Rock the Drop 2013

I Rocked the Drop by leaving two books at Main Event in Frisco, Texas.  Are you the lucky one that found one of them?  Let me know!

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Happy

"Hollowmen" by Amanda Hocking

I went into this book with fairly high expectations.  I had read a few reviews for it and found that the majority of them were negative, but that didn't deter my excitement- mainly because a lot of the reviews complained about characters that got killed/zombified.  Well of course characters were going meet a horrible end!  I personally feel that it takes a great writer to be able to kill off their carefully crafted characters.  None of us wanted characters to die in Harry Potter but we all expected it.  So I ignored the reviews and dove right into Amanda Hocking's Hollowmen.  I am sad to say that this novel fell a little flat.

Most of the novel was great.  There was plenty of fear and suspense, scenes that made me squirm with squeamishness (expected from a zombie novel) and what I thought were believable characters and events given the situation.  I was really digging the book until I got to about 97% complete (I do love this feature of the Kindle).  At that moment I realized that I wasn't going to like the ending.  I knew that there was not enough time to give the novel the kind of ending that I thought it deserved.  As much as I loved the majority of the book, the ending caused my entire rating to go down.  I could probably re-read this book, as long as I skipped the last chapter and pretended that something much more eventful and amazing took place instead.  It felt like Hocking had a deadline that she just wasn't going to be able to meet, so she quickly came up with a "happily ever after" that left a few too many lose ends for my taste.

After facing horrible experiments in the quarantine, Remy finally is on her way to once again reunite with her brother Max.  Like Hollowland, she uses what little resources are available to defend herself and those around her from the hordes of zombies.  I have to commend Hocking for her ability to make a story that focuses quite a bit on characters travelling from one location to another not seem horribly boring.  Remy is a strong character that I can easily look up to.  She does whatever she possibly can to protect those around her and spends little time focusing on her own needs before the needs of others.  She is a character I can easily get behind.

I'm not sure where I stand on recommending this book.  I wanted to love it.  I almost loved it.  Had there just been a little more focus on the ending I would have loved it.  It would be a little easier to recommend if Hollowland was $2.99 and Hollowmen was the free novel, but as that is not the case I guess it is up to all of you to decide if you will like this book or not.



Happy Reading!
-Melly

Top Ten Books You'd Like To See Made Into A Movie

Topic from The Broke and the Bookish

 

I can be kind of picky about book to movie adaptations.  There are several movies that I really enjoy- if I pretend that it is not based on a book that I love.  The movie is great, but it isn’t really an adaptation of the book. In my mind, they just coincidently share the same title (The Princess Diaries fits this description for me).  Then there are movies that I feel convey the book just about perfectly (Holes for instance).  When I begin a movie based on a book, I expect to see the majority of the same characters and situations, though I realize that some adjustments will be made.  I want to the movie to have the same tone and feel as the book and I especially want the same ending (Avalon High was a real disappointment for that reason.  So here’s my list and a brief reason why I’d like to see those books made into a movie.

1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins- but only if the movie makes could do it justice.  All of Hopkins’ books are absolute masterpieces and I want that to translate to the screen.  Otherwise, please don’t even bother.

2. After by Amy Efaw- I hate to say it, but this would probably do better as a Lifetime movie than a big screen film.  However, I felt that this story was incredibly impactful and could do well as a film.

3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher- This could be very interesting as a movie.  It would include a lot of voiceovers but it could be done.  My only concern is that it would likely be similar to The Lovely Bones.  However, I admit to not being a film maker and sometime have a hard time thinking outside of the box.

4. Hollowland by Amanda Hocking- Yes, I am a Hocking fangirl.  But come on, who wouldn’t want to see Remy kicking zombie butt on the big screen?

5. Raven by Suzy Turner- I am not a huge fan of the fantasy but I think this could be conveyed in a really interesting way.

6. Sweep by Cate Tiernan- Actually, I think this would be better as some sort of mini-series.  I would want to see the majority of the series conveyed, not just a book or two.  The books get so intense and amazing towards the end of the series, I just don’t think a single movie would be enough.

7. The Giver by Lois Lowry- How had this not been made into a movie yet?  I absolutely love this book and would love to see it adapted for the big screen!

 

8. Fablehaven by Brandon Mull- Again, the a huge fan of fantasy but I think this could be a great movie for kids!

9. Sticky Fingers by Niki Burnham- Okay, so I break my rule with this one.  I went into this book expecting one thing and my expectations were not met.  If I were to do this book as a movie, I wouldn’t really change the content of the book, but would make some changes to the pacing of the story.  I think it could be a very inspirational movie for teenage girls.

10. Luna by Julie Anne Peters- This book deals with a topic that hasn’t had a lot of focus in the movie industry.  I think it would be interesting to see how many of Peters’ books could be interpreted as movies.

Happy Reading!

-Melly

Top Ten Books We Are Excited To Read in 2012

Topic from The Broke and the Bookish!

Books that I am looking forward to reading in 2012 (Books in Blue are books I have read so far)

1. Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy
I have read the first book, Switched and absolutely loved it!  Looking forward to completing the series as it is being released as a hard copy book this year.

2. Ally Condie's Matched #3
Must.....be....patient....

3. Rachel Hawkins Spell Bound
I should probably re-read Hex Hall and Demonglass before March....

4. Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games (I read this one!)

Yes, I am the only person on the planet that hasn't read these yet.  But I checked them out at the library today!

5.  Lauren Oliver's Delirium and then Pandemonium 
I have started Delirium and love it!

6. Alex Scarrow's TimeRiders series
I have only read the first one, anxious to read more in the series

7. Meg Cabot's The Mediator series
I have checked Book 5, Haunted three times!  I just need to stop checking it out with a ton of other books so I can actually read it all the way through!

8. Meg Cabot's Abandon
I have it on hold at the library.  Just have to be patient

9. Something by Dean Koontz (I read *almost* four.  I'm still in the middle of one as 2012 comes to an end)
I read The Eyes of Darkness last year and enjoyed it.  Since the bf has a ton of Koontz's books, then I should put them to good use.

10.  J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
Because one cannot go an entire year without reading it!

Happy Reading! 
-Melly

"Hollowland" by Amanda Hocking

Only Amanda Hocking could right a zombie novel I would actually enjoy (though, to be fair, I've never tried to read a zombie novel, but picked this one up because it's by Hocking).  Hollowland, the first in The Hollows  series, is the story of Remy, one of the few survivors in a zombie investation, on a mission to find her brother who was evacuated from their "secure" quarentine when it is attacked by said zombies.  Remy sets out across the country with nothing more than the supplies in her messenger bag, a single gun for protection, and two young girls that follow her out of the quarantine.  She only knows that her brother has been moved to another site somewhere in the north.  Along the way, Remy and crew set out on an extremely dangerous journey.  Not only will they encounter zombies (of course!) but some of the most excentric characters I have seen in a long time.

One thing you should know about me; I am over-the-top squeamish about many things.  You will not catch me watching medical shows or movies filled with blood and gore.  Yet, somehow I read (and enjoyed this book).  Yes, there were a few times that my stomach turned because of the descriptions- zombie blood sounds absolutely lovely by the way- but I still found myself eager to find out what would happen next.

I have read by My Blood Approves and Switched by Hocking.  Hollowland is yet another series that I am excited to complete.  Like many, many books, my biggest complaint is that it ends on a major cliffhanger.  Of course I cannot wait to get a copy of Hollowmen and find out how Remy fares.  Until then, I have a lot of other books to read!

Another cool thing about this book?  It is currently available for free on the Kindle!

Happy Reading!
-Melly