

• The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

From the writer of "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven", Mitch Albom comes back this year with his newest masterpiece, "The Time Keeper". In his newest work of fiction, Albom narrates about the inventor of the world's first clock who was punished by God for trying to measure God's greatest gift.

"He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time." - Goodreads

• Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Fathomless is one of Jackson Pearce's books that shares the same "fairy-tale retelling" and a companion book to Sisters Red and Sweetly. It tells about Celia Reynolds, the youngest in a set of triplets gifted with unusual abilities. Her oldest sister, Anne, can see the future, Jane can see the present while she can see the past. For Celia, the past seems so insignificant--well, that is until she met Lo, an ocean nymph or mermaid, who was once a human and is now entirely a creature of the sea.

"When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul." - Goodreads

YA Books to Read this Thanksgiving (Part 1)

I bet I'm not the only one excited this coming Thanksgiving. Who wouldn't be? It's a non-working holiday which means there's plenty of time to rest, and of course, an ample of time to read books! I could only imagine how it will feels like, lounging at our sofa, with my comforter keeping me cozy as I smell the delicious aroma of the turkey being roast. Yes, heaven. And I'm sure, my fellow bookworms' idea of Thanksgiving will not be any different from that.

But the question is, do you have a specific book to read this coming Thanksgiving? Well, if not, then here are five Young Adult novels and series, I will definitely recommend to keep you company this coming Thanksgiving holiday:

• Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Summary: Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion.

Just to touch the nostalgic cockles of your heart, the Chronicles of Narnia, for me, is one of those books that won't tire me from reading it again and again. It's a classic for the young adults, we grew up with this book's characters and together became charmed with the enchanting world of Narnia, and mystified with its great ruler Aslan.

Thanksgiving seems to be one of the perfect days to reminisce Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy's adventure as they face Jadis, the White Witch, and learn to trust each other as they defy the odds and fulfill the prophecy that lies in their hands.

• InkHeart by Cornelia Funke

Summary: A young girl discovers her father has an amazing talent to bring characters out of their books and must try to stop a freed villain from destroying them all, with the help of her father, her aunt, and a storybook's hero.

InkHeart is the first book in the Inkworld trilogy written by no other than multiple award-winning German author Cornelia Funke. The best thing I love about this book is you can read it with your younger brother and sisters, perhaps cousins, while waiting for your parents to prepare the Thanksgiving table in the backyard (Yeah, I don't help with the preparations).

It's a good book that tells about a twelve-year old girl named Meggie Folchart and her father Mortimer (Mo) who has an uncanny ability which is that when he reads aloud, he can bring characters and items from books into the real world. The story starts when Meggie was only three years old and her father Mo read a book entitled InkHeart aloud to her mother. "In an instant, Meggie's mother, Resa, and the family's two pet cats vanished into the Inkworld and three men from the novel (two of whom are murderous villains) entered into the real world. Nine years later, these men have come back into their lives and Mo, Meggie, and Resa's aunt Elinor need to return the villains back to the book's pages." - Wikipedia

The story like other of Funke's book delivers us the essence of family and how important it is in our lives.

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief (2010 Film)

PERCY JACKSON & THE LIGHTNING THIEF is a 2010 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus, which is based on the first novel in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan; which stars Logan Lerman as Percy, Alexandria Daddario as Annabeth and Brandon Jackson as Grover.

Movie Sypnosis

It’s the 21st century, but the gods of Mount Olympus and assorted monsters have walked out of the pages of high school student Percy Jackson’s Greek mythology texts and into his life. And they’re not happy: Zeus’ lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect. Even more troubling is the sudden disappearance of Percy's mother. As Percy adapts to his newly discovered status as a demi-god (his father is Poseidon), he finds himself caught between the battling titans of Mt. Olympus. He and his friends embark on a cross-country adventure to catch the true lightning thief, save Percy’s mom, and unravel a mystery more powerful than the gods themselves.

- FoxMovies.com

The Lightning Thief

Book Review

Title: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Author: Rick Riordan

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Amazon Price:

        Hardcover = $9.88

        Paperback = $7.99

Summary:

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction – Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

Rating:

✰✰✰✰

4 out of 5 stars

Review:

What if you're not normal after all? If you have unexplained abilities that are not usual to anyone? And what if this gift is something you have inherit from one of your parents--which happens to be a Greek god or goddess?

That's what Percy Jackson, a twelve-year old dyslexic, ADHD kid who studies at Yancy Academy, a private school for troubled kids in upstate New York. He happened to be the typical sixth-grade but that changed after he learned that he wasn't so normal after all, that all those weird events that had happened in his life was caused by the fact that he's paternal father isn't normal too. That his father may be one of the Greek gods who sits in the twelve thrones of Olympus.

Breaking Dawn Part 2 Reviews from the Critics

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 had hit the big screens last Thursday and even though, two days had just passed after its first screening, we couldn't wait to dish up the reviews it gained from critics. Currently, the movie had gained an average rating of 5.2/10 (52%) from RottenTomatoes' Tomatometer, while received a total of 88% Audience Rating.

"It might be the most enjoyable chapter in The Twilight Saga, but that won't be enough to make Breaking Dawn - Part 2 worth watching for filmgoers who don't already count themselves among the franchise's converts," Rotten Tomatoes has got to say.

Here are the some of the reviews from Rotten Tomatoes Top Critics:

"After the laborious exposition of "Part 1," "Part 2" is able to reap the benefits, tying together some disparate threads and providing real action at the end." - Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

"The ultimate catharsis, giving the series' detractors exactly what they've wanted to see all these many years [and] telling the story that Twihards wanted to see too." - William Bibbiani, Crave Online

The Day When The Twilight Saga Films Ends

The final wait is over and today, Twilight fans all over the world will finally witness the "end" of the long-awaited movie adaption of the last part of the Twilight Saga films, the "Breaking Dawn, Part 2". Four years and four preceded movies had passed, with over $2 billion of box office takings worldwide, the Breaking Dawn - Part 2 will be shown on cinemas nationwide this day, November 15, and will be release worldwide starting tomorrow.

Directed by Academy Award winner Bill Condon with an estimated budget of $ 131,500,000, the Breaking Dawn - Part 2 took over four months to complete. And now as the epic finale approaches, one could only comprehend the mixed emotions Twilight fans and supporters have as they wait to see the last scenes of their favorite Twilight characters portrayed by actors and actresses, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as star-crossed lovers Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, Ashley Greene and Jackson Rathbone as vampire soulmates Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale, and Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed as Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale.

With the story focusing on Bella and Edward Cullen's hybrid human-vampire daughter, Renesmee Cullen which is played by child actress Mackenzie Foy, the Cullen family will now faced the greatest threat in their immortal lives as an old acquaintance named Irina turned them over to the Volturi with an allegation of creating an immortal child (referring to Renesmee), an action that had been outlawed long ago. This led the Volturi to take decision of destroying the child and the Cullen Clan.

In order survive, the Cullens gather other vampires around the world to stand as witnesses and prove to the Volturi that Renesmee isn't an immortal child. But will these be enough? When at the first place, the Volturi has always seen the Cullens as a threat to their power, and annihilating them will solve this.

Little do they know, though, what one can do to protect the ones they love. And that's what Bella, as a new vampire (newborn) gifted with a special ability.

Now, isn't that exciting?

"The Host" Takes its Shot in the Big Screen

Though Meyer's fans may got their whole attention focused on the Twilight Saga's final movie, "Breaking Dawn" Part 2, which will be shown starting November 16, let's not forget that Meyer's other supernatural novel "The Host" will be soon hitting the screen as well this coming 2013.

The Host is an engaging story about a parasitic alien "Soul" injected into the body of a 21-year old human named Melanie Stryder. The Soul named Wanderer, also called as "Wanda", was sent to carry out a mission in helping her race to take over the Earth. Unexpectedly though, Wanda's formed a bond with her host body "Melanie" and sets out to help the human race instead. 

The story originally was a novel written by Stephenie Meyers and was published in the year 2008 as a "highly anticipated follow-up to the wildly popular and acclaimed Twilight series." The novel introduces us into a time wherein our planet Earth is being invaded by unseen enemies called the Souls, a race of parasitic aliens which takes over the bodies and minds of unsuspecting humans.

The Host's distribution rights was acquired by Open Road Films, an American independent film distribution company based in Hollywood, Californi, and was directed by Andrew Niccol.

Rapture by Lauren Kate (Official Book Trailer)

"When evil triumps. When the world ends. Trust your love."

RAPTURE is the fourth and final book of the FALLEN Series. The thrilling conclusion of Luce and Daniel's seven thousand years love story...cause Heaven can't wait any longer.

Sypnosis

The sky is dark with wings...

Like sand in an hourglass, time is running out for Luce and Daniel. To stop Lucifer from erasing the past they must find the place where the angels fell to earth. Dark forces are after them, and Daniel doesn’t know if he can do this—live only to lose Luce again and again.

Yet together they will face an epic battle that will end with lifeless bodies . . . and angel dust. Great sacrifices are made. Hearts are destroyed. And suddenly Luce knows what must happen.

For she was meant to be with someone other than Daniel. The curse they’ve borne has always and only been about her—and the love she cast aside. The choice she makes now will be the only one that truly matters.

In the fight for Luce, who will win?

About the Author

Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and now lives in Los Angeles.

References:

• Fallen Books RandomHouse Australia
• GoodReads
• IndieBound

Passion by Lauren Kate (Official Book Trailer)

"Search time. Search history. Break the curse. Defy the past. Change the future. Risk it all for love."
PASSION is a young adult fantasy novel from the FALLEN series written by Lauren Kate. The sequel to TORMENT which was published on June 14, 2011.
Sypnosis

Luce would die for Daniel.
And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way…
Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime… going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.
Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.
Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames… forever.
About the Author
Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and now lives in Los Angeles.
References:

• Lauren Kate Official Website
• GoodReads

Torment by Lauren Kate (Official Book Trailer)

"How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for?"

TORMENT is the second novel in the addictive FALLEN series...where love never dies.

Sypnosis

Hell on earth.

That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts - immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something - something dangerous.

What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

About the Author

Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and now lives in Los Angeles.

References:

• Lauren Kate Official Website
• GoodReads

Vampire Kisses

Book Review

Title:  Vampire Kisses

Author: Ellen Schreiber

Genre: Young Adult, Dark Romance

Price -

Amazon.com:

           (Hard cover) = $11.39

           (Kindle Edition) = $5.99

         

Tagline: “A new guy in town. Rumors of vampires. Dangerous first love.”

Summary:

The mansion on top of Benson Hill has stood empty for years. But one day it seems to be occupied, and its mysterious, handsome inhabitant Alexander Sterling becomes the source of much talk around town. Raven, a vampire obsessed Goth-girl who has always considered herself an outsider in “Dullsville,” is determined to uncover the truth surrounding the secretive Alexander. As she gets to know him, and their spark intensifies. Raven finds herself in some unanticipated situations. 

Can Alexander make her lifelong dream come true? But love always has its complications—especially when it can only be awakened in nightfall.

Critical Reviews:

“All in all, a good read for those who want a vampire love story without the gore.” – School Library Journal

“Raven is exactly the kind of girl a Goth can look up to.” – Morbid Outlook Magazine

“Schreiber’s writing style is frank and funny, and she captures the angst of first love perfectly.” – VOYA

Rating:

✰✰✰✰

4 out of 5 stars

Review:

Vampire Kisses is Ellen Schreiber’s first novel in the Vampire Kisses Series. It is one of the very first dark romance novel I had read way back in high school that got me hooked up in vampire x human pairings. Yeah, surprise, surprise, it was not Twilight. So just to be candid, I may appear biased during this review. (Haha)

Anyhoo, Vampire Kisses is a simple novel with a simple plot that revolves around a quirky Goth girl named Raven, the one I should say that made the story extraordinarily interesting. She’s your ironic foil to the normal girl that was suddenly dragged to the world of vampires because to start in the first place, Raven wanted to become a vampire since she was in kindergarten. Yeah, what a funny little adorable imp she is. I love her character and remind me a lot of anime characters; it was so easy to get tune with her brain’s wavelength. I did get comments from some readers that she appears to be a Mary Sue (an over-exaggerated, non-realistic character) but even if she is, I hardly care; I enjoy her attitude and her wits a lot (so sue me).

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Official Book Trailer)

"No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal."

SHATTER ME is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel. In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men.

Sypnosis

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

About the Author

Tahereh Mafi is a girl. She’s 24. She writes books and reads books and drinks way too much coffee. SHATTER ME is her first novel, and the first of a trilogy, coming from Harper/HarperCollins on November 15, 2011. Film rights have been optioned by 20th Century Fox.

References:

• Stir Your Tea - Tahereh Mafi's Blogspot
• GoodReads - Shatter Me Sypnosis

Red Riding Hood (2011 Film)

RED RIDING HOOD is a 2011 dark fantasy and thriller film directed by Catherine Hardwicke (director of Twilight), starring Amanda Seyfried as Valerie, Shiloh Fernandez as Peter and Max Irons as Henry, and was produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Movie Sypnosis
Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie's older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon's arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. Panic grips the town as Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast-one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect...and bait.
- Warner Bros. Pictures

Red Riding Hood

Book Review

Title :  Red Riding Hood

Author: Sarah Blakley-Carthwright

      Based on a Screenplay: David Leslie Johnson

Genre: Young Adult, Dark Fantasy, Thriller, Romance

Price:

Amazon.com:

        (Paperback) = $9.99

        (Kindle Edition) = $8.99

Tagline: “Believe the legend. Beware the wolf.”

Summary: 

The blacksmith would marry her. The woodcutter would run away with her. The werewolf would turn her into one of its own.

Valerie’s sister was beautiful, kind and sweet. Now she is dead. Henry, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tries to console Valerie, but her wild heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie another life far from home.

After her sister’s violent death, Valerie’s world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the Wolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But now no one is safe. When an expert Wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them—it could be anyone in town.

It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of the creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the blood moon wanes… or everyone she loves will die.

Rating:

✰✰✰

3 out of 5 stars

Review:

Red Riding Hood is a classic children’s tale transformed dramatically into a gothic romance love story of a girl who didn’t seem to fit in her small village and her childhood friend, Peter, who she described was the only person in the whole world that deeply knows her. First released as a movie and shown at the wide screen, Red Riding Hood was described by its Director Catherine Hardwicke as “a new, dark, layered version of the classic story.”

Fallen by Lauren Kate (Official Book Trailer)

FALLEN is the first book in intensely addictive four book series about fallen angels and forbidden love.
Sypnosis
What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours?
17-year-old Lucinda falls in love with a gorgeous, intelligent boy, Daniel, at her new school, the grim, foreboding Sword & Cross... only to find out that Daniel is a fallen angel, and that they have spent lifetimes finding and losing one another as good & evil forces plot to keep them apart.  Get ready to fall...
About the Author
Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and now lives in Los Angeles.
References:

• Lauren Kate Official Website
• Random House Official Fallen Books Site

Fallen

Book Review

Title :  Fallen

Author: Lauren Kate

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Price -

Amazon.com:

           (Paperback) = $9.99

           (Hard cover) = $7.20

           (Kindle Edition) = $11.49

Tagline: “What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours.”

Summary:

Some angels are destined to fall.

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at Sword & Cross boarding school in Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are screwups, and security cameras watch every move.

Except Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce—he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret… even If it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Rating:
✰✰✰✰

4 out of 5 stars

Review:

Fallen is the debut novel of author Lauren Kate. As I remember, I happened to stumble upon this book in the year 2011. And what caught my interest was the book’s tagline, “What if the person you were meant to be could never be yours?”

It was a trap that will lead into forbidden love and tragic and as I sucker for those kind, I bought it. I just couldn’t help but feel nostalgic about its angelxhuman love story and its resemblance to Brad Silberling’s movie, City of Angels.