BOOK REVIEW | Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

Title: Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating
Author: Christina Lauren
Series? No
Pages: 320
Publication Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: I received an e-arc of Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books!

Most men can’t handle Hazel. With the energy of a toddler and the mouth of a sailor, they’re often too timid to recognize her heart of gold. New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Roomies, Beautiful Bastard) tells the story of two people who are definitely not dating, no matter how often they end up in bed together.

Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.

Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.

Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them...right?

Goodreads 

August Wrap Up!

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be looking at what I read in August! August was a time of getting reading for university, so I didn't read as much as these past couple months.

Now onto the 13 books I read in August!

1) Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Review

Stars Above is a compilation of short stories set in the Lunar Chronicles universe. The last time I read something by Marissa Meyer or part of the world was when Winter released, so I loved going back into the world and reading more from Meyer. There were stories that I liked, loved, and others I felt indifferent towards. Check out my review here! 

2) Come for Me, Darling by Alexis Anne

I received Come for Me, Darling via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. As of now, that review hasn't been posted, simply because I didn't enjoy it that much. I always feel a bit bad if I don't enjoy an ARC that I requested. I'm thinking that I'll be doing a mini review post and include Come for Me, Darling in that. Basically, the romance was cheesy and the book read like countless of other romances. 

3) Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Review

Oof...I did not like this one. I read Red Queen for the #MakeMeRead readathon, which I also didn't do that well in, haha! I thought the characters and world needed more complexities. Red Queen was a formulaic entry into the dystopian subgenre. I've heard mixed things from the other books, and I probably won't be continuing with series. I do, however, own the second boo in the series, so I might read it anyways just to see what happens. 

4) I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Thoughts While Listening To...

I've Got Your Number was the only audiobook I read this month. I thought it was wonderful! I didn't love the book, but Poppy had such a distinct voice and I thought her story was a great mix of endearing, comedic, embarrassing, and heartfelt. I'm definitely interested in reading more from Sophie Kinsella.

5) Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

After a stressful day of moving into university and walking everywhere, I really needed to relax and not think. Beautiful Bastard was the perfect solution. I've really enjoyed other books by Christina Lauren, so I imagined I would have the same experience. However, I didn't love Beautiful Bastard! The romance was lackluster, to be honest. I'm writing my review now, and expect to see it within a week!

6) Nuts by Alice Clayton

After the (unfortunate) disappointment of Beautiful Bastard, I decided to try out a new-to-me author, Alice Clayton! I have heard wonderful things about Nuts, and the series in general, and decided to pick them up. Honestly, this was a little bit of a disappointment as well. I simply didn't care for the characters that much, and thought that the plot points were predictable. However, the sex scenes were written wonderfully, and for that reason, I am planning on continuing with the series. 

7) The Deal by Elle Kennedy

This is where my luck started going up with romance novels! The Deal is a very popular NA romance novel, and when I saw it was on Scribd, I had to pick it up. There were some instances where I thought the language and underlying sexism was troubling. Though the romance was written well, and I my heart was hurting for the characters, the language left me a bit unsettled. 

8) The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

After The Deal, I decided to read its companion novel, The Mistake. Basically, I had the same experience with The Mistake as I had with The Deal. I loved the romance, but there was sexist language throughout the book. I understand if there is a douchebag saying these things, because it's presented as wrong, but it was from the main characters, who we are supposed to agree with. *sigh*

9) Love and Friendship by Jane Austen

And this is when you can tell I started reading because of school! It's been YEARS since I've read something by Jane Austen, and now that I'm taking a class centered around her works, I'm reading much more of her and seeing many movie adaptations. Love and Friendship was simply put, entertaining. Written when Jane Austen was around 15 years of age, her adolescence shines through. Love and Friendship doesn't have much social commentary. Instead, it's just a fun little novella to read if you want to be humored. 

10) We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"We Should All Be Feminists" is a reread for me. This time, I read it for a class. I liked reading this for a second time, because I think I got more out of it. However, I don't think that the essay is pure perfection, as I did when I first read it. Still, I recommend it! 

11) A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

I also read this for class as well! I'm taking a Shakespeare class, and this is the first play we read. I read this play around six years ago and didn't remember much. Now that I've had more reading experience, I understood the appreciated the text much more than I did when I was 13 years old. 

12) The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

This is, no question, my favorite book of the month. I was reading this while reading the last three books, and it was a great reprieve from all my required reading. The Kiss Quotient was sexy, funny, and most importantly, diverse! The author is own-voices for both Asian and high-functioning autism, and pushed the book to another level for me. Expect a review soon!! 

13) The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott

The Unspoken Rule was my last book of August, but not my least favorite of the month. I didn't love it, but I am a sucker for the whole "falling in love with my best friend's boyfriend" trope, even though it is troubling and I would never want that to happen in real life. Nonetheless, the book was entertaining and a pleasant distraction from the plethora of readings I did for school.

Updates!

Currently Reading

I moved into university, and once school started, I needed to read romance. After critically thinking all day, I need a break and just indulge in some romance. I got Scribd for a free monthly trial, and have read several romance books from there. I just finished reading Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren yesterday, and I'm thinking of starting Stray by Rachel Vincent. I also just finished the audiobook of Contagion by Erin Bowman The next books for me are Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh.

Goodreads Challenge! 

Now that school has started, I've really gotten my shit together when it comes to the goodreads challenge. I used to be 5-7 books behind, and now I'm five books ahead! This semester has already demanded that I read more than I was during the summer. I'm reading plays by Shakespeare and novels by Jane Austen quite regularly because of my classes, and I'm also reading for fun to get some of that stress out of my life. So far, I've been able to find a balance between reading for school and reading for fun! Now I just need to figure how to add blogging into the mix, as I've been pretty absent since the semester started. 

Life Update! 

 Whew, life has been hectic. I moved into my dorm, and the academic year is tarting off strong. Right now, I'm not loving any of my classes (which is a little disappointing), but I'm not hating them either. I'm a sophomore this year, and I've been having such a better time than last year! Last month, my goal was to be more social and I'm happy to announce that I have been! I've made a couple friends from my hall and some others from my classes!

This month I also interviewed for an internship at a publishing house that has a branch near my university. They did a trial run for me, where I read an unpublished manuscript and then gave a report to them recommending that they buy it or not. I loved doing it, but realized that I struggled balancing my 6 classes with the internship. Luckily enough, they offered the internship (yay!!) to me, but for next semester! This works out better for me, because I won't be taking as many classes and I can come into the office more.

 So that was my August! Pretty hectic, but I'm loving the busy pace and having something to do everyday. My main goal for September is to plan ahead my posts so I'm still blogging regularly! 

How was your August? What did you read?

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

DISCUSSION | What Do I Value in Film Adaptations?

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today we're going to be discussing book adaptations. Whether it be television shows, movies, web series, etc., book adaptations are abundant. 

For today, I'm going to self reflect on my experience watching YA book to film adaptations, and ask myself,  "What do I look for in an adaptation?" As a reader, do I look for accuracy and staying true to the source material? Do I hope that the adaptation stays true to the heart of book, but am okay with certain changes? As a viewer, do I  care that a film is even adapted from something, or am I just looking for a quality film? When the two intersect, reader and viewer, what do I value the most?

As a critical reader and viewer, I want whatever media I consume to be first-rate. I've come to learn that what I value most in an adaptation is dependent on my relationship to the book. For instance, I read The Darkest Minds years ago, and frankly, did not enjoy the book that much. If I were to watch the film, I would hope that the film's plot followed that of the book, and that key scenes were the same or similar. However, I wouldn't mind if a character's name or appearance was changed. I also wouldn't mind if the plot was altered, if the adaptation maintained the core of the novel. This is not the same for an adaption of a book that I loved, though. When The Fault in Our Stars was coming to theaters, I absolutely loved the book. I was so worried that the movie wouldn't include certain scenes, even lines, from the source material. I don't care about this for The Darkest Minds, but I did for The Fault in Our Stars, because I had a much stronger connection to the source material at the time. When I'm watching an adaption but haven't read the book, I then simply look for well-produced and well-acted entertainment. I have never read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, so when I watch the film, I don't compare it to its source material. Instead, I take in the movie as a separate entity, as individual. When I do this, I tend to enjoy the film more, as I'm not nit-picking the movie, and instead taking everything all in. Even then, some film adaptations have fallen short.


It is not a secret that Young Adult Adaptations have had a tumultuous relationship with critics. Some films and franchises, like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are critically applauded. Other adaptations, such as Twilight, Percy Jackson, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, are critically reviled. Let's look at some of the most recent films based on young adult literature, and their Rotten Tomatoes scores, as of 8 August 2018. 

• Love, Simon - 91%
• Maze Runner: The Death Cure - 41%
• Every Day - 63%
• Midnight Sun - 17%
• Ready Player One - 73%
• The Darkest Minds - 19%
• Everything, Everything - 47%
• The Miseducation of Cameron Post - 80%
• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - 63%
• Allegiant - 12%

As you can tell from this sample of 10 movies, YA adaptations are a mixed bag. The scores above aren't a grade, exactly, but the percent of critics that enjoyed the movie. Out of these ten, five of them were "fresh", or above a 60 percent approval rating. These "fresh" movies range from a 63% approval rating to a 91% percent approval rating. The other five, however, have much lower approval ratings, ranging from 12% to 47 percent. The average percent of these 10 movies is 50.5%. This isn't a horrible score, but shows that, at least with critics, there is much more room to improve upon when it comes to YA adaptations.

We might not all agree with critics, or even watch movies critically, but the evidence is clear: there are some bad film adaptations, and some quality ones. However, I would argue that these film critics aren't reviewing the movie based on whether the movie stayed true to the book. These critics are professionals and know what to look for in movies to determine is something was well made or not. Odds are, they haven't read the book the film is based on, and if they have, they would try to keep the two separate from each other. Since I am both reader and viewer,  it can be difficult to separate book from movie. When I do, I get the most rewarding results. 

I can with strong conviction that Love, Simon was an amazing film. I also thought the book, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, was equally amazing. When I watched the movie though, I didn't go in thinking, "I can't wait for this specific scene, etc.!" Instead, I immersed myself in the movie and attempted to not make comparisons. Because of this, I was able to shrug off changes made and just enjoy the movie for what is was. Since the movie also stayed true to the majority of the book, I am able to watch it with the book in mind, and still enjoy it! 

My resolution, from here on out, is to separate adaptations from the source material upon first watching. That way, I am not nit-picking the movie, and I am just watching the film for what it is. If the movie follows the book closely and is good, that is the best of both worlds! But if the film takes major detours, there is a better a chance I'll still enjoy it since I'm watching as a film and not an adaptation. If I watch the movie and dislike it, it's not because the movie made changes from the book, as that's to be expected. Instead, it will be because it simply was not executed well. 

What do you value when watching adaptations? 

Thank you so much for stopping by and I'll see you soon with another post!

Happy Reading!

Genni @ Ready, Set, Read!

Articles Refrenced:
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BOOK REVIEW | Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Title: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Series? Yes, the first in a series of four books
Pages: 383
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: I bought Red Queen during a book event!

This is a world divided by blood - red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance - Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

Goodreads

Thoughts While Listening To... | I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be doing something a little different. Instead of writing a review on I've Got Your Number, I wanted to dot down some of my thoughts as I listened to the audiobook! Here are some of my thoughts!

I’ve lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive :) !!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

  Goodreads

1) As someone who loses items quite frequently, this whole ordeal with Poppy losing her ring in stressing me out! I actually lost my class ring from my high school graduation a couple weeks ago. I found it (thank goodness), but I was freaking out. I can't imagine losing such a valuable family heirloom! 

2) This Scrabble game reallly makes me want to play the game! I'm just like Poppy, I would put down words like "raw" or "pig"!

3) I'm actually really liking the footnotes throughout the book. I was a bit surprised that I did, because I hated them in Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. I think it's because I'm listening to the audiobook, so I don't feel like my reading is interrupted.

4) I really don't like how Magnus never listens to Poppy. It seems like he just wants her for sex. He never is worried about her feelings, or how hard this whole situation (wedding, meeting parents, excluding her on important details) is for her. He even goes so far to endanger her career, which is outrageous. It just shows that Magnus doesn't actually respect Poppy! 

BOOK REVIEW | Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Title: Stars Above
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series? Yes, this is a bind up of short stories set in Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series.
Pages: 400
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Source: I checked out the audiobook of Stars Above via Libby. 

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Goodreads

TAG | Life's a Beach Book Tag!

Hi everyone and welcome back to my blog! I'm Genni, and today I'll be doing another tag. After doing the Cake Flavored Book Tag and having such a wonderful time making the graphics and picking out the books, I wanted to do another right away. I saw this tag from Krystianna from Downright Dystopian. Check out her tag post here! 

 Goodreads

Review

The ending of The Empress by SJ Kincaid left me reeling. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. I've read several second books in sci-fi/fantasy series, but all my expectations were shattered. Things went off the rails, and weeks (and months) after reading the book, I keep thinking back to the book. I am eagerly anticipating the third book!