“The Fault In Our Stars” Book Review

I love to read and have revived this love recently when it finally hit me there is absolutely nothing worth watching on television anymore.  Why its taken me this long to realize this I don’t know.  So it became clear instead of whittling away my precious time on the sofa with a remote in my hand I should be reading through my book list.  I have read several books lately but the one that stands out the most is “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green.  Deemed a young adult novel, it really is for any age and is a profound story about two young teenagers, both battling cancer and in love with each other.  I should have know from the start this would not end well but the ride getting there was actually fun and made me laugh out loud on many occasions.  The movie will clearly be a tear jerker and hopefully stays true to the wit and wisdom of these young adults dealing with very mature issues.

The Hunger Games Review

I jumped on “The Hunger Games” bandwagon last year and read the three books of the trilogy.  I enjoyed them all with the first, in my opinion, being the best (as is the case with most book series it seems).  Even my husband, a non-reader for the most part, took my recommendation and dove into the first one and even liked it.  So when the movie debuted last week it was something we both wanted to see.  Going to the movies is quite an event for us considering it requires a babysitter, a few days of planning and now that we are addicted to the new Cinepolis theaters – advance ticket purchase.  We got all our ducks in a row and finally sat down last night for “The Hunger Games” on the big screen.

In short I would describe the movie as gritty yet entertaining.  With a PG-13 rating it doesn’t shy away from the raw violence of kids killing kids as described in the book, however it manages to do so without being gruesome or too graphic considering the characters’ young ages.  The film jumps right into the Reaping with Katniss volunteering to take her little sister’s place in the Hunger Games.  There is not a lot of backstory given but we get a glimpse into the desperate and impoverished life Katniess leads in District 12 and her adoration for best friend Gale and hunting; two passions that will help and complicate her role as a tribute in the Games.  The most exciting part of the movie is, naturally, the actual Games and seeing Katniss’ survivor skills put to the test.  Katniss emerges as an empowered, strong heroine; giving young girls an impressive role model beyond that of a lovesick teenager.  The concept of killing human beings for sport and the entertainment it gives the Capital hits an emotional nerve particularly with our society’s problems of bullying and the detrimental effects it is having on our children.

Overall the movie deserves the praise and fortune it has received and I recommend it regardless if you’ve read the book or not.  No matter your choice, may the odds ever be in your favor.

Lifestyle File By Polyvore

This was my attempt at a header image via Polyvore for Lifestyle File; however my graphic design skills limited me.  Even so I thought I’d share my idea of what this blog represents:  fashion, beauty, home, books (pop culture) and kids.