Tag: bookblogging

Book Blog

Should good books be adapted for the big screen?

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The movie ‘ruined’ the book!

How many times have we heard these words uttered by nearly every book lover and avid reader after coming out of a movie theatre?

I probably would have said it a couple of times myself!

But, let’s be honest here, there are a lot of book-to-movie adaptations that are just outstanding and have got people admitting that the movie was much better than the book.

Not that it’s a competition, mind you!

It isn’t really a question of “ruining” the book. There is just the simple fact that the movie and book are now accessible because of their reliance on each other.

And no matter how big your imagination is, there will always be aspects of the book that your mind just cannot capture.

Take Hogwarts, from the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowlings, for example. Were you really able to envision it as it was in the movies? I know I wasn’t able to.

Watching how the scene unraveled on screen for the first time just left me in awe. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have goosebumps.

What about The Da Vinci Code?

The Hunger Games?

How adorable were Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort in The Fault in our Stars?

I’m really just naming a few from the top of my head that I think were good adaptations.

I do make it a rule though, to always read the book before watching the movie, as I love to compare how my mind visualized the details of the characters and the scenery with how the screenwriters depicted all the information gathered from the book. It’s just one of the perks of reading.

But reading aside, watching the movie adaptation is an experience on its own. It’s a good opportunity to share this experience with different people throughout the years.

So, I’m all for adaptations! I’m a big fan of reading the book and watching its movie. I make it a habit to check out what books are coming to the big screen every year to make sure I am able to read it just in time!

Are you a fan of book-to movies? Or do you think books should be left for the enjoyment of readers only?

Read the full article from Khaleej Times here

Filed on January 12, 2018 on @bloggerheads

ARC Review, Book Blog, Penguin U.K. Books

ARC Review : The Break

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Book Title : The Break
Book Author : Marian Keyes
My Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Publication Date : September 7th 2017

You know you’ve come across a good book when you don’t really want it to end, even though it’s almost about 600 pages. 

Reading The Break have left me with all different kind of emotions, some relatable and some not. It was super easy to fall in love with it as it had the most realistic prose, plot line and characters.

A heart warming tale, set in Dublin, our Protagonist, Amy, receives one of the worst news of her life. Her husband, Hugh, who fell into a deep depression after the loss of his father and best friend, decided to take a “break” and leave for six month backpacking in Asia.

The first part of the book was ok for me. I used to force myself to pick it up as I believe the whole process of Hugh leaving and Amy dealing with it was a bit prolonged. It was also a bit whiney for my taste.

But as soon as things picked up and we got into the plot, it got interestingly hilarious! I wasn’t able to put it down. I was so keen in finding out what will happen.

Will Amy take Hugh back after six month?

Will their relationship change? Mind you, Hugh was on a mission to sleep with other women as well. (I know, right! *rolls eyes)

Will Amy herself change?

What will happen to the rest of the family? 

Their girls? 

Three daughters left behind and a husband gone is a lot to deal with. Amy finds herself struggling between her emotions, what’s right and making sure her daughters are not affected.

Overall, I would totally recommend The Break whether you are a women’s fiction fan or not. It’s definitely worth the read. You’d find yourself so into the story and rooting for choices of your own.

What would you do if you were Amy?

Thanks to @penguinUkbooks for this book, which was given in an exchange for an honest review.
 

Book Blog

Book Review : The Devotion of Suspect X

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Book Title : The Devotion of Suspect X
Book Author : Keigo Higashino, Alexander O. Smith (Translator)
My Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Publication Date : February 1st 2011

I’m a very big fan of fast paced book, thrillers and plots with twists. So it’s no wonder I was hooked up real fast with The Devotion of Suspect X.

It was super easy to get into the story, not the names though! (I literally had to note down who is who and what they are doing at the beginning of the book.) Having got through that, it was an extremely enjoyable read and a hard to put down book.

We get introduced to Yasuko, her daughter, her simple quiet life and a neighbor whom she had only shared a few moments with. When her ex-husband appears at her door without warning one day, all peace she has known is gone.

Enter the Tokyo police and detectives trying to make sense, put together the events of that particular day and solve one of the biggest crimes out there.

This was a standalone read. You do not need to read the past ones as they are not part of a series. There is also no reference or mention to the previous books.

Having praised the book and giving it a four stars, I have to mention my “but” about it. I’ve never been a fan of translated books, and though this book is brilliantly genius, it did feel a bit dry sometimes and I’m blaming it on translation.

Overall, I would totally recommend this book, have you pick it up right now and go on endless discussions about it.

 

Book Blog

Book Review: Into The Water

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Book Title: Into The Water

Book Author: Paula Hawkins

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Publication Date: May 2nd 2017

Though I did enjoy, The Girl on the Train, I was still surprised by the major popularity it gained. Heck, it was even made into a movie which I also thought was fairly well.

So I decided to pick up Paula Hawkin’s second book Into the water and give her another chance. I would start by saying I was not impressed at all.

I know it became a trend that books have POVs, and alternating between the past and present but I believe not all books could pull it through. Some work and some don’t. This one obviously didn’t.

And the main reason why?

There were just way too many characters – most with their own POVs. If that’s not enough for you, add in snippets of the past which I thought some were truly unnecessary and adds or explains nothing to the plot.

I didn’t find it easy to get into the book once I started reading. I had to reread the first chapters more than once then gradually started to get impatient and didn’t really care to reveal “the mystery” behind all the events and to expose each character’s secret.

Overall, in my opinion, it wasn’t an intense read. It wasn’t as gripping and you won’t find me recommending it to any thriller fans.

Book Blog, Other Reviews

Book Review : The Night Circus

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Book Title: The Night Circus

Book Author: Erin Morgenstern

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This is a second book I have read about the circus and again I can say I was not disappointed!

This book is a bundle of joy! It takes you back to your childhood days and you start to remember those good ol’ circus times. I can even smell the popcorn and caramel apples!

Circus and food aside, the real story is what goes on within. A competition between two contestants who were bound to it since childhood and have no idea who the other one is.

That’s my ‘but’ with the book. I couldn’t imagine or feel the fierceness of the competition. We are not told on the spot what is happening or how it happened but instead are just being told about it.
I would have liked, as a visitor of the circus, to actually feel and experience it on the spot, rather than being told about it.

All in all, it’s a great story filled with awesome magic that would keep you wanting more.
A must read. Go pick it up!

First Post, Welcome

Let’s get Serious!

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I can FINALLY cross off “start a blog” of my list-of-things-to-do now. *phew

Now that I have gotten this out of the way, let me check what else I’ve got on my list.. and move on. *looks down the list.

Ok, scratch that!

Just grab a chair, have a cup of coffee or two! – this might take a while – and let’s get on with it. I don’t know how you’ve stumbled upon my blog or who invited you, but you’re welcome nevertheless. <insert awkward pause here>

So, ahem, I’m Nada! I give the worst first impressions and its seems that writing my first blog post is going to have the same effect.

I prefer spending my times talking books with a fellow bookworm, rather than the normal chit chat with all those uncomfortable silent moments.

I’ve been Insta-blogging about books for a while now, reviewing and recommending them. I find that I totally love it so I decided to up my game and create a blog/site to share what I do. I’m also looking to give so much more than just that so stick with me and LET THE GAMES BEGIN…err, I mean the reading. *sheepish smile

Let’s read, discuss, review and recommend books.

Now that you have gone through my lines of gibberish.. I, officially, welcome you to my new blog!