Me Before You Book + Movie Review

Author: Jojo Moyes

Released year: 2012 

Genre: Romance (sad romance :/)

Synopsis:

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now, and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

My reviews:

This book made me saddddd! It is not your ordinary tale of romance where both the hero and heroine get to live happily ever after. It was refreshing I must say although the whole "assisted suicide in Dignitas Switzerland" wasn't quite... right?

I had a tiny wee bit of hope that Will would continue living his life alongside Louisa especially after the part where both of them crashed his ex's wedding and had a whale of a time dancing. But boy I was in for a disappointment! Louisa wasn't enough to make him want to continue living. Can you imagine that? He did say that "it would be a good life, but it wasn't his life". :'( Poor Louisa. (Sorry for the spoilers peeps.)

This book was wonderfully written by Moyes. She wrote it in such a way that it was realistic and we were able to connect with the characters. Through both Louisa's and Will's point of views, we got a glimpse of the life in which Will was trapped in. Confined in a wheelchair FOR LIFE, paralyzed neck down and robbed off his exciting and thrilling lifestyle, it must have been hard. (Will enjoys crazy adventures and doing exhilarating stuff. Eg: bungee jumping off a cliff etc) Will was a man of strong character and Louisa on the other hand was a colourful person although she was quite dense at times. *facepalm*

To cut a long story short, the ending gave us hope that somehow Louisa would be fine. However, we are in for some surprises because Moyes decided to give us another tale of trials and tribulations in the sequel - After You. **Praise the Lord for the sequel! I really needed that. :)

If Me Before You was a tale of letting go then After You was a bittersweet tale of moving on~
I'll post my review on that soon so do keep tabs fellow readers! :D

|| Sometimes, Clark, you are pretty much the only thing that makes me want to get up in the morning." - William Traynor, Me Before You

[Movie Review]

I disliked the movieeee! Sorry everyone but yeah. It was quite surprising that Moyes co-written the script given that it steered quite far off from the book. Yes, I understand that books are always always ALWAYS better than movie adaptations but it was still frustrating to watch. Well, I blame myself for expecting too much. ~.~

I must say this though, the cast was great. Emilia Clarke as Louisa Clark and Sam Claflin as William Traynor were good. They were good but that's it. The movie was slow-paced and boring. Also, the part on the island where Louisa poured her heart out before being rejected by Will, I felt that there wasn't enough emotion. It looked sort of 'forced' on Emilia's part and that part was supposed to be raw and emotional but... :/

When I first watched the trailer, I was quite happy given that it showed us what we read in the book. It wasn't until I watched the movie that I felt somehow cheated? I know I'm being slightly dramatic but it's true ya know.

                                      

Book rating : 8.5/10 stars.
Movie rating : 5/10 stars.

**P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

Train To Busan Movie Review

Director : Yeon Sang-ho

Released year : 2016

Genre : High-speed thriller, Zombie apocalypse

Synopsis :

A man, Seok-wook (Gong Yoo), his estranged daughter and other passengers become trapped on a bullet train ride to Busan during a zombie outbreak in South Korea.

My reviews :

I never actually thought that I will be writing a movie review. I once said in my past blog posting that there might be movie reviews too so here you goooo! 

The reason I actually wanted to share my two-cents worth of thoughts of this particular movie was because I enjoyed this movie very very much. 

Simply put, Train to Busan was A BOMB! The setting, screenplay and direction was superb. Each characters were given equal amount of attention (the main ones). It was one intense train ride. The zombies are vicious and they transform FAST. Extremely fast in fact. 

The fight for survival is present throughout the movie. Well, it is a natural human instinct after all. At the same time, the movie is laced with lots of underlying moral values. This was what made the movie so great. It actually served as a food-for-thought for all of us. Each characters possessed different kinds of personalities that showed us what humans are like. The movie thought us that even in a dire situation, selfishness will get you nowhere. It is through helping one another and putting aside our differences are the key to survival.

At first, Seok-wook (Gong Yoo) was a selfish man, thinking only about the safety of himself and his daughter. However, as the movie progressed, he eventually realized that he wouldn't survive like that. His daughter, Su-an (Kim Soo-ahn) was the one who jolted him to reality. The innocence and purity of a child was wonderfully portrayed by Kim.

Another show stealer was Sang-hwa (Ma Dong Seok). He's helpful nature and a loving and doting husband that will do anything for his pregnant wife was what made viewers root for him to stay alive. *spoiler alert* ;) He will not survive the ride eventually. :'(

Train to Busan was one heck of a train ride.

Rating: A SOLID 10/10 stars! 

**P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

Winter's Kiss Book Review

Author : Jennifer Echols (The Ex Games), Catherine Hapka (The Twelve Dates of Christmas)

Released year : 2012

Genre : Romantic comedy, fiction

This is a 2 in 1 book where there are two different stories in it. The first is The Ex Games and second is The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Synopsis:

The Ex Games

Hayden and Nick's steamy relationship has ended in a frosty breakup, and now they're just friends. But when they decide to go head-to-head in a boarding contest, the friendly competition gets heated....Will sparks starts to fly on and off the slopes?

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Lexi has come up with a master plan to make Cameron break up with her: get him to fall for another girl so she'll be free (and guilt-free, too). But when the plan goes well - too well - Lexi starts to wonder if she hasn't made a terrible mistake. Has she let the perfect guy get away? And is it too late to get him back? 

My reviews:

The Ex Games 

Both books were fun! Haha. A light and easy read. The perfect books to read during winter although there is no harm reading them during other seasons. lol

I like the second book slightly better than the first though. Don't get me wrong, Jennifer Echols is a wonderful writer and The Ex Games was nice. It's just that both Hayden and Nick's relationship was quite silly. Sorry to say but yeah. Okay, they broke up - that too over a stupid reason, only to realize that they still like each other. Nick was mean to Hayden for 4 YEARS because he still likes her but at the same time he still dated other girls?? =.="

But all in all it was an interesting read. All thanks to Echols for those cute and funny moments. The characters were relatable too, at some points.

|| People mag reporter : "Are you seeing anyone?"

  Nick : "Yes, I'm seeing someone."

  People mag reporter : "For how long?"

  Nick : "Four years."  *squealsss* LOL 

Rating : 6/10 stars.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

A cute cute cute book! Hahaha. 

Ok first things first. Personally, I didn't like the main character, Lexi very much. Why are you playing games girl? At first she decided that she and Cameron aka Cam will not survive a long distance relationship once she furthers her studies. So, she decided to set him up with someone else only to realize that she still loves him? Lexi is just lucky that Cameron knows her so well that he decides to go along with her plan. 

Those plans to get him back were funny and yeah, it gave me a good laugh. 

|| "The only thing my heart is set on is being with you. Whatever it takes, we'll work it out." - Cam, The Twelve Dates of Christmas

Rating : 6.5/10 stars.

**P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Book Review

Author : Stephen Chbosky

Released year : 2012 (movie tie-in edition)

Genre : Young-adult fiction, contemporary

Synopsis:

Charlie is a freshmen. And while he is not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

My reviews:

Okay, what I'm about to say might not please everyone but please understand that everyone is entitled to his/her opinions. No one's opinion is ever right nor wrong. It all depends on an individual's preferences. I did not enjoy this book and I am sorry to say this.

I found The Perks of Being a Wallflower to be rather overrated. The whole excitement behind this book when the movie was out, was a little over the top. Idk. Maybe it's just me but for me, the book fell short of expectations. :/ This got me thinking, yes the hype was just a fad, but I think most people just want to be part of the excitement, no matter whether they really liked it or not. The same goes to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green but that is a different story altogether so I'll post my two-cents worth of thoughts in another posting.

To me, the story was poorly written. I am not a professional writer myself but yes, I said it. In this book, Chbosky has got a very poor writing style. Have you forgotten the usage of proper diction, Sir? Why does the only emotion Charlie knows is sadness? He is CONSTANTLY SAD and there just weren't enough "oomph" to stir my emotions. There are many ways to describe sadness. I expected Chbosky to give a more in-depth description of feelings rather than the same thing over and over again.

Then, it turns out that Charlie was just a shy, socially awkward but extremely intelligent teen but that does not go hand-in-hand with the fact that there were hints of him suffering from some form of autism or he is just plain naive and immature. I mean look at Charlie's actions and behavior and THOUGHTS!

All in all, the book failed to live up to expectations. It was just plain boring. More could be explored but oh well...

Rating : 5/10 stars.

** P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

The Notebook Book Review

Author : Nicholas Sparks

Released year : 1996

Genre : Drama, Romance

Synopsis:

At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

My Reviews:

The Notebook was Sparks' first published novel and I must applaud him for this. He explored the topic of love with such care and so gently. I bought this after I was done with another masterpiece of his, A Walk to Remember and it was the best decision everrrr! Haha.

This book is one sentimental book. A tear-jerker. :'(

Poor Allie can't seem to remember who Noah is. All thanks to her Alzheimer's disease. There will be moments when she will suddenly regain parts of her memories but it doesn't last long and mannn those parts are the ones which will really touch our hearts. Noah's love for Allie is insurmountable and it's just so beautiful. So pure and so raw. So much of love for this book! <3

The sequel to this book is "The Wedding" and that too is a brilliant work of art. Sparks is truly a master at storytelling. A review on that will be up soon so stay tuned! :D

|| "The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our mind." - The Notebook

Rating : 9/10 stars! 

**P/S: Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

I am Number Four series Book Review (Lorien Legacies)

Author : Pittacus Lore aka James Frey & Jobie Hughes

Released year : 2010 - 2016 (1st to 7th and final book)

Genre : Young adult Science Fiction

Synopsis:

Book 1 : I am Number Four

They killed Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England and Number Three in Kenya.

John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him.

But you can't run for ever.

So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about - and who care about him. Never in John's short life has there been a space for friendship, or even love.

But it's just a matter of time before John's secrets is revealed.

He was once one of nine. Three of them has been killed.

John is Number Four. He knows that he is next...

Book 2 : The Power of Six

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened to John Smith. To the world he's a mystery, but to me...he's one of us. Nine of us came here but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us, if we all still believe in our mission.

There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another, but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be ready to fight. Is John Number Four - and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who might be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number in Malaysia. Number Two in England and Number Three in Kenya.

They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio...and failed.

I am Number Seven.

Book 3 : The Rise of Nine

Until I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive. Together we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long we had to separate to find the others. 

I went to Spain to find Seven and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others - including John.

But so are they.

They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England and Number Three in Kenya. They caught me in New York but I escaped.

I am Number Six. They want to finish what they started.

But they'll have to fight us first.

Book 4 : The Fall of Five

I thought things would change when I found the others. We would stop running. We would fight the Mogadorians. And we would win.

But I was wrong. Even though we have come together, we barely escaped from them with our lives. And now we're in hiding, figuring out our next move.

The six of us are powerful - but not strong enough to take on their entire army. We haven't discovered the full extend of our Legacies. We haven't learned to work together. Time is running out, and there's only one thing we know for certain: we need to find Number five before they do.

They caught Number One in Malaysia. Number Two in England and Number Three in Kenya. I am Number Four. I was supposed to be next.

But I'm still alive.

This battle is far from over.

Book 5 : The Revenge of Seven

They killed four of us. They will not rest until we are all dead. They will not stop until your planet is theirs. They think we are broken. 

We will not be defeated. We are all that stands in their way. We know secrets they thought hidden. We have power they never expected.

The time has come for them to fall.

Book 6 : The Fate of Ten

For years the Garde have fought the Mogadorians in secret. Now all of that has changed. The invasion has begun. 

John is on the front lines of the fight in New York City. And just as the odds seem stacked against him, his best friend, Sam, a human, inexplicably develops a Legacy - and Sam isn't the only one.

While the pair try to track down Five and Nine amid the chaos, they encounter another teen who can wield abilities that were once only meant for the Garde. Whether she is a friend or a foe, however, remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Six, Marina, and Adam are trapped in Mexico. They fought their way into the Sanctuary and were able to awaken the power hidden within, but their preceding battle has left them without any way of reaching the others. The Mogs are returning in full force, and it will take a miracle to escape.

The Garde are stretched thin, fighting this war on many fronts. If they can't find another way to stop the Mogs, humanity will suffer the same fate as the Loric: annihilation.

But there is still hope. The power of the sanctuary can save the world...or destroy it. It will all depend on who wields it.

Book 7 : United as One

The Garde didn't start this war, but they'll do whatever it takes to end it once and for all...

The Mogadorians have invaded Earth. Their warships loom over our most populated cities, and no country will risk taking them head on. The Garde are all that stand in the way, but they'll need an army of their own to win this fight.

They've teamed up with the US military, but it might not be enough. The Garde need their reinforcements, and they've found them in the most unexpected place. Teenagers from across the globe, like John Smith's best friend, Sam have developed abilities. So John and the others must get to them before the Mogs, because if they don't their enemies will use these gifted teens for their own sinister plan.

But after all the Mogadorians have taken from John - his home, his family, his friends, and the person he loves most - he might not want to put any more lives in danger. He's got nothing left to lose, and he's just discovered he has been given an incredible new Legacy. Now he can turn himself into the ultimate weapon. So will he risk his life to save the world, or will he realize that power in numbers will save us all?

My reviews: 

Finally done with the last and and 7th book of this "I am Number Four" series!! I've been collecting the books since 2010 and it finally came to an end. Movies adaptation PLEASE!! The first book which was adapted into a movie was so underrated! A huge injustice to the whole series! :(

*spoiler alert* ;)

There's something fishy about the way the book ends. There has to be something more about the whole bottles of 'black oils' right? Hmm... 

And oh poor Johnny! He hasn't moved on from Sarah's death, not even when the series ended. But there might be something-something between Marina and John? Well with that kiss and all. :/ 

P/S: I AM NOT OKAY WITH EIGHT'S DEATH. He was my favourite after John. But I never liked the pairing of Marina and Eight. She's so annoying and overreacting is something she does ALL THE TIME. Like, c'mon girl, yes Five is a mean ass but no he didn't deserve that kind of treatment in the end. After all, he did save John back in Patience Creek. The least you could do is heal him before leaving him to his own devices. You too John. You too. =.=

All in all, thumbs up to the whole series. The books captured my heart right from the start and I spent a fortune on the whole set! No regrets though. Hehe :P

|| "A place is only as good as the people in it." - I am Number Four 

Rating: 8.5/10 stars.

** P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini

A Walk to Remember Book Review

Author : Nicholas Sparks

Released year : 1999

Genre : Teenage romance, drama, spiritual

Synopsis:

There was a time when the world was sweeter...when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats...Every April, when the winds smells of both the sea and lilacs, Landon Carter remembers 1958, his last year in Beaufort High. Landon had dated a girl or two, and even once sworn that he'd been in love. Certainly the last person he thought he'd fall for was Jamie, the shy, almost ethereal daughter of the town's Baptist minister. Jamie, who was destined to show him the depths of the human heart - and the joy and pain of living. 

My reviews:

The story begins with a prologue from Landon Carter at the age of 57. The remainder of the story then takes place in the past, when Landon was a 17 year old high school senior. Landon was a popular boy at school. He was not exactly the typical popular guy that we all used to read about but he had his perks. 

Never in a million years did Landon ever thought that he would eventually fall head over heels in love with Jamie Sullivan, a very religious girl who always carried a bible around with her wherever she went and often wore an ugly sweater. Fast forward, they will eventually be paired up in a play called 'The Christmas Angel' to which Jamie was the "angel". Seeing how radiant and angelic she looked, Landon told Jamie that she was beautiful, truly meaning it. Soon, Landon realized that he enjoyed having Jamie as company and will eventually fall in love with her. But it wasn't long before Landon got to know that Jamie was about to die due to leukemia. 

One day, Landon approached Jamie for her hand in marriage, realizing that he loved Jamie so much and at the same time, he also wanted to fulfill her wish of getting married in a church full of people. Although Jamie was weak and wheelchair bound, she insisted on walking down the aisle so that her father could give her way which was part of her dream. Landon remembered thinking that it was the most difficult walk anyone ever had to make. In every way, it was a walk to remember.

This was my first Nicholas Sparks' novel and since then I have become his ardent fan. This was a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book. Kudos to Sparks for this brilliant masterpiece. Sparks really knows how to tug at reader's heartstrings. A Walk to Remember was a tragic tale of love and heartbreak to which Sparks had beautifully written. It makes us believe that true love do exists...

I read online that this story was based on real life experiences of Sparks's sister, Danielle Sparks Lewis who died of cancer. After her death, Sparks said in the eulogy, "... I suppose I wrote this novel not only so that you could get to know my sister, but so that you would know what a wonderful thing it was that her husband once did for her."

|| "Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in others people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes." - A Walk to Remember.

Rating : 10/10 stars!

**P/S : Find me on Twitter : @SajitaAswini