Good Golly Miss Holly: February 2011

Movie Mania #4

Over the coming months, I'm hoping to build up my very minor movie repertoire by detailing each and every film I see in full whether that be at the cinema or on television and blockbusters or total b-grade flops. If you'd like to help me along the way, be sure to share a one-time only list of what you've seen over the past 30 days and don't forget to leave a link to your feature below.

How Do You Know on February 1st
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd
Plot: After being cut from the USA softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau.
Released: 10 February 2011
Source: Cinema

4 out of 5 stars... Without the delightful Reese, I don't think I would've enjoyed this as much. It's more of a comedy where a girl chooses between the popular guy or the nice guy with a whole lot of other stuff going on.

The Parent Trap on February 5th
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid
Plot: Identical twins Hallie and Annie were separated at birth when their parents divorced. After the two meet at summer camp, they begin plotting to reunite their estranged parents.
Released: 24 September 1998
Source: TV

5 out of 5 stars... This has to be one of my favourite childhood movies of all time with a double-feature of Lindsay Lohan. I always wanted to go to a camp like this, eat sloppy joe's and have an english accent. kids movies ftw.

Twilight on February 11th
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson
Plot: A teenage girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire.
Released: 11 December 2008
Source: TV

4 out of 5 stars... I'd seen this movie partially a few years ago but watching it again had me clearly seeing all the faults and wondering why it's so popular. If it weren't for the dance scene at the end of the movie, I probably would've rated it a bit lower.

Into the Wild on February 12th
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kristen Stewart
Plot: After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.
Released: 29 November 2007
Source: TV

4.5 out of 5 stars... After waiting a very long time to see this film, I finally caught it late at night on ABC1's American Indie season special and found it both wildly amazing and incredibly upsetting. I loved the scene where Emile Hirsch stares into the camera while eating an apple, so brilliant!

I Am Number Four on February 16th
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron
Plot: John is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed ... he is Number Four.
Released: 18 February 2011
Source: Cinema

4 out of 5 stars... I was lucky enough to be invited to an advanced screening of this movie, I was a little worried about the amount of action/fight scenes but combined with the romantic scenes with Glee's Dianna Agron, this'll be the perfect movie for teen girls and guys. I, personally cannot wait to see what they do with the sequel and am even tempted to pick up the books to find out.

Everybody's Fine on February 19th
Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore
Plot: A widower who realized his only connection to his family was through his wife sets off on an impromptu road trip to reunite with each of his grown children.
Released: 4 February 2010
Source: Foxtel

3 out of 5 stars... All families keep secrets but Robert De Niro sets out a road trip to discoverer why he hasn't heard from his four grown children since his his wifes passing. I'd had this bubbling rather low on my wish list but it ended up just being an okay movie with a quick starring of Drew Barrymore.

Q: Which of these movies did you enjoy most?

In My Mailbox #63

For more information on the blogopsheres obession with In My Mailbox, check out The Story Siren.

Foreign Exchange (Glee #2) by Sophia Lowell | Every now and again, I enjoy watching Glee and I was overjoyed when a track by Paramore was performed on the show managing to skyrocket the band into even more of a superstardom. I still haven't got around to reading the first book in this series so for now the brightly covered sequel will need to be shelved.

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright, Catherine Hardwicke | I'm psyched to see the Amanda Seyfriend movie in April 2011 so it made sense to pick up the book in anticipation.

The Decision Book by Mikael Krogerus | I have got be one of the most indecisive people ever, I'm always second-guessing whether I really do want fries with that and etc so when I spotted this book, I thought it'd be perfect for me. It seems to be full of a lot of graphs and strategic ideas and not really what I was expecting but I'll give it a go anyway.

Q: Which of these books would you read first?

(ARC) Tour: The Queen of Water

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau & Maria Virginia Farinango | Born in an Andean village in Ecuador, Virginia lives with her large family in a small, earthen-walled dwelling. In her village of indígenas, it is not uncommon to work in the fields all day, even as a child, or to be called a longa tonta—stupid Indian—by members of the ruling class of mestizos, or Spanish descendants. When seven-year-old Virginia is taken from her village to be a servant to a mestizo couple, she has no idea what the future holds.In this poignant novel based on a true story, acclaimed author Laura Resau has collaborated with María Virginia Farinango to recount one girl's unforgettable journey to self-discovery. Virginia's story will speak to anyone who has ever struggled to find his or her place in the world. It will make you laugh and cry, and ultimately, it will fill you with hope.

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium #1 by Lauren Oliver

February 1st 2011

My Rating:

Review: It was only a few months ago that I slaved my my way through Before I Fall so it's come as a complete surprise that Delirium is a stand-out amongst my usual reading choices especially since I've never really been interested in dystopia and now want to attempt many more novels of the sort!

In Lauren Oliver's second novel, we are thrown into a futuristically devastating version of Portland, USA where love is a deadly virus to be feared and despised. At the age of eighteen, each member of the community is administered with a painful tranquilizer to cure them of all love symptoms including but not limited to; fits of dizziness, periods of despair, difficulty breathing and ultimately death; but not before being examined and paired with your marriage partner of equal intelligence, appearance and personality.

Luckily, we have Lena to guide us through the bleak world who brings a level of realism and honesty not as often seen in YA as we'd like. Lena has always felt a little unsure about the procedure because her now passed away mother was a sympathizer and on the days and weeks leading up to the surgery, Lena starts to take more risks; going to parties, listening to illegal music for the first time and staying out past the city's curfew for uncureds.

On her travels, she meets a boy named Alex who lures her in with his kindness and good-looks. She could easily be executed for simply talking to an uncured male so they spend their days hiding indoors at 37 Brooks Street, an old colonial home that's since been boarded up, playing Scrabble and drinking soda together. She seriously starts to question whether she'll be able to go through with the procedure to live her life without any real feelings running through her body or if she could really live in the wilds beyond the electrified fence keeping in all her friends and family.

If you breakdown the story, Lena is not unlike most teenagers who feel adulthood looming after high school graduation. She seriously starts to question every thought and feeling she's ever held and contemplates whether her family's beliefs are really for her. She tries to squeeze out every inch of her childhood by attempting all sorts of new activities and then falls right into maturity with her first real romance before college. If only most of these things weren't illegal for Lena.

Overall, I really enjoyed Delirium but did find it just a tad too descriptive for my liking and would've preferred if it was cut down a little shorter as it was quite a thick book for me but I'm really just picking for the sake of it and will endeavor to find the sequel, Pandemonium in 2012.

Cover Art: At first glance, the cover might seem a bit plain but once you take a closer look, you'll notice a really intricate design in the lettering of the book tile and authors name as both are filled with the face of an unconscious girl which should greatly help attract new readers to this book while it sits in bookstores and on library shelves.

(ARC) Tour: Blink & Caution

Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones | Two street kids get tangled in a plot over their heads - and risk an unexpected connection - in this heart-pounding thriller by Tim Wynne-Jones. Boy, did Blink get off on the wrong floor. All he wanted was to steal some breakfast for his empty belly, but instead he stumbled upon a fake kidnapping and a cell phone dropped by an "abducted" CEO, giving Blink a link to his perfect blonde daughter. Now Blink is on the run, but it’s OK as long as he’s smart enough to stay in the game and keep Captain Panic locked in his hold. Enter a girl named Caution. As in "Caution: Toxic." As in "Caution: Watch Your Step." She’s also on the run, from a skeezy drug-dealer boyfriend and from a nightmare in her past that won’t let her go. When she spies Blink at the train station, Caution can see he’s an easy mark. But there’s something about this naïve, skinny street punk, whom she only wanted to rob, that tugs at her heart, a heart she thought deserved not to feel. Charged with suspense and intrigue, this taut novel trails two deeply compelling characters as they forge a blackmail scheme that is foolhardy at best, disastrous at worst - along with a fated, tender partnership that will offer them each a rare chance for redemption.

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

Waiting on Wednesday #40

Dead Rules by Randy Russell

June 21st 2011

I don't usually go for the darker novels everybody seems to rave about around here but I seem to have found one that suits me perfectly; hilarity mixed with a "dead school" where Jana professes to kill her boyfriend if he doesn't join her in the afterlife soon. I'm sure laughter will ensure.

Summary from Goodreads: Sometimes falling in love means you have to kill somebody. Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were destined to be together forever. Of that, Jana was sure. But Jana just died—in a bowling accident. And now she’s trapped in Dead School. Jana is certain that it won’t be long before Michael kills himself in order to spend eternity with her—but the days are passing and Michael is, inexplicably, still alive. So Jana decides to take matters into her own hands. And nothing—not even Dead School bad boy Mars Dreamcote’s enticingly warm touch or the devastating secret he holds about her death—will stop her from making her dreams come true.

Romeo and Juliet meets Heathers in this hilariously macabre take on paranormal romance, packed with heart-stopping suspense and sizzling star-crossed love.

(ARC) Tour: How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend

How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend by Gary Ghislain | David Gershwin's summer is about to take a turn for the weird. When his dad's new patient Zelda tells him she’s from outer space and on a quest to take Johnny Depp back to her planet, he knows he should run away screaming. But with one look from her mean, green eyes, David's hooked, and soon he's leaping across rooftops, running from police, and stealing cars just to stay by her side. He might not be a typical hero, but David's going to get the girl even if it takes him to the ends of the earth—or beyond.

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

(ARC) Tour: Warp Speed

Warp Speed by Lisa Yee | Lisa Yee returns to her core strength in older middle-grade fiction and the characters that made her famous in this "Diary of a Wimpy Trekkie."

Entering 7th grade is no big deal for Marley Sandelski: Same old boring classes, same old boring life. The only thing he has to look forward to is the upcoming Star Trek convention. But when he inadvertently draws the attention of Digger Ronster, the biggest bully in school, his life has officially moved from boring to far too dramatic . . . from invisible to center stage.

If you're interested in participating in this blog tour, please first sign-up here and then comment on this post with your name and location.

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

(ARC) Tour: The Implosion of Aggie Winchester

The Implosion of Aggie Winchester by Lara Zielin | Is Aggie’s high school ready for a pregnant Goth Prom Queen?

Sixteen year-old Aggie Winchester couldn’t care less about who’s elected prom queen—even if it’s her pregnant Goth-girl best friend, Sylvia Ness. Aggie’s got bigger things to worry about, like whether or not her ex-boyfriend wants to get back together and whether her mom will survive cancer.

But like it or not, Aggie, soon finds herself in the middle of an unfolding prom scandal, largely because her mom, who is the school’s principal, is rumored to have burned prom ballots so Sylvia won’t be elected queen. Compelled to investigate, Aggie finds out more than she bargained for and wonders if the election could be dirty on both sides.

SIGB-UPS FOR THIS NOW ARE NOW CLOSED. KEEP TRACK OF THE TOURS PROGRESS HERE.

Sarah | PA
Alice | PA
Alyssa | PA
Christi | NJ
Eva | DE
Gabrielle | NC
Jessica | WA
Lisa | Barbados
Vickie | UK
Asriani | Indonesia

Reading time is limited to 7 days and reviews need to be written within a month.

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