SPLINTERED (Splintered #1) - by A.G Howard

Year Published: 2013 - by Amulet Books.
Genres: Fantasy/young adult/romance/retelling
Pages: 371.
Author: A. G Howard.
Source: Bought.
Goodreads: Splintered

Blurb:
Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.




Splintered was an exquisite retelling; darkly sensual and gorgeously written. But its faults lay in the offensive and downright disturbing sexism.

What I've Been Reading & Watching - Two books finished, a hilarious TV series I'm enjoying.......

THE SCARLET LETTER - by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Year Published {This edition}: 1994 - by Penguin Books.
Genres: Classics/fiction/historical.
Pages: 240.
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne. 
Source: Borrowed.
Goodreads: The Scarlet Letter.

Blurb:
Set in the harsh Puritan community of seventeenth-century Boston, this tale of an adulterous entanglement that results in an illegitimate birth reveals Nathaniel Hawthorne's concerns with the tension between the public and the private selves.



The Scarlet Letter was not an easy read, and while I didn't exactly enjoy it, its heroine was unforgettable in the best way. 

Creepy Book Characters (some not so creepy) to read about this Halloween

They're weird, creepy, violent, and perhaps a little (and sometimes more than a little) psychotic. 
I, for one, am thankful they stay in their books ;) 

And yet, that doesn't stop them from freaking me out. Or from coming to vivid and intense life. 
Muahahahahaha

MR. RIGHT (film) was wrong in so many ways

Cast: Anna Kendrick; Sam Rockwell; Tim Roth. 
Year: 2015.
Director: Paco Cabezas.
Content Rating: R for violence and language throughout. PG16VL
Source: Rented.
IMDB: Mr. Right

Synopsis:
A girl falls for the "perfect" guy, who happens to have a very fatal flaw: he's a hitman on the run from the crime cartels who employ him.



Not even the charm of Anna Kendrick could stop Mr. Right from being utterly WRONG.

Waiting on Wednesday #4: Heartless - by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads: Heartless
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date:
8 November.

THE LAST SONG (film) has sun, surf, sand and skin, but Miley lacks substance

Cast: Miley Cyrus; Liam Hemsworth; Greg Kinnear.
Year: 2010.
Director: Julie Anne Robinson.
Content Rating: PG for thematic material, some violence, sensuality, and mild language. 
Source: Bought.
IMDB: The Last Song

Synopsis:
A rebellious girl is sent to a Southern beach town for the summer to stay with her father. Through their mutual love of music, the estranged duo learn to reconnect.


The Last Song is full of energy, but Miley lets it down.

What I've Been Reading - Oooh! a NEW BOOK and a NEW MOVIE!

I'm reading two beauties at the moment, AND I was naughty and bought one new book and one new movie as well :)

The book was on sale, so I kinda felt I had to ;)

I have no excuse for the movie.

Scary Stories & Freaky Films: Scare yourself this Halloween! (well, duh) Muahahahaha

Halloween's all for getting creeped out and spooked and hiding under the covers because you're sure that branch crashing against your bedroom window is some part of a hideous, half-dead, blood-sucking monster who's dying (pun intended) to kill you. 
Or maybe that's just me. 
(Blame the book I was reading at the moment...)

THE CROWN (The Selection #5) - by Kiera Cass

Year Published: 2016 - by Harper Teen.
Pages: 279.
Genres: Young adult/romance/dystopian
Author: Kiera Cass.
Source: Library.
Goodreads: The Crown

Blurb:
When Eadlyn became the first princess of Illéa to hold her own Selection, she didn’t think she would fall in love with any of her thirty-five suitors. She spent the first few weeks of the competition counting down the days until she could send them all home. But as events at the palace force Eadlyn even further into the spotlight, she realizes that she might not be content remaining alone.

Eadlyn still isn’t sure she’ll find the fairytale ending her parents did twenty years ago. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and soon Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more impossible—and more important—than she ever imagined.

The Crown was a sweet and relaxing read, but I found the characters and plot seriously lacking.

Waiting on Wednesday #3: The Chemist - by Stephenie Meyer

Goodreads: The Chemist
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Release Date: November 8

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY - by Jane Austen

Year Published {This edition}:2006  - by Headline.
Pages: 386.
Genres: Romance/comedy/historical/satire
Author: Jane Austen.
Source: Library. 
Goodreads: Sense and Sensibility

Blurb:
'...the more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.' 

Marianne Dashwood is young, flirtatious and ready to meet a knight in shining armour. Her sister, Elinor, is more restrained - she knows that when it comes to romance, slow and steady wins the race. But while both seem to have found what they want, the path to happiness isn't as straightforward as they first thought. True love has a habit of breaking the rules and turning up whenever it's least expected...

Overall, I am SO pleased to announce that Austen has, officially and finally, won me over :)

FOOL ME ONCE - Harlan Coben

Year Published: 2016 - by Century. 
Pages: 387.
Genres: Mystery/thriller/adult
Author: Harlan Coben.
Source. Bought.
Goodreads: Fool Me Once

Blurb:
You think you know the truth. The truth is you know nothing. 

The international number one best-selling author of Tell No One and Six Years is back with his next impossible-to-put-down thriller.

If your husband was murdered, 
And you were a witness, 
How do you explain, seeing him on your nanny cam?
You thought you trusted him.
Now you can't even trust yourself.

Dark secrets and a terrifying hunt for the truth lie at the heart of this gripping new thriller.


Overall, I think a thriller fan would LOVE this, and while I did enjoy it, it wasn't really my kind of book.

What I've Been Reading - lots of variety and fun all round!

I'm reading three books at the moment and they are all so different from each other. Which is actually really cool, because depending on what mood I'm in, I can just grab the one I feel like reading at the moment and read ahead. Yay :)

A PERFECT MURDER (film) would've been perfect if the ending hadn't been so weak

Cast: Micheal Douglas; Gwyneth Paltrow; Viggo Mortensen.
Year: 1998.
Director: Andrew Davis.
Content Rating: R for violence, sexuality, and language.
Source: Bought.
IMDB: A Perfect Murder

Synopsis:

A POWERFUL HUSBAND. AN UNFAITHFUL WIFE. A JEALOUS LOVER. ALL OF THEM HAVE A MOTIVE. EACH OF THEM HAS A PLAN.

Wall Street titan Steven Taylor seems like a devoted husband. He isn't. Beautiful Emily Bradford Taylor seems like a faithful wife. She isn't. And when Steven hires Emily's lover to kill her, it seems like a perfect murder. It isn't. In fact, little is what it seems in this sleek thriller. 

My Book and Movie Arrivals! - My takealot delivery arrived and HAPPY DAYS!

A few weeks ago I ordered some movies and a book from takealot.com, thanks to a birthday voucher (that came in May...yes, I resisted using it all these months).......and my beautiful new babies arrived on Tuesday!!

HEIR OF FIRE (Throne of Glass #3) - Sarah J. Maas

Year Published: 2014 - by Bloomsbury. 
Genres: High fantasy/romance/action/magic/young adult
Pages: 562.
Author: Sarah J. Maas.
Source: Library.
Goodreads: Heir of Fire

Blurb:
Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her? 

OH MY SHATTERED HEART.

Waiting on Wednesday #2: A Study in Scarlet Women - by Sherry Thomas - AND: Rose & Thorn - by Sarah Prineas

Goodreads: A Study in Scarlet Women
Author: Sherry Thomas
Release Date: 18 October 2016.

                               
                                   Goodreads: Rose & Thorn
                                   Author: Sarah Prineas
                                   Release Date: 18 October 2016.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (film) was a beautiful romance with an adorable elephant in the centre of the ring

Year: 2011.
Cast: Robert Pattinson; Reese Witherspoon; Christoph Waltz. 
Director: Francis Lawrence. 
Content Rating: PG 13 for moments of intense violence and sexual content.
Source: Bought.
IMDB: Water for Elephants

Synopsis:
Set in the 1930s, a former veterinary student takes a job in a traveling circus and falls in love with the ringmaster's wife.



Overall, it was a breathtaking film that drew me utterly into its world.

SAFE HAVEN (film) was as much a beautiful romance as it was a gripping thriller

Cast: Julianne Hough; Josh Duhamel; David Lyons; Cobie Smulders. 
Year: 2013.
Director: Lasse Hallstrom. 
Content Rating: PG 13 for thematic material involving containing threatening behaviour, and for violence and sexuality.
Source: Bought. 
IMDB: Safe Haven

Synopsis:
A young woman with a mysterious past lands in Southport, North Carolina where her bond with a widower forces her to confront the dark secret that haunts her.

Overall, it was a beautiful movie that avoided the usual cliches and 'soppiness' of Sparks with the brilliant thriller element.

What I've Been Reading - Attempting Austen and more Throne of Glass.....

This has been a good week for my movies and books! I watched the films of Safe Haven and Water for Elephants last week, and I'll be posting my reviews of them this coming week. Just to let you know, they were AMAZING!
But. Let's talk books :) 

ONE HUNDRED NAMES - by Cecelia Ahern

Year Published: 2012 - by HarperCollins.
Genres: Contemporary/romance/fiction.
Pages: 336.
Author: Cecelia Ahern.
Source: Library.
Goodreads: One Hundred Names. 

Blurb:
The new novel from the bestselling author. Journalist Kitty Logan's career is being destroyed by scandal. Simultaneously, she faces the death of her mentor and friend of ten years, Constance, who has guided and taught her everything she knew. All Kitty is left with is a file in Constance's office: a list of one hundred names. There is no synopsis, no explanation, nothing else to explain who these people are. The story Constance planned to write is simply a mystery. Kitty sets out not only to track down the people on Constance's list, but to find out what connects them. And, in the process of hearing ordinary people's stories, she starts to understand her own... 


Overall, I was, once again, swept away by the magic of Ahern's storytelling.

Reading Quirks & Preferences: Where do you read, what do you read......let's chat!

I am so glad I finally got round to starting a blog. And here's why: I have met some lovely bookish blogger friends, who I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and exploring their blogs and learning from them and just talking books and movies! So, as a fun thing, I have three bookish questions I'd be eager to hear your answers to :)  Please comment and tell me what your answers are to the three questions below so I can get to know your bookish self better! (that was totally un-stalkish, right?!)

CROWN OF MIDNIGHT (Throne of Glass #2) - by Sarah J. Maas

Year Published: 2013 - by Bloomsbury. 
Genres: Young adult/high fantasy/romance/action/ paranormal/fae
Pages: 418.
Author: Sarah J. Maas.
Source: Library.
Goodreads: Crown of Midnight.

Blurb:
Crowned by Evil.
Bound by Duty.
Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan's deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies' blood - but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors - a captain and a prince - and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom...


This was, in my opinion, a whole lot better than Throne of Glass :)

Waiting on Wednesday #1: Roseblood - by A. G. Howard

I haven't read any of Howard's books yet, but Roseblood just looks like something I'd die for <3 <3

THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (film) had some predictable secrets, but was still a good thriller

Cast: Julia Roberts; Nicole Kidman; Chiwetel Ejiofor. 
Director: Billy Ray.
Year: 2015.
Content Rating: PG 13 for disturbing violent content, language and some sexual references. 
Source: Rented. 

Synopsis:
A tight-knit team of rising investigators, along with their supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered.


Overall, it was a good thriller. Although I can say
honestly, that I did not enjoy it. 

THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR (film) would have been unbearably cold had it not been for Emily Blunt's ironic warmth

Cast: Charlize Theron; Chris Hemsworth; Emily Blunt; Jessica Chastain. 
Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan.
Year: 2016.
Content Rating: PG 13 for fantasy action violence and sensuality.
Source: Rented.
IMDB: The Huntsman: Winter's War.

Synopsis:
Eric and fellow warrior Sara, raised as members of ice Queen Freya's army, try to conceal their forbidden love as they fight to survive the wicked intentions of both Freya and her sister Ravenna.

Overall, it was an okay film.

But Emily Blunt made it worth watching: she literally made me shiver (heh...notice what I did there) with her brilliant  performance.

What I've Been Reading - moving on with the Throne of Glass series and more

I'm moving on through the Throne of Glass series! Yay! AND I have beauuutttifuuull books to look forward to <3 <3 <3 

Monthly Wrap-Up - Welcoming October and wrapping up September...

Monthly Wrap-Up & looking ahead: What I read, what I watched, what I will read and watch...