If you're lucky enough to live in or around San Diego or you're just lucky enough to have the scratch to travel that far AND you're also lucky enough to have scored tickets to Comic-Con, well, I'm pretty jealous of you right now. Why? Well, because evidently ALL THE THINGS happened this weekend at Comic-Con. Most notably?
A friggin' Veronica Mars movie sneak peek!!!! Check it and then fangirl the fuck out!!!
Ok, compose yourselves, Marshmallows. Cos you know we've GOT to discuss the shizz outta this thang! So let's begin:
Yeah it is!!!! But...
The boys. Why are they wet? Or more importantly, why are they wet and not shirtless? I call shenanigans!
So, turns out V isn't a private eye like dear old dad, Keith. She's a fancypants lawyer now. Note the businessy blazer.
And even Jamie Lee Curtis has taken a break from sharing her secrets on how to keep your pooper on the regular in order to do an ACTUAL MOVIE! Was Activia one of the Kickstarter backers? Or did Kristen Bell put in a good word for JLC after they played the mother/daughter duo in that movie You Again? Either way, it's Jamie Lee Curtis, y'all!
The Mac is back! And she's got a super sleek, short new hairstyle. I don't know where the girls are or why they're so fancifully dressed though. Is it a reunion? Maybe because shortly after V and Mac's run-in with Dick, this happens...
Yeah y'all, check the ring cos Weevil is MARRIED! WHAT?!?! To who?
Is it Gia? Is Weevil married to Gia? Is he the one that sent her that sweet bouquet? But how the hell would Weevil and Gia get together? Ok, maybe I'm reading too much into this scene. Let's get back to the reunion. Is it a Neptune High reunion?
If so, then why would Piz be there? He didn't go to Neptune. Veronica met him at Hearst College in season 3. So, if this is a high school reunion maybe Piz is there because he and Veronica are TOGETHER!!! *squeeeeeees*
But if Piz and Ronnie are together, what the hello is she doing in Logan's car?!?! I'm so confused.
Now that certainly looks like a Neptune High reunion! People fighting! Most likely PCHers vs. the 09ers. *sigh* Just like old times, y'all. :)
Too bad we have to wait til 2014 to finally see it. I. Can't. Wait!!!! So, what did you guys think? Are you too fangirled up to type right now? Me too! I'm at a Jessica-Spano-on-caffeine-pills level of excitement here! What are you looking forward to the most? The mystery? The romance? The nostalgia? And most importantly, which side do you land on: Team Logan or Team Piz? You know my answer. (Piznarski all the way, baby!) Hit me up in the comments and let me know what you think.
And if you thought the Veronica Mars news ended there you are awesomely mistaken. V's story will continue on even after the movie ends! In book form!!! Rob Thomas will reportedly be working with Alloy Entertainment writing two books that pick up wherever it is that Veronica's big-screen story leaves off. This is amazing news, seeing as any VM fan worth their salt knows, originally Rob Thomas envisioned the world of Neptune as a novel anyway. As a book-slut, I'm totally for this idea. In fact, I think it's been a long time coming. I mean, someone really should've offered up this whole book deal as a way to reward hardcore fans for staying the course even through the somewhat-sucky third season. After that, someone should've just decided "hey, let's just write grown-up-Veronica adventures! that would be totally awesome! and plus the fans totally deserve it!" Why didn't someone think of this sooner?!?!?
Well y'all, this is almost too much excitement for your girl to handle. So I'll end this post with the cutest pic evs! It's the Marshmallow and her Soda Pop! Awww! I am SOOOOO excited for this movie to FINALLY happen!!! And then the books, guys! The books!!!
Welcome back to the trailer park, y'all. It's been awhile but, boy, have we got some shizz to discuss now. Because the newest trailer for the second installment of The Hunger Games franchise, Catching Fire recently premiered at Comic Con and everyone is fa-reaking out!!! And now you can too!
If you haven't already, by all means, peep the trailer:
Now, let's discuss the shizz outta this thing!
Ok, so, for the most part the first half of this trailer is just rehash from the previous Catching Fire trailer. Don't try to fool us, Lionsgate. We're not stupid. We have seen this shizz before. The little old man being killed. Gale getting whipped. Prez Snow and Plutarch with the talky-talk business. The riots. The Mockingjay signage. This is old news. We don't care for your rehash. Be gone with your day-old bread-like trailer bits! The fact is I was all prepared to lose my damn mind over some newness, and you're trying to give me the same trailer as before just in a different order?!? I should call shenanigans. But! BUT!!! Then there's the second half of the trailer! There's the Quarter Quell! And Finnick! And the other victors! And Finnick! And the island! And Finnick!!! AND OH MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!
Ahem. Sorry about that. Ok, you've won me back over, Lionsgate. I'm officially re-psyched for this movie! November 22nd can't come soon enough! For me at least. But what about you? What did you guys think of the trailer? Are you glad we FINALLY get to see some of the other victors? Or were you hoping the trailer would be a little more Finnick-y? Were you longing to get a better look at the new arena? Or did you think this new trailer was perfect and you're too busy hyperventilating to find the correct keys on your keyboard to type a coherent comment? Umkay. Well, whenever you get your wits about you, be sure to drop me a comment and tell me EVERYTHING on your mind.
I might actually like this cover if not for the oddly fancifully-dressed young lady right smack dab in the center of it. I mean, WTF? At no point in this book is Rory super dressed up. (She's also not a brunette.) So I don't get the fancy girl at all. Or the birds. Or the equally inappropriately attired blond (or is she a redhead? or is it that hideous ombre which I blame Pinterest for?) on the back cover. I imagine the meetings for this cover design (and most YA covers in general) went a little something like this: "Quick! Get me a teen, a fancy gown, and some random something that will appear equal parts innocuous and ominous!" I do like the font and the color of the title though. And I like the cloudy, there's a storm a-brewin' background. If only they had stopped there.
Let's Review:
Rory Miller was taking a shortcut home from school when she was attacked. She would've been killed like the rest of Steven Nell's victims, but she managed to get away. And so did Steven Nell. With Rory alive and a killer on the loose, the FBI is afraid he'll come back for her. So they place Rory, her father, and her sister Darcy in witness protection, sending them to the remote island of Juniper Landing, where everything, from the homes to the people, seems a little too perfect. Rory and Darcy are immediately befriended by a mysterious group of locals and soon enough their schedules are filled with bonfires and parties. But while the carefree vibe of the island helps with Rory's anxieties, she still can't shake the memory of her terrifying ordeal. Then the disappearances start. And Rory is convinced Steven Nell has found her once again. Is it merely coincidence? Or is Nell back to finish the job? And is that even Rory's biggest problem? Because the beautiful island of Juniper Landing is holding a dark secret of its own.
Here's What I Think:
In a way I feel slightly cheated by this book. Based on the inside jacket cover blurb, I thought Shadowlands would be an on-the-lam, cat-and-mouse, psycho-killer-stops-at-nothing-to-get-the-one-that-got-away type of book. And while it is partly that, I felt like the main focus was really the island Rory and her family are relocated to, and the weird and mysterious shizz that immediately starts going down once they arrive. Which isn't that big of a deal. I mean, I like mysterious islands. I watched Lost (until it got all tedious.) But because of the blurby, false advertising, coupled with the fact that I knew this story would be spread out over three books, I felt like the beginning was a little rushed. In a way, I guess that's my own fault. I just assumed that the build up of Rory being preyed upon would make up the bulk of the book. But within the first few chapters, Rory's attacked, gets away, the FBI is called, Steven Nell evades capture, and Rory and her family are sent to live elsewhere under semi-assumed names. It's all just a little too much at once. And, unfortunately, this was the first of many problems I had with this book. And I HATE saying that because I heart Kate Brian. But Shadowlands and I just didn't seem to click. For starters, I never really connected with Rory. I mean, sure, I felt bad for her. She just went through this terrible, traumatic event, she's forced to leave her home and everything familiar for some unknown location, AND she's still being pursued by some whackjob. I get it. That majorly sucks. However, it's no excuse to abandon any kind of a personality. And I felt like Rory didn't really have one. Her character just fell flat for me. In fact, most of the characters seemed one-dimensional. I found that I really didn't care what happened to any of them, I gave less than a shit about their well being, and whenever they seemed to be in perilous danger, I might have actually stifled a yawn. Which is complete madness because normally Kate Brian is a wiz at character development. Unfortunately, the characters of Shadowlands seemed to be suffering from a terrible case of the blahs though. (Except Olive. She was by far the most likable. I mean, she plays guitar, hates running, and dresses like a vaguely emo Claudia Kishi! Get me a "wild" BFF charm necklace that I can bestow upon her STAT!) Another problemo I had with this book was its Big Bad. Or rather how the seemingly incompetent FBI "handled" him. Which was incompetently. I mean, I'm pretty sure if a serial killer was fo sho after you, the FBI wouldn't merely shove you in an SUV and have you rely solely on GPS technology to get you where you're supposed to go. I'm fairly certain you would be escorted in some fashion to your new location by someone that actually works for the bureau. I would really hope they wouldn't leave something that important up to your dumb ass. I'm also fairly certain they wouldn't let you keep your first names and simply change your last name. I mean, this "Steven Nell" fellow is supposed to be some kind of criminal genius, having killed at least 14 people and evading the law for years, but he's suddenly gonna get tripped up because you changed your last name from Miller to Thayer?!? Even though you're STILL a family of three comprised of a father named Nick and his two daughters, Rory and Darcy?!? WHAT?!?! No! Just..... no. So, ok, technically my problem was more with the dum-dum FBI rather than with Steven Nell. Really as far as Big Bads go, he's not too shabby. In fact, he practically seemed plucked right out of an episode of Criminal Minds. Which is to say, he's a total creep. Most of the chapters are told from Rory's POV, but a few give us insight into the completely twisted, disturbo mind of Steven Nell. His chapters made me super uncomfortable. It's like that feeling you get when someone's breathing down the back of your neck. *shudders in revulsion* Ok, so, by this point in the review you're probably thinking, "Damn, bitch! What did you like about this book? According to the Scale of Judgment you gave it a solid 3, which makes it Mildly Amusing. So where's the Mildly Amusing part?!" Well, calm down, y'all! I'm getting to it. What I DID like about Shadowlands is that it involved a mystery! I LOVE mysteries! I get super excited when a mystery starts to unravel. I love rustling up suspects, dodging red herrings, examining clues, identifying shady behavior! It gives me such a rush! However, this mystery was kind of an unsolvable one. Or maybe I'm just an idiot. Either way, I didn't figure out the M. Night Shyamalan-ian twist at the end. I knew something was rotten in Denmark though, so I put on my Nancy Drew cap and got all thinky on this bitch! Which, sadly, yielded zero results. I like to think that's not my fault though. I felt like the book was layered in too much random weirdness: point A not really connecting to point B, and point B only connecting to point C by a very thin, loose thread. I think Kate Brian layered this book with too many twists and turns but didn't provide the reader with enough lil' bread crumbs to actually figure out what the fuck was going on. But even though Shadowlands and I didn't totally hit it off, that doesn't mean I'm giving up on this trilogy. Now that I know what's going on in Juniper Landing (more or less,) I'm hoping all the twists and turns and random weirdness of the first book will be explained more succinctly in the sequel, HereAfter. (Available October 1st!) Maybe I can get some of my mystery-solver street cred back. ;)
Swoony Times:
There really aren't any swoony times to be had in this book. And rightfully so. I mean, something super traumatic just happened to Rory. So, of course, she's still raw and vulnerable and scared out of her mind. Not that that keeps her from noticing the boys Juniper Landing has to offer. I mean, she's still a teenage girl after all. There's the dark-haired, cocky, popular pretty boy, Joaquin. He immediately takes a liking to Rory even though she totally throws 'I'm just not that into you' vibes his way. But Darcy is seriously (and somewhat embarrassingly) smitten with him. Rory's more into Tristan, the mysterious, blond, man-of-few-words type. Nothing really comes of either coupling, but hey, it is a trilogy. Maybe some major makeout seshes and copious swoony times are on the horizon!
Bonus Shizz:
Nice Digs!
Even though Juniper Landing seems seriously shady, I couldn't help but be taken in by the descriptions of the beachy atmosphere!
Rory and Darcy have a pretty sweet set up; a cozy cottage complete with window seat, winding staircase, floor to ceiling windows and easy access to the beach! I mean, if ya gotta hide out from a psychotic serial killer, it might as well be in a quaint, postcard-perfect beach town, am I right?
Mystery! From the jump there seems to be something majorly up with the folks of Juniper Landing. I mean, we are almost at Stepford levels of bizarre here. And even with the hundreds of thousands of hours I've logged solving mysteries alongside Nancy Drew, Veronica Mars, Isabel Spellman, and Jessica Fletcher, I couldn't make heads nor tails of what exactly the eff was going on. So the ending was quite a shock for me. You bested me this time, Kate Brian, but I'm not willing to give up my magnifying glass just yet. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be sharpening my skills before the sequel comes out. ;)
Cliffhanger! I know cliffhangers aren't for everyone. I know there are some people that reach the end, see the cliffhanger, and immediately start f-bombing it up while stomping around their house for like, a week, grumbling under their breath and throwing their hands in the air. I'm the opposite. I LOVE cliffhangers! In fact, if I know going in that I'm reading a trilogy or a series, I kinda just expect them. I like to refer to this as The Alias Effect. If you watched the show (and why wouldn't you? It was AWESOME!) you know why. If you didn't watch it (I don't know that we can be friends anymore. Especially if you're not at least willing to Netflix that shizz.) Alias pretty much couldn't end an episode with anything other than a cliffhanger. I don't care if it was the third episode of the season or the season finale; they were gonna leave you heart-pounding, mind-blown with maybe a little bit of pee in your pants. Because, with an ending like that, you gotta stick around and see what happens next! JJ Abrams was super crafty like that. And even though I felt like I was slogging through some portions of this book, Kate Brian reeled me back in with that ending. Guess homegirl knows a thing or two about The Alias Effect herself.
Hola my lil' bloggermuffins! i know, it's been awhile since i posted anything. That's my bad. i've been supes busy and i unfortunately haven't had a lot of time to blog (Or read. Boo, you whore!) And it seems in my Internetal absence A LOT of Books-Into-Movies/TV news has been a-swirlin'! But fear not, for i have Favorited it all and now i will Cut & Paste the shizz out of it here for your enjoyment! So let's play a game of catch-up, shall we?
Not too long ago, I shared the first look pic of the Divergent movie. Well now there are even more pics to squee/swoon/have sads over! Behold Tris' first moments at the Dauntless compound:
And here's our first for reals look at Theo James as Four:
So? What do you guys think? Do these stills (from EW, obvs.) make you excited to see the Divergent universe come to life? Or are you still grumbling over certain casting decisions?
While we're on the topic of first looks, get ready to lose ya damn mind... it's the very first sneak peek at the Veronica Mars movie!!!!!! *loses damn mind* V. Mars herself, Miss Kristen Bell tweeted a pic of her first day on set!
(Is that a Veronica Mars Trapper Keeper!?!?! I want a Veronica Mars Trapper Keeper!!!!) And if that wasn't exciting enough, a whole slew of Neptune's finest have been confirmed for parts and/or cameos in the movie! Here's the video-graphic proof from Enrico Colantoni (aka Keith Mars,) Percy Daggs III (aka Wallace Fennel,) Chris Lowell (aka Piz,) Francis Capra (aka Weevil,) Daran Norris (aka Cliff McCormack,) and Ryan Hansen (aka Dick Casablancas.) And word around the girls bathroom is that these peeps are also a go for the movie version (just no video confirmation.): Tina Majorino will reprise her role as Mac. (Yay!) Krysten Ritter will be back as Gia Goodman. Brandon Hillock will once again don his mustache and uniform as Deputy Sacks. Amanda Noret is back for her role as total bitchface Madison Sinclair. And Jonathan Chesner is on board as Corny. Plus there are a lot of "rumored" appearances from the likes of Parker, Leo, Troy, and one of my personal faves Vinnie Van Lowe! So get psyched, Marshmallows!!!
In amazeballs news for LotR fans, the trailer for the sequel to The Hobbit, The Desolation of Smaug, was recently unleashed on the fandom. i haven't seen the first movie yet but this one looks pretty awesome.
Like i said, the trailer looks awesome. What some people might take away from it is: "hey, it's Legolas!" or maybe "ooh, cool dragon!" My very first thought, however, was: "wait. wait a second. is that? is that... Lee Pace?!?!?"
And imdb was all like "yeah, girl. he's playing Thranduil." And then i totally lost my shit! i'll end this post with a new fall show that i'm already super excited about! It's a kinda sorta spin-off of ABC's Once Upon A Time, which i don't watch but my mom is totally obsessed with. It's called Wonderland and centers around the character Alice, obviously. It looks really cool and the graphics look pretty phenom. Check it out:
It's set for Thursdays this fall which could conflict with my Vampire Diaries habit. But there's always online watching. Or hell, maybe this will be the year that this homegirl finally gets a damn DVR and all her TV obsessions will be a simple record button away. (Like in olden times when i had a VCR!)
That's all i've got for you now. So now it's your turn. Head downtown to the comments section and deliver all your rants and raves!
Mindy looks adorbs in her ruffled pink top and thoughtful as if she truly is contemplating whether everyone is hanging out without her. Sure, the cover is fairly simple; just Mindy in front of a fancifully-wallpapered wall. But this is a comedic actress/writer's memoir not some sweeping, serious, doom and destruction, robot-y, famine-y dystopia or some dramatic, love triangle-y, teens-on-a-tandem-bike-in-the-pouring-rain romance. So for me, the simpleness works. And, because of the books you can usually find me reading, I'm just glad they let Mindy keep her head!
Let's Review:
You might know Mindy Kaling as a writer as well as the portrayer of Kelly Kapoor on The Office. Or maybe you know her from her hilarious new comedy The Mindy Project. Or perhaps you know her from simply being awesome. However you've come to know Mindy, now you can know her even better! Part memoir, part Girls-Guide-To, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a fun, witty collection of essays on life, love, work, and friendship told in Mindy's signature self-deprecating, sassy, sage voice.
Here's What I Think:
Mindy's book reads like what I imagine a really long, scattered conversation with the woman herself would be like if we got together for a chat and cheese fries at Applebee's. She would regal me with stories of her time at The Office and what it was like working for a television psychic, while peppering in her opinions on women in romantic comedies that most certainly don't exist in real life (which was my fave chapter!) and the rights and responsibilities one should uphold in order to be a dope best friend. We would exchange childhood horror stories of being made fun of and living with the atrocity of having a bowl-cut. We would talk fashion, gossip about boys, and I would badger her into dishing about what her famous friends are really like. Then we would promptly order dessert! Reading Mindy's book is like being granted access to your best friend's diary. If your best friend happens to be extremely complimentary about her coworkers, deeply loves her parents, and keeps a tight lid on her sexual exploits. So, yeah, Mindy doesn't reveal anything too dishy and salacious, which is kinda what you want from a celebrity memoir (if you're me anyway!) There's no x is such a d-bag. Or y is a total monster. Or z really needs to get her shit together. Which I totally get. I mean, Mindy doesn't seem the type to talk trash about a person. In print. For the whole world to read. But maybe... over cheese fries? :)
Swoony Times:
While there is a chapter on guys and romance, Mindy doesn't really spill the tea on any of her previous or current romantic entanglements. However, she does share her views on one-night stands (not into them,) chest hair (totally into it,) and the vast differences between men and boys (too many to name, though all hilarious and totes true!)
Bonus Shizz:
Childhood Photos!
I love looking at old photos! Seriously. I can easily be lured into wasting the better part of an afternoon with the mere mention of these often times unflattering and embarrassing relics of days gone by. I mean, relatives, friends, boyfriends, enemies, even random celebrities. I'm a sucker for ANYONE in OshKosh overalls and terrible 80s hair!
Mindy has assembled pics of herself as a "chubby" baby and an adorably bespectacled little kid. There's also that one picture on page 19 in which I don't have the slightest clue what the fuck is going on. But in which Mindy appears to be bobbing for apples... in MIDAIR! While wearing some sort of Wonder Woman-esque outfit!
Best Friends (In My Head) Status! I totally stole this from Wendy Williams. Wendy is constantly declaring that people she's never met are her best friends IN HER HEAD. I get it, girl. There are tons of authors/celebrities/what-have-you that I think I would totally connect with if, you know, I ever actually met them. Wendy Williams is, in fact, one of them. (How you doin'!) Mindy is also one of my best friends IN MY HEAD! I just totally dig her sense of humor and her sassypantsness. I also like that she's a girls girl who's not afraid to show her smarts AND unleash her inner nerd!
Noteworthy:
From page 83 (Part of Mindy's Best Friend Rights and Responsibilities)
IF OUR PHONE CONVERSATION GETS DISCONNECTED, THERE'S NO NEED TO CALL BACK. I get it. You get it. We take forever getting off the phone anyway. This is a blessing.
This is probably one of my most favorite observations in the book because, literally the day before I read this passage I was on the phone with Bestie J and we got disconnected and just didn't bother calling each other back. It's friend code. We were basically just bullshitting around anyway, this wasn't a life or death convo so it was like, well, guess we're done talking. It really is a blessing though. Especially when you're long-winded and you've both just finished reading the same book and could quite literally stay on the phone for at least five more hours discussing imaginary characters that you kinda care more about than some of the actual people in your life. Some calling plans just can't take that kind of booknerd dedication, you know? From page 155 (Mindy on one-night stands)
Eventually, my constant interruptions make her so irritated, she stops telling her sexy story. I guess nothing puts a damper on a one-night stand as much as your friend pointing out all the opportunities where you might have been killed.
From page 161 (Mindy's inner monologue after a conversation with her ex's new girlfriend who is both young and not a bitch)
Don't you dare, Chloe. Don't you dare make it impossible to hate you. Quit looking at me, all earnest, with those Bambi eyes. Also, I'm your "hero"? What am I, ten thousand years old? I quickly said something weird like "Bless you, child," excused myself, and walked briskly away.
...... 3. I'm normally not a nonfic chick but Mindy's book had me lol'ing, nodding my head in agreement, and wishing that I could in fact hang out with her!
There's been quite a bit of Books-Into news floating about the Internets while I've been M.I.Bloggy.A lately. But I'm back, bloggerbabies! So let's get right to this business!
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems our Ricky-centric (ok, ok MY Ricky-centric) freak out may have been for naught. What I mean is, the Delirium pilot was not picked up by Fox. Which, if I'm being honest, I'm kinda happy about because now I won't have to witness that toolbox Ricky from Secret Life playing my sweet Alex. On the other hand, I'm a little bummed because this project could have been really awesome what with Emma Roberts (my homegirl!) attached to it. But, alas, it was not meant to be. Although, if you were really looking forward to the project and have a dogged determination AND a Twitter account, you can search Twitter for peeps lobbying to get the show up picked up by another network and join in the crusade.
Cursed with a similar fate, The Selection won't be making it's way to the CW either. If you remember, a pilot had already been filmed once and was passed over. It then got a complete redo with a completely different cast. But, this pilot, once again, wasn't picked up. I guess maybe networks are scared that dystopians have been doing so well that they're bound to be on their way out pretty soon much like the witches of the 90s and the vampires of the 00s. Maybe their lifespan just seems better suited for movie trilogies.
A show that totally IS happening is The Originals! The spinoff of the CW's The Vampire Diaries is set to premiere this fall! You can check out the back-door pilot (and totally squeal over that part where Klaus leaves a message for Caroline!) here. (But it's only for a limited time so hurry and watch, k?)
Now, here's the big movie news of the week, kiddos. The One Who Would Be Augustus Waters has finally been revealed! And the part goes to...... Ansel Elgort! I thought the name sounded kind of familiar and then it dawned on me why. He's the actor that will play Caleb Prior in the film adaptation of Divergent. So he'll be in two really big Books-Into -Movies. One in which he'll play Shailene Woodley's brother and the other he'll be playing her lover. That's..... weird. But congrats, Ansel (even though this is starting to get into some V.C. Andrews type of weird territory.)
Speaking of Divergent, a while back Entertainment Weekly gave us a first look at the movie. Behold the knife-throwing scene:
I'm still totally NOT into Shailene Woodley playing Tris but this is a pretty cool still to share right out of the gate. So, well played, EW.
And in even MORE Divergent news, the title and the cover art for Veronica Roth's third and final book in this series was recently released! It will be called Allegiant and will hit stores October 22nd. And I'm too friggin' excited! Like, Jessica Spano on caffeine pills excited!
I'll end this post with two new trailers. The first is the international trailer for The Mortal Instruments. This one seems a little more in-depth than previous trailers, plus it includes a sneak peek at baddie Valentine! City of Bones will be in theaters August 23rd.
The other trailer is for Judy Blume's Tiger Eyes. Surprisingly, this is the first of Judy's many books to ever be turned into a movie. I've never read this one but based on the trailer, it looks pretty emo. It's all death-talk and pill-popping and crying-jags, hospitals, the desert, and what I'm just assuming is a dead father story. It stars Willa Holland from Arrow and, unless my eyes are deceiving me, the Pink Power Ranger. Huh. Anyway, you can catch Tiger Eyes in theaters starting June 7th.
Well guys, I think we are sufficiently caught up with our Books-Into news. But, as you well know, new shizz is being reported EVERYDAY. So I'll try to stay super vigilant with the latest. Now I'll turn it over to your rants, raves, comments, and concerns. Leave 'em in the section below.
Ok, well there won't technically be blood. That's just me being super dramatic with my post title in order to get your attention. So. There won't be blood but there will be CHANGES! Perhaps y'all have noticed that lately I've been quite slacky with my posting and my reviewing and my various other bloggy responsibilities. Well the reason is this:
I wanna revamp my blog!!! Yes, I know I've done this before. But sometimes you just get the urge to shake things up. And I've recently been daydreaming about backgrounds and fonts and features! So I definitely think the time to shake these things up is NOW! So here's a list of shizz that I'll be changing/adding/what-have-you in the coming weeks:
*Nancy Drew Is My Homegirl will have a whole new look!
*I'll be introducing a new feature called Honest To Blog in which I'll be revealing 5 random facts about myself!
*Fangirl Five Fridays will NO LONGER be EVERY Friday. I'll be changing it to a monthly feature. The first Friday of every month, I'll be fangirling about what I'm the most excited about that's happening in said month. (And you can still fangirl right along with me!)
*I'll be adding a Tab called Homegirl Vocab. So if you ever come across a word or phrase that you've never heard and you're sure I either made it up or it's simply a reference to something you've never seen, just hit up this new Tab and you'll be able to find the definition and finally know what the fuck I'm talking about!
*I plan on resurrecting The Super Nostalgic Book Flashback Challenge! I'm hoping to make that a monthly thing too.
*I'm also kicking around the idea of having a weekly TV roundup post of sorts in which I'll dissect all the WTFery that's gone down on my favorite shows for that week. I like this idea and I think it could be really fun but I sometimes have a little problem with follow-through. So this one is just an idea at this stage. (But if Evil Eva can actually get her shit together, this feature will be a definite go!)
So, as you can see, I'm planning a bit of an overhaul. You might come back and see what, at first, might appear to be a completely different blog. But don't worry, y'all. It'll still be the same ol' Nancy Drew Is My Homegirl here! Just with 100% more awesomeness!
As the title of this post suggests, i've got some Divergent casting news for ya, as well as a little Books-Into-TV news, AND i've also got some regular ol' non-bookish TV news to spill! So let's get started!
*i'll kick things off with what i'm fairly certain is the very last of the Divergent casting news. Mekhi Phifer (who my mind REFUSES to see as anything other than this permanent mental image:
i don't even know why. In fact, i don't even think i've actually seen ALL of 8 mile. Apparently the mere trailer left a lasting impression on me as far as Mekhi Phifer's appearance is concerned. It's like i can't NOT imagine Mekhi without these hideous dreads. Even though he's been in a shit ton of stuff since 8 mile, and minus the dreads. So, i guess thanks a lot, 8 mile, for ruining Mekhi Phifer for me FOREVER) Anyhoo, what was i talking about? Oh yes, Mekhi Phifer will play the role of Max in the Divergent movie. Although, hopefully he won't be bringing those dreads and that puff jacket along for the Dauntless train ride. The parentals of the Prior family have also been cast. Ashley Judd has nabbed the role of Tris' mom, while Tony Goldwyn will play Tris' dad. i don't mind Tony Goldwyn as he was a total kickass dad in The Last House on the Left. But Ashley Judd? Eh. She's not my fave for the role. Or for anything really. i'm not a huge Ashley Judd fan. Although i'm not a huge Shailene Woodley fan either. So... Oh Lord! Please don't let me hate this movie!
*Now for some Maze Runner movie news! You know, i kinda thought The Maze Runner was a fairly popular series, but it seems like not that many people are keeping up with the movie news of it all. i keep coming across excited posts about the prospect of Delirium on the small screen and Divergent on the big screen, but i haven't really seen many peeps blogging about The Maze Runner film adaptation. Hmm. Well, if you're totally into the idea of James Dashner's dystopic vision coming to life, this news is for you! Thomas, the main character in the book, has finally been cast. The role goes to Dylan O'Brien, whom i've never heard of but am told plays on MTV's Teen Wolf. The role of Teresa, sole gal in the maze, will be played by Kaya Scodelario, another that i've never heard of but am told plays on the UK version of Skins. On a side note: i've gotta read this damn book!
*Let's leave the silver screen behind and dive into some TV news that is truly awesome! Ok, so you remember how ABC totally unjustly canceled Don't Trust The B In Apartment 23 even though it was super hilarious and waaaaaay better than at least 4 of the comedies that are in their current lineup? Well, starting May 17th you'll be able to watch the unaired final 8 episodes of The B on ABC.com, iTunes, and Hulu! Yay! i've so missed Chloe, June, and, of course, James van der Beek! Which is kinda weird because i couldn't stand him as Dawson because, well:
But as "James van der Beek" on Don't Trust the B, he's actually really brilliantly self deprecating. And i totally heart anyone that can make fun of themselves! So buck up, Dawson! You're gonna be alright!
*i'll end this post with the trailer for the pilot episode for the CW's Vampire Diaries spinoff, The Originals!
*sqeeees over the sheer Klausiness of it all* Is it just me or has the Original family kinda become your new fave characters on TVD? i mean, i always liked Elijah, and Klaus's bad boy behavior has had me squealing and swooning for some time now, but lately Rebekah has started tugging at my ol' heartstrings with her desperate desire to be human and loved. Bless her little unbeating heart. So, obvs, i'm super excited for The Originals! The pilot (which doubles as the first episode of The Originals and the 20th episode of The Vampire Diaries) airs this Thursday at 8 pm! The only thing i'm bummed about is that with the Originals headed for New Orleans, there will be relatively no time for any Klaroline. :*( i guess i'll just have to watch and see and find out how much of my love for Klaus is directly proportionate to his shippiness with Caroline and how much is just flat-out Klaus-luv.
Ok guys, now it's your turn. Tell me what you think about all this new news. Are you cool with Mom & Pop Prior? On the edge of your seat for some Originals Gone Wild? And how does Mekhi Phifer appear in your mind's eye? Get your fingers at the ready and dish the shizz in the comments section.
Nerds of the world rejoice! The teaser trailer for Catching Fire is FINALLY all up in the internet's business! i'm sure you've already watched and rewatched it like a hundred times. (Don't feel bad. i've done it too!) So let's get down to brass tacks, as they say, and discuss the ever-loving shizz outta this thing!
First, if you haven't already partaken (um, what have you been waiting for?!?!) by all means, partake your brains out:
Usually when discussing a trailer i realize i might come off a bit, um, what's the word, ah yes, snarky. i really can't help it though. Turns out, i'm a snobby reader. Yes, apparently i think i'm totes hot shit because i read the book before seeing the movie. And being such a hot shit, i feel entitled to snark it up when it comes to viewing Books-Into-Movies trailers because, more often than not, i can use the phrase "that's not how it happened in the book" while feeling vaguely superior to non-readers that are looking at me like "huh? what do you mean? who's Madge?" Anyhoo, i usually like to do a minute-by-minute analysis of why, based solely on the trailer, said movie is probably destined to not live up to its bookish potential. Howevs, methinks i might have to eat my snark this time around. i mean, what's there to make fun of? Only a heartless troll would find anything funny or snappy to say about the dude from District 11 getting straight-up murdered, or Gale being publicly whipped, or Plutarch and Snow calmly discussing how Katniss needs to be dealt with (ie by KILLING HER!)
So there will be no snarky minute-by-minute for Catching Fire. Because, basically, in the opinion of this Tribute, the trailer is pretty awesome. The only thing missing? i think you know what i mean. The freakin' Quarter Quell!!! Throughout the whole trailer, there's really no mention of it. Except for that end bit with President Snow where he simply alludes to it. But where is the arena? And where are the newbs? Where's Johanna? Mags? Beetee? Wiress? And for the love of Buttercup, WHERE IS FINNICK?!?!? i mean, i get that this is merely the teaser trailer, but at least give us a little something new, Lionsgate! i mean, any little bread crumb will do.
Ok, now i'll turn it over to you guys. What did you think of the trailer? Did you like it? Did it leave you a little disappointed? Were you really hoping for some new, Catching Fire specific stuff? Or did you really just wanna make sure that they didn't fuck it up with the casting of Finnick? Whatever your rant or rave, drop me a comment and tell me what ya think!
Oh, and just a P.S., Catching Fire will be in theaters November 22nd. (And so will Evil Eva!)
EvilEva Reviews ......Attachments by Rainbow Rowell.
Dissecting The Cover:
I'm totally digging this cover!
I like that it's simple. I like the double meaning of the title. I like that it's cute without being cutesy.
To me, this cover says "Why, yes, I am a serious reader but with a touch of whimsy. Now hop on my unicorn as I adjust my monocle and straighten my cardigan sweater and we'll be off to Narnia tout suite!"
Let's Review:
Lincoln O' Neill has a pretty boss job title at The Courier: Internet security officer. It sounds fairly bad ass, like he'll be in charge of thwarting hackers and building impenetrable firewalls. Like James Bond on desk duty!
That's pretty far off from what his job actually entails, which is reading other people's emails. He's basically a glorified eavesdropper.
Which isn't exactly what he signed up for. But there is one bright side to his moral dilemma. Lincoln becomes thoroughly entertained by the correspondence of two of his coworkers. Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder spend endless amounts of company time spilling the intimate details of their lives and loves; from weddings and weight gain, to boyfriend and baby trouble.
Lincoln knows it's his duty to turn them in. But he just can't bring himself to do it. He also can't bring himself to stop reading their emails.
Which could be a problem. Because Lincoln is fairly certain that he's falling for Beth. So the big question is this: How do you formally introduce yourself to someone whom you've been technically kinda, sorta semi-spying on for months?
And the bigger question? How do you declare your love to someone that doesn't technically kinda, sorta semi-know who you are?
Here's What I Think:
Attachments came along at the perfect time for me in by book-reading schedule. I had just finished Matched and was super psyched to start Requiem which would be out... in TWO WEEKS!
I don't know about y'all, but I can't go two whole weeks without reading SOMETHING.
I was in quite the quandary. I didn't want to start Crossed (the next book in Ally Condie's trilogy) just yet. I needed something light and fun to break up the dystopia of it all.
And along came Attachments. It was the perfect chick-lit book with just the right mix of wit, drama, swoon, and fun! The story is told two different ways, alternating chapter by chapter between Lincoln's more traditional third person telling and Beth and Jennifer's emails. Lincoln is the primary protagonist though. We get to know more about him because we're basically in his head. And what we learn is that Lincoln is pretty much the quintessential nice guy. He's kind and caring and a little shy. He lives with his mom. Befriends Doris the vending machine lady. Plays Dungeons and Dragons with his friends on the weekends. Takes his nephews to the movies. Goes to his sister for advice. But it also means his last girlfriend totally broke his heart. He's not skilled in the art of flirting. He can't hold his liquor. And he's slightly awkward socially. But you still root for him. You want him to succeed. You want him to get the girl. You hope that phrase "nice guys finish last" doesn't apply to him. He's just a lovable character. As are Beth and Jennifer! Their emails are hilarious, revealing, sad, inappropriate, honest, random, and sweet. And even though, because of this format, we only get a few pages of their interactions at a time, they never feel like secondary characters. We learn all about their lives: the good, the bad and the ugly and it's all done with a sense of humor that can only exist between two best friends. And while I loved the book as a whole, their conversations were my favorite parts. Maybe because they reminded me of myself and Bestie J! I guess what I'm trying to say is, their friendship actually felt real. Not like Jennifer merely existed for Beth to have someone to squeal with over her Cute Guy. (Not to say they don't squeal over cute guys. They do!) I just hate it when the best friend role isn't fleshed out and it seems like homegirl's sole purpose is to drift into scenes, wholeheartedly agree with our heroine, and fade right back out. I like my besties with some personality! So I really appreciated that Rainbow Rowell gave Jennifer her own story separate from the story she shared with Beth. Ok, so I've told you about my love for Lincoln, Beth, and Jennifer, but, truth be told, Attachments is a veritable cornucopia of great characters! There's Lincoln's well-meaning mother who can't let him grow up. His frazzled sister that desperately wants him to. The saucy and sage Doris. Christine, Dave, and the rest of the ragtag band of misfits that make up Lincoln's D and D group. The hard-partying, smooth-talking, occasionally douchey but ultimately redeemable, Justin. Beth's irritatingly cool rocker boyfriend, Chris. And Jennifer's sweet if often times oblivious husband, Mitch. Basically, Rainbow Rowell is a genius when it comes to creating characters that are both lovable and flawed. She's also fairly masterful when it comes to building a hilarious story out of a seemingly simple concept. I mean, sure, Attachments is a zippy, light, little read about office romance. But we NEED zippy, light, little reads! They give us a much needed break from all the heavy, intense seriousness provided by our various dystopian, murder mystery, psychological thriller, vampire/werewolf love triangles. So, if your book-reading schedule has recently been slammed with heavy-duty reads, might I suggest you take a walk on the zippy, light side with an awkwardly awesome guy and his love for a girl he's only read about!
Swoony Times:
You may be wondering how a book can have such a high swoon-quotient when the two main characters don't even meet until the very end. Well the answer is simple. I have no idea. But Rainbow Rowell does! In fact, she's kinda mastered the shizz. You can practically FEEL the tension between these characters! From Lincoln's unrequited lust to Beth's experimental longing. It's a sweet, will-they-won't-they, intense tummy-knotter that keeps you desperately turning the pages til the very end.
Bonus Shizz:
Reading Emails! TRUTH SERUM TIME: I think I might be a bit of a voyeur, y'all. I totally look in people's windows when I'm driving at night if their blinds are open and their lights are on. And I wonder what they're doing and if they're watching something on TV that I like. Or I think "Hmm. A burgundy living room wall? That's pretty bold. I don't know if I could live with that. It's a little distracting." I mean, I'm not so bad that I snoop in people's medicine cabinets. I mean, we all have some kind of diarrhea medicine in our bathrooms. After all, everyone poops. So what do I care what brand you use? Answer: I don't. I will however ALWAYS that a gander at your bookshelves. And I'll totally silently judge you if you don't even have a bookshelf. (I mean, what is that about!?!?) Anyhoozle, the point of that tangent wasn't to frighten you into never inviting me over to your home, I was just trying to explain why I find it so fun reading other people's emails. Because I'm evidently a really fucked up individual. I mean, it's not like I read other people's emails in real life. That's an invasion of privacy. But I do like when books are written in this format. I feel like we get to know the characters in a different, maybe more authentic way. Plus it makes for a quick read!
Author Stalker Status! I realize that I'm kinda just gushing at this point in the review but I can't help it, you guys. I LOVED this book! I LOVED the characters! I LOVED the idea! And I LOVED Rainbow Rowell's writing style! So much so that I immediately went out and purchased Eleanor & Park. And then made a note to remind myself that Rainbow's next book (titled Fangirl!) (sqeeeeeee!) will be coming to bookstores September 10th!
Noteworthy:
From page 137:
"There's never been a moment," he barely said, "when I didn't recognize you." She wiped her eyes. Her mascara smeared. He nudged the merry-go-round into motion. He could kiss her now. If he wanted. "I'd know you in the dark," he said. "From a thousand miles away. There's nothing you could become that I haven't already fallen in love with.
Hear that? That's the sound of me swooning! This is why nerd boys are the absolute best!
From page 318:
She laughed. It was better than he could have imagined. Like a giggle falling off its chair.
This book will make you 1.) literally laugh out loud 2.) want to call up your best friend and 3.) hope that an adorably awkward guy is reading your emails and dreaming of the day he'll get up the courage to talk to you.
