Movie Review: Catching Fire

Summary:

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem. (Via www.imdb.com)

Running Time: 146 minutes (2 hours and 26 minutes)

Release Date: November 22nd, 2013

Rating: 5/5 stars 

Review:
    I don't know why, but I never published this review of Catching Fire. I had always intended to publish it but it has been sitting in my drafts for over a year. So, in the spirit of Mockingjay Part 1 being released, I finally decided to publish this review....

   

     I had no idea what to expect from Catching Fire. The Hunger Games was a great movie, but the director and screenwriter were changed in between the production of the two movies, which could cause dramatic changes. But, I had nothing to worry about. After seeing Catching Fire I was blown away, the movie was so accurate to the book. I can easily say, Catching Fire is officially my favorite book-to-movie adaptation. 

*Spoiler Section*

     The cast was amazing, all the actors/actresses embodied their characters perfectly. I was so relieved that Finnick Odair (played by Sam Clafin), and Johanna Mason (played by Jena Malone) were finally introduced, because they are two of my favorite characters.

      Prior to seeing Catching Fire, I had not reread the book. Shockingly, throughout the movie I remembered almost everything from the book. The movie really helped refresh my memory. For example, I had not remembered that Peeta made a baby announcement during his interview with Caesar. The most shocking thing I forgot was that District 12 got bombed, I don’t know how I forgot about it.

      The movie was fantastic, but there were two minor things I wish they would have included. Once they entered the arena, Peeta and Katniss seemed to forget that she was ‘pregnant’, which I found a bit odd. Also, I wish District 13 would have been mentioned earlier on in the movie. Not only at the end we had to come to terms with the bombing of District 12 but we had to wrap our heads around the fact that there were thirteen Districts instead of twelve. It would have been nicer if they had mentioned a thirteenth District earlier on so it would not have been such a shock. In the book, Gale and Katniss met Bonnie and Twill while hunting and they were the ones to introduce the readers to District 13. The only major problem I had with the movie was the love triangle, it’s not needed.

      I loved the design of the arena, it seemed as if they pulled it right from the book. It was so neat when the camera would zoom out and you could see the arena from the top and how it was positioned like a clock. The special effects in each section of the clock were also fantastic. The blood rain, jabber-jays, vicious monkeys, huge waves, and the lightning tree, were so realistic. When Finnick and Katniss both went into the jabber-jay section, my heart fell. Reading about the event and seeing it are two completely different things. The movie version was so intense and heart wrenching.

     I was so excited when Johanna said, "They can't hurt me. I'm not like the rest of you. There's no one left I love." As depressing as the quote is, it is one of my favorite quotes from the trilogy and I was so happy that it was included in the movie. We don’t learn much about Johanna’s past but that quote sums up what has happened to her.

      Speaking of which, there were quite a bit of quotes from the book included in the movie, which I thought was great. Not all of them were word for word from the book, but they had the same basic understanding. I really felt like I was watching the book in the movie theater. I am really glad the screenwriters took the time to really go over the book and bring it to life, it meant a lot. For example, I loved that the Peeta and Katniss conversation of their favorite colors was included in the movie because they have another conversation about it in Mockingjay. Since they included the original conversation in Catching Fire, I hope they include the second one in Mockingjay Part 2. Also, I thought it was so sweet that Finnick’s goodbye to 'his love' was included. It really seemed as if the speech was directed to anyone he slept with or charmed. But the speech was actually directed toward Annie, and I thought it was a cute, yet sad touch.

     I was really curious to see how they were going to end the movie because the book ends on a major cliff hanger. I was not sure if they would stick with that ending or tweak it. I was glad the movie had the same ending as the book because it left everyone in the dark. Movie goers should have to suffer what the readers had to go through until the next book. After the movie was over, my parents had told me that they wished I would have taken them to see Catching Fire after all the other movies were released because they did not want to wait a year to find out what happened next.

     Overall, Catching Fire was action packed, adventurous, and it kept me on the edge of my seat, even though I knew what was going to happen. It was an amazing adaptation to the book and I am so excited to see Mockingjay Part 1 when it flies into theaters on November 21st of 2014.

~Casey   

The Maze Runner (The Maze Runner #1) by James Dashner

Summary:

If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.Remember. Survive. Run. (Via Goodreads.com)

 Pages: 374

Release Date: October 6th, 2009 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Review:

     I told myself that I would never read The Maze Runner. All my friends that had read the book and other reviews I had seen said that they hated the book. I had heard nothing positive about the book from people, so I decided that I did not want to read it. Even with the book-to-movie adaptation being released, I could have cared less about reading the book. But, my school's book club picked The Maze Runner as our book to read in October, so I read it. 

     The Maze Runner was nothing like I expected, I actually enjoyed reading the book. It has such a unique plot and I discovered some really likable characters. Even though I enjoyed The Maze Runner, I do not think I will continue on with the rest of the trilogy. I have heard that the second book is really good, but that the last one is horrible. I know from The Maze Runner to not always trust others opinions but I am not planning on reading the other books because the ending of The Maze Runner did not compel me to continue reading the other books. I was a bit interested to find out what happens next, but at our book club meeting one of the girls told me  what happened next and I am fine with what she told me. If she had not told me, I still would not have read the other books.    

     Since I just recently read The Maze Runner, I was unable to see it in theaters so I am planning to watch it once it comes out on DVD. 

     Overall, I enjoyed reading The Maze Runner but I don't know if I would recommend reading it to others. Since I have heard so much negativity about the last book, I would not want to get anyone invested in the trilogy and then have them disappointed. But, if you are interested in reading the trilogy, be my guest. The Maze Runner was full of action, mystery, suspense, and had a very unique plot. 

~Casey       

Elixir (Covenant #3.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary: 

Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex. Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for. Even if it means making war against the gods. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: (E-book) 74

Release Date: November 22nd, 2012

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review:

     As many of you might know, recently I have been marathoning the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout so I would be able to read my ARC of The Return before it is released next February. The Return is the first book in a new spin-off series of the Covenant series. Also, I will be attending the release party for The Return, ApollyCon, in Philadelphia this February so I wanted to be prepared. If you want more information and ticket prices on Apollycon: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/apollycon-the-return-by-jennifer-l-armentrout-release-party-tickets-12292738913. 

     So far I am loving the Covenant series and I am so excited to finish it! But, right now I have some other books I need to read for reviews and I have some extremely important new releases to read so I will be taking a rain check on the last two books of the Covenant series. I am hoping I will be able to resume reading the series in late November or early December at the latest.

     I would highly recommend this series to anyone. Especially if you like Greek mythology or any other books written by the lovely Jennifer L. Armentrout. This series will not disappoint! 

     Also, I forgot to mention in my other reviews, but if you have read the Covenant series, on Jennifer L. Armentrout's website she has a page dedicated to extras. The extras feature deleted scenes and chapters in Aiden's point of view. Here is the link, if any of you want to check out them out: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/extras/

     My other reviews on the previous books in the Covenant series:

Daimon (Covenant #0.5):

http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/daimon-covenant-05-by-jennifer-l.html

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) and Pure (Covenant #2):

http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/11/half-blood-covenant-1-pure-covenant-2.html

Deity (Covenant #3):

http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/11/deity-covenant-3-by-jennifer-l.html

*Spoiler Section*

     When I started Half-Blood a couple months ago I bought all the books and novellas in the Covenant series at one time on my Kindle so I would have them all to marathon. I tried not to read any of the synopsis but when I came across Elixir I knew what the Elixir was in the series and I got so nervous. I assumed that some point in the series, someone found out about Alex and Aiden's relationship and Alex was put on the Elixir. That is all I thought about as I read the first three books in the series and thankfully I was not right. Well, I was right about Alex being put on the Elixir but I was not right about why she was put on it. It was so depressing to see Alex put on the Elixir, it stripped of all her freewill and personality. She was like a former shell of who she used to be, it was so enraging. I understand why she was put on the Elixir but they did not give her enough faith. Alex is such a strong and determined character, how could they forget that? Without a doubt, I know Alex is going to get through this by herself and then she will get Seth out of this. 

     The only part of Elixir that was not really depressing to me was when Aiden told Alex about the first time he ever saw her. It was interesting to see what he originally thought of her and to see how much they have both changed since then. 

     I am so excited to continue reading this series in a few weeks. I have no idea what is in store for all of these characters, but a war is coming. I hope there will not be too many casualties. The only prediction I have is, I believe Aiden is going to die. But, we will somehow figure out how to bring him back to life. 

     Overall, Elixir was heartbreaking and in the need of some happiness. 

~Casey  

Deity (Covenant #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary: 

"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden. 

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome. 

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed. 

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate... (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 330

Release Date: October 31st, 2012

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review:

     Recently, I have been marathoning the Covenant series. I have always wanted to read the series because it is by my favorite author, Jennifer L. Armentrout. The Covenant series is the only series I have yet to read by Jennifer. I would have eventually read the series, but I was motivated to read it sooner because I got an ARC of The Return, the first book in the spin-off series of the Covenant series. The Return is expected to be released in February of next year and I will be attending the release party, ApollyCon, next February in Philadelphia (for more information on ApollyCon: http://www.tdevents.net/p/apollycon.html). I wanted to read The Return before both the release day and the release party. I am hoping to read The Return by the end of this year but first I need to finish the Covenant series first.

     Deity is the third book in the Covenant series and it full of shocking revelations, action, romance and a cliff hanging ending. I am excited to continue and finish the series. Like all of Jennifer L. Armentrout's other books, I love the Covenant series and I would highly recommend them. The series is a cool twist on Greek mythology. Also, who would not buy these books for the simple fact that the covers are stunning?
     Currently, I have the following reviews for the Covenant series: 
Daimon (Covenant #0.5): 

http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/daimon-covenant-05-by-jennifer-l.html 
Half-Blood (Covenant #1) and Pure (Covenant #2):

http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/11/half-blood-covenant-1-pure-covenant-2.html. 

*Spoiler Section*

     I knew Lucian could not be trusted. Since he was introduced in Half-Blood, I knew there was something up with him. Once Alex described him prior to her and her mom fleeing, I knew he would not suddenly change for the better. But, I never thought Seth would be on Lucian's side. Seth is Lucian's Guard but I never thought he could be brainwashed like that.  Lucian was like a father and I sort of understand why Seth let Lucian brainwash him because Lucian was the only person to ever 'love' him. I do sympathize for Seth because he is so lonely and he needs someone that truly loves him. Not someone who 'loves' him for his powers and abilities. 

     Until reading Deity I was almost positive that Minister Telly was Seth's father. Seth had never mentioned much about his father and how he regarded Telly made me think that Telly was actually Seth's dad. But, I was proven wrong when we discovered that an Apollyon is born from a pure mom and a half dad. I hope we get to learn more about Seth's past and who his parents are. He is a main character but he is still rather mysterious. I just hope by the end of the series Seth will be back to normal and will eventually find someone. It seems like he does have a big heart, he just needs someone to share it with. 

     I was not expecting Apollo to be one of Alex's ancestors. But, after I finished Deity I started my review for Daimon and I noticed that in one of the notes I took it had mentioned that Alex's mom was fascinated with Apollo, so that fact was always there, I just never connected the dots. But, the most shocking thing of all was to discover that Leon was actually Apollo. I knew there was something different about Leon but I never expected this. Since Leon is a god, I wonder if anyone else could be hiding a secret identity...

     I was shocked to discover that Deacon was gay because he was the player of the series. But, he and Luke are really cute together. Just like Alex and Aiden, one of them is pure and the other is a half. I hope by the end of the series they will destroy the rule about halfs and pures not being allowed to be romantically involved. Am the only one who thinks Deacon reminds me of Magnus Bane from The Mortal Instruments series? 

     This is going to sound uncivilized, but I was glad that Alex died. Now let me finish. I love Alex, she is one of my favorite female characters but she needed to visit the Underworld. She needed closure and to hear that Caleb did not blame her for his death. I am glad Alex got to say goodbye to Caleb and to know he is happy. 

     I was right when it came to Aiden's mysterious necklace. When is was first mentioned, I automatically knew it was the black guitar pick Alex got him for his 21st birthday. For once, I was happy that I was right, it was a really sweet touch Jennifer added to the story. Speaking of jewelery, I loved that Aiden made Alex a necklace for her 18th birthday, it sounds beautiful and it came from his heart. 

     I was so mad when it was revealed that the gods never intended for the halfs to be enslaved. All they wanted was for the races to be separated to limit the number of Apollyons created. It was the pures who enslaved the halfs for their own selfish purposes. One thing I do not understand, is why the halfs have never fought back? The halfs have both the numbers and skills to beat the pures. The only thing against them is the elixir, but I am betting they could eventually find a way around it, since they have both the numbers and skills. 

     It was really depressing to hear Aiden talk about his parents murders. Yet, I was relieved that he finally confided in Alex with it because he never told anyone else the story and he needed to let it out. It was interesting to learn that the real reason he became a Sentinel was to honor the half-blood who saved his and Deacon's life. It was a sweet yet depressing end to his story. 

     I don't really know what to expect from the remaining books in the series. All I know is that there is an impending war with the gods on the horizon. I just hope we don't have to say goodbye to many more characters. 

     Overall, Deity was shocking, full of action, comedy, romance, and ended on a cliff hanger. I am very excited to finish the series. I only have to read one novella and two more books until the series is over.

~Casey 

Half-Blood (Covenant #1) & Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
(Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 281

Release Date: September 18th, 2011

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary: 

There is need. And then there is Fate. Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's other half is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her. When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon--and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude--or killing her. When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 329

Release Date: January 1st, 2012

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Reviews:

     There is no surprise that like all of Jennifer L. Armentrout's other books, I am in love with the Covenant series. It features all of Jennifer's specialties such as hot guys, action, romance, and strong female leads. She also crafted an amazing world that I would love to live in, well kind of. 

     The only reason I rated Half-Blood a four out of five stars was that it was too much like the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. It was way too predictable and I felt like I was re-reading the Vampire Academy series. Don't get me wrong, I love the Vampire Academy series, but the line between the two series was very blurry. But, Jennifer got back on track in Pure and the similarities between the two series stopped, the Covenant series was no longer as predictable. My friend that also loves Jennifer L. Armentrout's books has read and loved the Covenant series but she hated Vampire Academy. It had never occurred to me until now that she probably did not like Vampire Academy because of how similar it was to Half-Blood.
     Overall, I loved Half-Blood and Pure. Both novels were full of action, romance, whit, mystery, some drama and beautiful covers. I would highly recommend reading this series to anyone who likes Greek Mythology or any of Jennifer L. Armentrout's other books. I also have a review the prequel novella, Daimon: http://littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/10/daimon-covenant-05-by-jennifer-l.html. 
     The following review will feature spoilers from, Daimon, Half-Blood, Pure and the first two books in the Vampire Academy series.

*Spoiler Section*

     

     If I had to live in the Vampire Academy or Covenant world I would most definitely pick the Vampire Academy world. I love both series but the Vampire Academy world is the better of two negatives. I am going to assume that I would be a Dhampire in Vampire Academy and a half in the Covenant series. I would rather be a Dhampire for the simple reason that I would be more respected than halfs and I would not have the possibility of being enslaved. I would be terrified living as a half in the Covenant series because the pures can take away your life in a matter of seconds. I hate that the halfs have no representation on Council and I hope that by the end of the series the halfs will have a higher stance in their society. 
     Even though the society is set up like Vampire Academy it makes the series unique. When I hear of books based off of Greek Mythology, I think of the retelling of Persephone. The Covenant series widens the variety and I am interested to see what other unique Greek Mythology stories are out there.  
     In Half-Blood, Grandma Piperi, the oracle, shows Alex a purple flower called nightshade. Which is the flower featured on the cover of Half-Blood. Grandma Piperi mentions that nightshades are dangerous and continues to ramble on in riddles. I figured that each book cover would feature a different flower that was symbolic to the story. I was disappointed to discover that the flower on the cover of Pure was not mentioned in the book. The flower on the cover of Pure does not look like a nightshade from the color and angle it is shown, but maybe it is. I wonder if all the flowers are nightshades but are in different colors and angels to show Alex's progression in the story. Please comment below and share your theories on the mysterious flowers. I must say though, even if the flowers do not have a symbolic reasoning, the covers are still gorgeous.    
     I knew Caleb's death was coming because the oracle had predicted it in Half-Blood and I knew it would happen because he reminded me so much of Rose's best friend, Mason, in the Vampire Academy series. Mason was killed protecting Rose in the second Vampire Academy novel, Frostbite. I figured Caleb would die at the end of Pure, but when Alex's mom and other daimon kidnapped Alex and Caleb near the end of Half-Blood, I was curious if he would die at the end of Half-Blood instead. I was relieved when Caleb escaped death in Half-Blood but I knew that happiness would not last long. I loved Caleb so much, he was such a sweet and thoughtful character. I loved at the end of Half-Blood when he held a little memorial service to help Alex cope with her mom's death as well as to remember the other people killed during the book. Even though I predicted it, it was sad to see Caleb die. It was also depressing to see how much his death affected Alex and I felt horrible when Caleb's girlfriend, Olivia, blamed his death on Alex.
      Speaking of sweet character, I love Aiden. Without a doubt, Alex and he will end up together. Technically, there is a 'love triangle' in the series, but Seth has no chance against Aiden. My favorite scene in Pure was when Aiden took Alex to the Zoo. I vaguely remembered the fact that Alex loves Zoos and it was amazing that he remembered such a small detail. By taking her to the Zoo, he helped her forget all the bad things that were currently going on in the Covenant.  
     My friend that has also read the Covenant series is in love with Seth. So, I assumed that I would love him as well because we have the same taste when it comes to anything book related. But, I am not a huge fan of Seth. I don't hate him, but I don't love him either. I am hoping that as the story progresses, I will have a more defined feeling toward him.   
     I am excited to continue reading and to finish the Covenant series. I have an ARC of The Return which is the first novel in a spin-off series of the Covenant series so I want to get that read as soon as possible. Overall, Half-Blood and Pure were two quick reads that were extremely funny,and filled with action, romance, and amazing writing. I would highly recommend this series to anyone, especially those that love Greek Mythology. I also highly recommend picking up any of Jennifer L. Armentrout's other books. 
~Casey  

Daimon (Covenant #0.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Summary:

"Love in my world usually ended up with someone hearing 'I smite thee!' as she was cursed to be some lame flower for the rest of her life."For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals--pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.According to her mother, that's a good thing.But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return-the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death... because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.The daimons have found her. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: (E-book) 62

Release Date: April 19th, 2011

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Review:

   There is always a point in time when I read a book or a book series and I ask myself, "Where has this book/series been all my life?" When it comes to the Covenant series, the answer is, they have been on my Kindle for a long time. If you have read some of my reviews, more than likely you have picked up on the fact that I love Jennifer L. Armentrout. I have meet her three times and I can never say anything bad about her books. 

    The only Young Adult series I had not read by Jennifer is the Covenant series. There was no doubt in my mind that I would read the series, but I was hesitant to start the series after my friend told me it took a while for her to get into the series. My friend and I usually have the same opinion on books, but this time we did not. I absolutely love the Covenant series, and I am about to start the fourth book, Apollyon. My friend loves the series as well but it only took me the first sentence to get hooked on the series.

    The main reason I started the Covenant series right now was that back in May at Book Con (my review of Book Con: http://littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2014/06/book-con-2014.html), I was given an ARC of The Return, which is a spin off book from the Covenant series. The Return is to be released in February of 2015 so I wanted to read the book series before the release date. I am also excited to announce that I will be attending, ApollyCon in February, which is the release party for The Return and there are going to many of my favorite authors in attendance (for more information on ApollyCon: http://www.tdevents.net/p/apollycon.html). 

     Anyways, Daimon is a prequel novella to the the Covenant series. You do not need to read Daimon in order to understand the series, but it does give you more of an insight as to what happened prior to the first book, Half-Blood. 
     Daimon is funny, full of action, features some romance, and has a strong female lead. I would highly recommend starting the Covenant series or anything else written by the lovely Jennifer L. Armentrout.

*Spoiler Section*

    I read Daimon very late at night in one sitting. I was extremely tired when I read it and like most, when I am tired I don't comprehend things or act like I normally am. This is my favorite scene from Daimon and it is hysterical, but when I originally read this I laughed for at least five minutes. This took place on pages 14-15:

   

     " 'You overreacted! They weren't going to kick my ass or molest you! And there won't be a next time. I'm not down with violence.' Matt shook his head and turned away from me, plowing his feet through the mounds of sand, leaving me standing all alone.

    'What the hell?' I muttered and then louder, 'Whatever! Go save a dolphin or something!'

     He whirled around. 'It's a whale, Alex, a whale! That's what I'm interested in saving.'

     I threw up my arms. 'What's wrong with saving dolphins?' "

     I love that there was a pronunciation guide in the beginning of the book. None of you  have heard me read things before, but I usually butcher words I have never seen before. I usually look at words upside down as if that is going to tell me how to pronounce it. 
     I love all the book covers from the Covenant series, they are all so beautiful and I want to have posters of all of them and hang them on my wall, they are so gorgeous. Plus, they do not have a cover change in the series, unlike the Lux series.
     I do not have too much to say about Daimon since it was a short novella but I really enjoyed it and I am excited to continue and finish the Covenant series.
~Casey

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Summary:

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.
(Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 198

Release Date: October 22nd, 1999

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review:

     Even kids that love to read can hate to read books for English class. Most of the time we are forced to read ancient books that do not interest us whatsoever. But, there is the exception when we are allowed to choose the book. For my first assignment in English this year, I had to choose a coming-of-age novel to read. I chose to read, Speak, because my best friend, Kylee, has raved about the book for years and I really enjoyed reading one of Laurie Halse Anderson's other books, Catalyst (my review of Catalyst: http://littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/11/catalyst-by-laurie-halse-anderson.html) and Fever 1793.
     At the beginning of the book, I really connected with Melinda. Ironically, I started Speak on my first day of high school which is the same day Speak begins. Had I read this book any other time I would have still liked it, but I would not have related to it as much. I understood what Melinda was going through. Feeling like you do not belong and seeing all the cliques form but not having one of your own. It was nice to know that others have gone through the same problem and had overcome it.  
     Overall, Speak was a fantastic book and I highly recommend it to anyone. If you are soon or have just started high school I would suggest reading Speak.
     

*Spoiler Section*

     Speak reminded me of Easy by Tammara Webber, which is one of favorite books. Both books feature a female protaginist that was raped. People tend to ignore sexual assaults but they are a big deal. You experience first hand what Melinda goes through emotionally and physically as a result of Andy raping her. I would like to see a bigger spotlight on books that feature sexual assault victims.   
     I was so proud of Melinda when she fought back against Andy when he tries to rape her a second time. That was the moment the whole story changed. From that point on, the book was more upbeat and Melinda finally opened up to Mr. Freeman.
     My favorite quote from the book was on page 122 and said by Mr. Freeman, "When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time." That is exactly what was happening to Melinda as she stayed quiet about Andy raping her. She was breaking apart and losing her connection to her former self.
     When Heather stopped being friends with Melinda for the Marthas, I automatically thought of the song, Let Her Go by Passenger. The one line in Let Her Go that describes Heather and Melinda's relationship is, "Only know you love her when you let her go." Melinda thought she did not need a friend, but she really did. Melinda finds out when Heather has left that she really did depend on Heather being around.  

     After finishing Speak I really want to re-read Catalyst. Catalyst is not in the perspective of Melinda but it takes place in the same high school as Speak. We also get to see Melinda for a few more pages.
     The one question I still have about the book is, did David and Melinda start dating? We found out that Melinda had some feelings for him when she assumed he was the person who put a card on her locker on Valentine's Day. Also, he asked her to go to his house for celebratory pizza after the basketball team won a game, she did decline his offer because she was scared he would do what Andy did to her. If he asked her to come over then maybe he may also like her? I hope they did end up dating, they would be very cute together.

     I was shocked to find out that Speak had been adapted to a movie. When I found out, I jumped online and searched for it. I was turned off to the see the movie when I discovered that Kristen Stewart played Melinda. Kristen is a decent actress, but I can't see her as playing Melinda. Some of my friends that also read Speak with me want to have a movie night and watch it together. I am not against the idea of seeing it with them, but if it falls through I will not be disappointed.

     Overall, I loved Speak and I am curious as to why I did not pick it up sooner. Even though the book is only 198 pages, Laurie Halse Anderson makes a great use of every page. One thing I find so interesting about the book is that it is older than I am!

~Casey 

The Revenge of Seven (Lorien Legacies #5) by Pittacus Lore

Summary:

The worst was supposed to be over. We were reunited after a decade apart. We were discovering the truth of our past. We were training and getting stronger every day. We were even happy...

We never imagined the Mogodorians could turn one of our own against us. We were fools for trusting Five. And now Eight is lost forever. I would do anything to bring him back, but that's impossible. Instead, I will do whatever it takes to destroy every last one of them.

I've spent my entire life hiding from them, and they've stolen everything away from me. But that stops now. We're going to take the battle to them. We have a new ally who knows their weaknesses. And I finally have the power to fight back.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

Number Three in Kenya.

And Number Eight in Florida.

They killed them all.

I am Number Seven.

I will make them pay. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 371

Release Date: August 26th, 2014

My Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Review:

     The Revenge of Seven is the fifth book in the Lorien Legacies. The first book is I am Number Four (my spoiler review: http://littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/i-am-number-four-by-pittacus-lore.html) which was also adapted to a movie. I also have a spoiler review for the fourth book, The Fall of Five: http://littleredsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-fall-of-five-lorien-legacies-4-by_4670.html. This is one of my favorite series and for the past two years I have been so excited for the first day of school because the next book in the Lorien Legacies was released the day before school started.
     I loved The Revenge of Seven and I am so excited for the next book. I read on Goodreads that the next book will also be the finale book in the series so the release day will be bitter sweet. I like that this series will be six books instead of the normal three or four books, but I wish there would be more than one left. Of course I do not want to say goodbye to the series, but I also think that everything will be squeezed into the last book. I do not know how Pittacus Lore is going to fit everything in but I still have some faith in him.
     I would recommend the Lorien Legacies to anyone. Most books tend to lean toward a certain gender, but the Lorien Legacies is for both girls and guys. If I had to say it leaned towards a gender it would definitely be for guys. The Lorien Legacies is perfect if you are into aliens, science fiction, action, and a little romance (it slightly increase as the series progresses). The book-to-movie adaptation for I Am Number Four is really good and I would recommend watching that as well. I loved the casting, special effects, and the movie was a close adaptation to the book. I really wish they would have made The Power of Six and the rest of the books into movies as well.

*Spoiler Section*

     After finishing The Fall of Five, I was emotionally scared. I loved Eight and, under no circumstance, did I accept that he died. Even with the scar on the other Garde members, I should have accepted that he was dead. I didn't. There was no way I was letting him go. He was an amazing character and Marina and Eight were my OTP (One True Pair) of the series. But, sometimes you have to let them go. I still love Eight but, at the end of The Revenge of Seven, I was at peace with him being dead, like Marina is. We saw that he was now in peace and we were able to say goodbye.
    I was shocked when Sam suddenly could use telekinesis. I flipped the page in excitement to see what happened next, and there was nothing. That is a really good example of a cliffhanger. Anyways, I believe Sam got those powers from Lorien or whatever happened when Eight's body disintegrated. Marina had said on pages 365-366, "It's spreading, Six. Through the Earth. It's spreading that she the power spreading everywhere." then she also said in response to Adam at the end of page 366 "It means. That we aren't alone anymore." My theory is that these 'powers' from Lorien are spreading all over the Earth and humans are forming Legacies so the Garde are not fighting the Mogs alone, they have humans to help them.  
     I have no idea how we are going to deal with Ella being stuck with Setrákus Ra by the charm and just in general. In my The Fall of Five review I predicted that he was her father, I was really close, he is her Grandfather. I was really wrong when I predicted that Pittacus Ra was really Setrákus Ra (I don't understand why I thought that). But, in a tiny way I was right because Setrákus Ra was a former Elder of Lorien until Pittacus Lore and the other Elders kicked him out. Then Setrákus Ra became ruler of Moradore. 
     I was so happy when Sam and Six finally kissed. I have been waiting four books for this to happen, and I am almost positive I squealed when it happened. Since Eight died, Sam and Six are my new OTP. I love them together and Six has finally admitted that she has feelings for him. She does not want a relationship with Sam until the war and everything else is over and I really respect her for that. She wants to fix everything and restart their lives before anything major happens between them, unlike most relationships in books. I really love Six because she does smart things that other characters don't think about.
     Now, this pair is not even a couple or anything like that. But, I like the idea of Marina and Adam being together. Maybe not even as a couple but as close friends. In no way is Marina the type of girl to automatically get over Eight and jump into another relationship, but I want them to be friends. Out of all the characters, Marina and Adam are the most alone. They need someone to look out and to support them. 
     Since the beginning of the series, I have been fine with John and Sarah's relationship but I never felt overly excited about it. They are the one relationship that I know will always be there.
     It is so interesting that the Mogs first contacted Earth ten years ago and that the Mogs wanted to search for 'fugitives' and wanted to use the U.S. law-enforcement and freely move about the country in exchange for weapons and technology. It was also interesting about genetic augmentation. Instead of the Mogs saving them, they are turning people into something inhuman. The Mog are such a repulsive and horrible species.  
     With the title of The Revenge of Seven I assumed Marina would be seeking revenge. That is what the title tells you. But, after reading it I don't feel like the title fit the book. Don't get me wrong Marina was mad and depressed about Eight's death and badly wanted to get Eight's body away from the Mogs. I figured she would be attacking Mogs and fueled on revenge but to me that didn't happen. I don't feel that she was seeking that much revenge. Do you think the title fit the book?
     Overall, I loved The Revenge of Seven. It was filled with action, suspense, kick butt characters, some romance, and I am so excited for the final book in the Lorien Legacies! In the next book I hope the Garde and humans defeat the Mogs for good and that no main characters die!
~Casey

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) & Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) by Jamie McGuire

Summary:

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

(Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 416

Release Date: May 26th, 2011

My Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

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Summary:

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster. 

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it’s time to see the story through Travis’s eyes. (Via Goodreads.com)

Pages: 433

Release Date: April 2nd, 2013

My Rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Reviews:

     Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster are two New Adult companion novels. Beautiful Disaster is in Abby's perspective and Walking Disaster is the same story but told in Travis' perspective (you do get an epilogue in Walking Disaster though). You can read the books in either order but I recommend going in order and starting with Beautiful Disaster. 

     One of my friends had praised these books so I had high expectations that were almost met. Out of the two, I loved Walking Disaster more. Walking Disaster was perfect, I loved Travis and his story. He is such an amazing character and I never knew how much he struggled with life until Walking Disaster. Abby wasn't my favorite character but she still was a good character/narrator. I liked that she had a darker past than Travis did, since he is the 'bad boy'. At times, I did get a little annoyed with Abby, but it could have been much worse. 

     Overall, I would recommend these two books for someone who is looking for a rough around the edges contemporary romance. I am excited to hopefully read Beautiful Oblivion soon. Beautiful Oblivion is the story of Cami and Trent (one of Travis' older brothers). I am also excited that I will be meeting Jamie McGuire at ApollyCon next year! For more information on ApollyCon: http://www.tdevents.net/p/apollycon.html.

*Spoiler Section*

     Abby's roommate, Kara, was right when she called Abby and Travis' relationship a disaster. I loved them together but they could have made their relationship a lot less complicated. They tended to have a lack of communication with one another. They could have skipped a long, torturous break up had Abby told Travis that she wanted him back at Thanksgiving. It took me a while to finish Waking Disaster because I refused to pick it up. I did not want to see Travis suffer through their separation. 

     One reason I disliked Abby at times, was because she could be selfish. We all have times when we are self-centered, but I felt Abby had more than usual. I understand she spaced herself from Travis to protect herself because Travis shared many similarities with her father. But, Travis proved so many times that he was a genuinely nice guy. I thought it was interesting in Walking Disaster that Travis pointed out that when he held a door open for Abby she never noticed. Although, when Parker held a door open for her, she noticed. That had never occurred to me, but I thought back to Beautiful Disaster and it was true.

    Abby's horrible past really made the story unique. In most books, the main male character has a dark and mysterious past, rarely does the female. Travis did have struggles growing up, especially with his mother's death when he was three. But, Abby had the worst past out of the two. It was interesting to see the gambling, the mafia (Mob), Vegas, etc. all tied into Beautiful Disaster. 

     I loved that at the end of Walking Disaster we got an epilogue. In a million years I never would have thought that Thomas was a part of the FBI. One we discovered that, I am glad that Travis got to work along side his brother. It was interesting that they ended up killing Benny and are now after Abby's dad, Mick. Not only that but I am glad Abby figured out Travis was a part of the FBI and is supplying him with information to take Mick down. It is so cute that Abby is a math teacher at their children's school. It is amazing how much Jessica is like Travis and how much James is like Abby. I wonder what they are going to name their third baby? I am assuming it will start with a J. 

     Overall I really enjoyed these books and I am excited to read Beautiful Oblivion (Cami and Trent's story) and Beautiful Wedding (a novella that is about Abby and Travis' wedding in Las Vegas). Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster were two quick, romantic reads that left me in a puddle of emotions.  

~Casey 

Movie Review: If I Stay

Summary:

Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether to wake up and live a life far different than she had imagined. (Via IMDb.com)

Release Date: August 22nd, 2014 

Running Time: 1 hour and 46 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Review:

     Last August, I read If I Stay. I remember getting my copy at an antique shop in Oklahoma, of all places. I finished If I Stay in one sitting on the drive home to Pennsylvania. I remember having my sunglasses on in the car so you could not tell I was crying. 

     If I Stay is an amazing book and the book-to-movie adaptation was amazing. It made me laugh and cry. So far, If I Stay is my favorite book-to-movie adaptation of this year. If you have read the book or have yet to I highly recommend going to see it (with a tissue box in hand). But, of course read the book first if you plan to ever read the book, you would not want the movie to spoil you.
    Usually in book-to-movie adaptations, they tend to cast people that are not like the characters in the book. But, they did an amazing casting job in If I Stay. At first I was not sure about Chloë Grace Moretz as Mia but she turned out to be the perfect fit for Mia. All the other cast members were amazing and they really brought the emotion.  

*Spoiler Section*

    

     I cried a lot during the movie, but not as much as I did watching The Fault In Our Stars (click to see my review) . It was nice that there were flashbacks between the present and the past.  It made it less painful to watch since we would get distracted and forget about the bad things going on. Unlike The Fault In Our Stars, where it was dumped on you the entire time.
     I knew that the worst two scenes that I would bawl over (like the book) were when Teddy died and when Mia's Grandfather told her it was okay if she didn't want to stay. During the movie, we actually did not see as much of Teddy as we did in the book. Since I was so attached to Teddy in the book as well as in the movie it sounded like I was hyperventilating when he died in the movie. I was crying hysterically. It was also so emotional when Mia's Grandfather told her it was okay to leave because it showed how much he loved her. He loved her enough to not want her to suffer if she was forced to wake up. It was so sad, yet sweet.
     I loved that the movie was a really close adaptation to the book. One thing I was disappointed about was that they left out how Kim and Mia became friends. That was not necessary to include but it would have been nice to change off of the subject of Adam and show who else Mia would leave behind if she died. 
     I was also glad the movie included a lot of lines directly from the book. My favorite quote that made it into the movie is on page 175 when Mia's dad says, "Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you." I wish that on page 175, "I realize now that dying is easy. Living is hard." had made it into the movie.
     If I Stay seems to be making a lot of money, so I am crossing my fingers that they will make enough for the sequel, Where She Went (click to see my review) into a movie as well.
     Overall, If I Stay was an amazing adaptation of the book and gave me All. The. Feels.
~Casey