Book to Movie Adaptations: Fall and Winter 2014 Releases

I'm the guy in the back.

This is a list of the upcoming Novel to Film adaptations that are being released in Fall/Winter 2014.

Release Date: September 19, 2014

This is Where I Leave You 

Adapted from: This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper 

From IMDB: When their father passes away, four grown siblings are forced to return to their childhood home and live under the same roof together for a week, along with their over-sharing mother and an assortment of spouses, exes and might-have-beens.

My Random Thoughts: I kind of like these stories. Where previously estranged family members are forced back together where they have to face their pasts and (hopefully) make amends. I kind of like to think that there's always a second (or third or fourth) chance for people, especially families.

Trailer:

 

Release Date: September 19, 2014
The Maze Runner
Adapted from: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

From IMDB: Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.
(Man this blurb doesn't even seem to do this awesome story justice in my mind, but if I were to write my own blurb it would just go "Awesome awesome awesome. Epic epic epic. Shucking awesomely epic.")

My Random Thoughts: SO EXCITED FOR THIS MOVIE. Let's all go see this opening night and then meet back on the internet to squeal about it.

Seriously though, the casting is epic (Teen Wolf's Dylan O'Brien, Game of Throne's Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee aka Minho aka my maze runner crush)

You guys, this WILL be a good movie, this story was destined for the big screen, we must all go and pay homage to the wonderful story gods for this awesomeness in our lives.

(Go HERE for my review of Maze Runner the novel).

Trailers:

Release Date: September 26, 2014

The Boxtrolls

Adapted from: Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow

From IMDB: A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow.

My Random Thoughts: I did not read this book. So when I saw the original teaser trailer I thought "what is this movie about?!" However, now, older and wiser by a few months I think this could be really adorable. And I have a soft spot in my heart for stop-action claymation films (Where are my Wallace and Gromit fans at?)

Trailer:

Release Date: October 3, 2014

Gone Girl 

Adapted from: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

From IMDB: With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.

My Random Thoughts: I have to admit, I didn't read the book and I have to be in a very particular mood to watch a thriller. That being said I know so many people who are very excited to for this movie. So I will probably go see it with them. Also, the book seems like it would adapt well to the screen (although I thought this about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and that film didn't do as well as everyone thought it would).

Trailer:

Release Date: October 10, 2014

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day 

Adapted from: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst 

From IMDB: Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, and things just get worse as his day progresses.

(haha, love it they do not pretend it is anything more than what it is)

My Random Thoughts: Sometimes I see these movie trailers and think, wow they really took...liberties with that book. But then again, this was a 30 page picture book. I have to admit, I liked what they did with Where the Wild Things Are (but that might have been because of the soundtrack). So I am not in immediate hate-mode for this movie. The being said, I didn't love this book like I loved Where the Wild Things Are. 

Trailer:

Release Date: October 22, 2014 (UK Release)

Love, Rosie

Adapted From: Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

From IMDB: Rosie and Alex have been best friends since they were 5, so they couldn't possibly be right for one another...or could they? When it comes to love, life and making the right choices, these two are their own worst enemies.

My Random Thoughts: The book was written as a series of correspondence (through letters, IMs, e-mails, and texts). So I wonder how that will adapt for the big screen. However, Ahern's P.S. I Love You was already adapted so maybe they have this correspondence-type film down.

Trailer:

 Release Date: November 21, 2014

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 

Part 1

Adapted from: Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

In the Hollywood tradition of taking a series and stretching it to as many films as possible so they can wring the marrow from our very souls, comes The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

From IMDB: Katniss Everdeen reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.

My Random Thoughts: This book is 110% different than the first two. So for people who haven't read the trilogy prepare yourself to enter a completely different film than you expect.

Trailer:



NEWLY RELEASED TRAILER (9/15/2014):

Release Date: December 17, 2014
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Adapted from: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

In the new tradition of taking a not-so-long book and stretching it into three films to suck even more of the marrow from our souls, comes The Hobbit: Did there really need to be three?The Battle of the Five Armies.

From IMDB: The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug's lair; but can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it?

My Random Thoughts: I didn't see the first two, but I do like dragons and Middle Earth and epic soundtracks. So I will probably see these movies...eventually.

Trailer:

Kat Un-Confuse-ifies Things: Beautiful Creatures -- Good or Evil Lena

This is a feature where I take things that confuse people and try to interpret/explain them.

On the interpret side, it'll be mostly my theory (but based on facts, and only a little bit my gut feeling) and then on the explain side, I will use my ability to remember teensy details to help decipher confusing plots and characters.

Just a note, there are spoilers in this post. So if you don't want to know an ending or plot twist, TREAD CAREFULLY.

[SPOILERS]

Go here for my review of Beautiful Creatures the book.

A lot of people did not seem to understand if Lena was good or bad at the end of Beautiful Creatures. Personally, I completely understand this. Both the book and the movie were slightly ambiguous about this fact at the end.

HOWEVER, they both had an explanation for why she was NEITHER!

Here's the down-low on how these casters get chosen for good or evil. It occurs on their sixteenth birthday and the moon chooses their fate for them.

Well, this never happens for Lena. She is so freaking powerful that she covers the moon and it cannot choose her path. This means that her path is still to be chosen (whether for good or for evil). Since no other Duchanne's caster has had this choice in over a hundred years it's pretty new territory for Lena and she'll obviously have to figure out what this means for her in the rest of the series.

So, there you have it, Lena is neither completely good nor completely bad (huh, sounds kind of like normal humans/teens, what a strange allegory!)

Feature Follow Friday: Are you a Writer?

Every Friday Parajunkee and Alison Can Read hosts Feature Follow Friday. It's a great way to get to know the blogging community and they ask fun questions!

This week's Question is:

Are you also a writer and what genre or did you ever consider writing? - Suggested by The Pegster Reads

Yes, I write YA and MG Science Fiction. 

I think I'm going to work on a YA Contemporary soon, however, I am kind of in love with my Sci-Fi right now.

I partake in some of the fun online writer things like flash fiction. Go HERE to read my Flash Fiction for Chuck Wendig's Awesome Blog,

Here's a quick blurb about the book I just finished writing.

Dune meets Princess Mononoke in my Young Adult Space Opera novel. One hundred years after Earth has been destroyed, what remains of the human race has been taken in by the Astrum Federation, which runs purely on logic. In a universe void of emotion, seventeen-year-old Eli Park is an empath, a crime that is punishable by death. But when a biological weapon infects him with a fatal illness that could expose his secret he decides to break an enemy warrior out of prison in the hopes of finding a cure on her home, Pax--the very planet that destroyed Earth.

Throwback Thursday Review: Animorphs by K.A. Applegate

Animorphs

By: K.A. Applegate

Genre: Chapter Book Sci-Fi

First Published: 1997

Publisher: Hippo Books
Books in the Series: 54 (plus special volumes)
POV: First Person - Each book is a different Narrator

Kat's Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Description:

Animorphs is an exciting series for young adult readers about five teens who are given the power to "morph" into any animal they touch and then to absorb its DNA. This power is granted them by a dying Andalite alien named Elfangor, who also warns the teens that Earth is being threatened secretly by a group of aliens called Yeerks.

First book description:

The Animorphs #1: The Invasion
Sometimes weird things happen to people. Ask Jake. He may tell you about the night he and his friends saw the strange light in the sky. He may even tell you about what happened when they realized the "light" was only a plan -- from another planet. Here's where Jake's story gets a little weird. It's where they're told that the human race is under attack -- and given the chance to fight back.
Now Jake, Rachel, Cassie, Tobias, and Marco have the power to morph into any animal they choose. And they must use that power to outsmart an evil that is greater than anything the world has ever seen..

Main Character: There are five (eventually six) main characters. Each book is told from a different animorph's POV:

Jake: Has the perfect nuclear family. Parents who love him, a cool older brother, and a snarky best friend to play video games with. He's pretty popular at school and gets along with most people. He has a natural leadership ability that makes him the defacto leader when he and his friends gain their morphing powers. His battle morph of choice is the tiger.

Rachel: She's a hothead gymnast. Although she looks like a blonde cheerleader type, she's not one to be messed with (she's pretty kick butt). However she can be pretty reckless sometimes and her cousin, Jake, has to pull her back from doing some stupid stuff. Her battle morph of choice is the elephant and bear.

Cassie: She's very kind, maybe because she's the daughter of two veterinarians. She loves animals (convenient that now she came become them!). She and Jake have had a flirtation for a while. When she becomes an Animorph she is often the voice of reason. Her battle morph of choice is the wolf.

Tobias: He's a loner. He didn't really have any friends in the beginning because he's often passed from one relative to another. His mom went a little crazy and now he alternates time between an uncle and an aunt. He and Rachel eventually form a romantic relationship, but things get pretty rough for Tobias when he first becomes an Animorph because there's a price to pay for morphing and he learns it the hard way. His battle morph of choice is the red-tailed hawk.

Marco: He is the funny one. Always with a snarky word to put into a conversation. He loves playing video games with his best friend Jake and sometimes he doesn't take the Animorph missions that seriously (but I think it's because he's really justifiably terrified and covers it with humor). His battle morph of choice is the gorilla.

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill (Ax) - An Andalite alien who crash-landed on Earth. He is found by the other Animorphs and joins their motley crew. His older brother is Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul, who gave the Animorphs their powers. He forms a strong friendship with Tobias (it was a bromance before I knew I loved bromances!). He has hilarious moments where he doesn't understand Earth things, but he's really useful since he can build advanced machines. He can morph into a human form that he created by absorbing small pieces of the other five animorphs' DNA and mixing them.

Love Connection: Jake + Cassie. This is a sweeter love (think Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter). Jake is the defacto leader, and Cassie is the super smart and sweet girl who gives him strength. They're pretty adorbs together.

Tobias + Rachel. This is the angsty love (think Tris and Four). Rachel is a beautiful hothead and Tobias is the angsty loner foster child who has to deal with a lot (especially after what happens to him at the end of the first book).

Allies and Enemies: The Animorphs have little to no allies since no one knows they are fighting this battle.

The big enemy are the Yeerks a slimy slug-like species that take over people's minds by crawling into their ears (ick!). They've done it to multiple other species and they're trying to do it to humans. They are led by Viser Three the only Yeerk who was able to take control of an Andalite body. Therefore, he is the only Yeerk who can morph.

Also, Jake's older brother Tom has been taken over by a Yeerk (which Jake finds out very quickly in book 1). It's what makes Jake truly committed to the cause, because humans are still alive inside their heads when they're taken over, so Jake vows to save his brother.

Setting: Present day United States. The actual state is never told to us because it's first person POV and they have to keep that stuff a secret! They are fighting a secret alien war guys.

Quote: 

So, there we were. The five of us - Marco, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, and me. Five normal mallrats heading home.
Sometimes I think about that one, last moment when we were still just normal kids. It's like it was a million years ago, like it was some totally different group of kids. You know what I was afraid of right then? I was afraid of admitting to Tom that I hadn't made the team. That was as scary as life got back then.
Five minutes later, life got a lot scarier.

- Animorphs #1: The Invasion 

Review: Welcome to a defining series in my childhood. Pull up a chair, get cozy while I tell you all about why I'm such a weirdo. First of all, I went through a period of time where I thought any series about kids fighting a war was super fascinating (like when I was obsessed with MS Gundam Wing). Second of all, I would hide these books under my bathroom sink before bed. Then about ten minutes after bed time I'd get up to "pee" and then just lock myself in the bathroom for an hour reading. It worked really well for almost a month until my mom figured it out.

This series might start out as a chapter book adventure story, but it quickly turns into a lesson on the ramifications of war! These kids go through the ringer and K.A. Applegate knew what was what in the what-what. She made them very believably react and adapt to these situations. She made them change as characters because, ya' know, they were fighting a war!

My favorite character was always Tobias. Poor poor Tobias, he started in the negative and just kept losing ground. No matter how he tried to pull himself up, he kept getting knocked back down. It was great that he had his friends and Rachel. But Sh*t got real for my favorite Animorph time and time again (see The Invasion, The Pretender, and The Change).

Also, there are some epic "Special volumes" that were released like The Hork Bajir Chronicles, The Viser Chronicles, and the Megamorphs books. Without giving too much away, I'll just say one of the books features dinosaurs (DINOSAURS! I am dying just remembering the awesomeness of that book!)

Recommendations: Everworld by K.A. Applegate

Waiting on Wednesday: In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Breaking the Spine features a weekly event where we talk about the books we can't wait to read.

This week I'm waiting on:

In the Afterlight (Darkest Minds #3) 

By: Alexandra Bracken

Release Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Ruby can't look back. Fractured by an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government's attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. With them is a prisoner: Clancy Gray, son of the president, and one of the few people Ruby has encountered with abilities like hers. Only Ruby has any power over him, and just one slip could lead to Clancy wreaking havoc on their minds. 
They are armed only with a volatile secret: proof of a government conspiracy to cover up the real cause of IANN, the disease that has killed most of America's children and left Ruby and others like her with powers the government will kill to keep contained. But internal strife may destroy their only chance to free the "rehabilitation camps" housing thousands of other Psi kids.
Meanwhile, reunited with Liam, the boy she would-and did-sacrifice everything for to keep alive, Ruby must face the painful repercussions of having tampered with his memories of her. She turns to Cole, his older brother, to provide the intense training she knows she will need to take down Gray and the government. But Cole has demons of his own, and one fatal mistake may be the spark that sets the world on fire.

My sister has a rule that she doesn't start addictive series until all of the books are out. I can completely understand because I am obsessed with The Darkest Minds series and I have been waiting for In the Afterlight to come out. I love Alexandra Bracken as an author and just as a human being (she's so cool and fun to listen to at book signings). Also I was so excited to learn the title of the book because all three make up a sentence: The Darkest Minds Never Fade In the Afterlight,

Top Ten Tuesday(2): Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table

The Broke and the Bookish host a weekly meme of Top Ten Lists.

This week's question is:

Top Ten Book Characters That Would Be Sitting At My Lunch Table

1. Zuzanna (Night of Cake and Puppets)

She is spunky, smart and sarcastic. I think she and I could be really good friends as long as I don't ever cross her existing bestie, Karou.

2. Ron Weasley (Harry Potter)

I always gravitate towards the funny characters. So while I love Harry's heart and respect Hermione's brains I know I'd get along with Ron's humor.

3. Minho (The Maze Runner)

He has a very dry sense of humor and doesn't take anyone's BS. He's also strong, athletic and hot (at least in my mind).

4. Hazael (Daughter of Smoke and Bone) 

Hazael is the most easily liked of the three siblings in Daughter of Smoke and Bone. He's hilarious, loyal, and super cute. Yes, I would definitely have him sit at my lunch table.

5.  Iko (Cinder)

Ito is a robot, but she's also awesome. She has spunk and humor and is fiercely loyal to Cinder. I think a good friend is loyal and can tell you when you're being a downer. So Ito is a pretty good bestie.

6. Layne (Spark)

A braniac who seems like just a timid nerd on the surface, but she's smart and strong and she can take care of herself. I like that in a heroine.

7. R (Warm Bodies)

I don't care that he's a zombie, he's pretty funny and he overcame his zombiness, so you have to give him props for that.

8. Sodapop (The Outsiders)

Sodapop is the middle of the Curtis brothers, he's cute and funny and knows how to have a laugh. Like I've said before, laughing is important at my lunch table. So I invite all people with a good sense of humor! (especially if they're cute)

9. Magnus Bane (Mortal Instruments) 

He is a warlock, so he's automatically super cool. But I love that he is so out there with his personality and style and he just doesn't care what anyone thinks. He adds a lot of humor to the Mortal Instruments. Also he's hot (see Godfrey Gao).

10. Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle)

Sophie starts out thinking she's not worth much. But as a reader I knew she could do much more and I like how she came to be able to assert herself. She holds her own with a very powerful wizard, so she gets major props for that.

Monday Musings: Audio Book vs Paper Books

So in this world of technology there are so many ways to read your books. There are Kindles, Nooks (Now partnered with Samsung Galaxy),  and Audio books.

Audio books are what interest me. 

My sister drives a lot, so she listens to audio books all the time. It's the number one way she absorbs her stories now. When I wrote my book I wanted her to read it and she asked me to record an audio version of it so she could listen to it in her car.

For my personal preference I've tried to listen to some audio books and I found that I can only listen to non-fiction. I don't know if it is because I also write so I like to digest my fiction through good old-fashioned reading. I think it's because I have my own image of the setting, character, and tone of the dialogue in my head. I don't really like someone else's reading to interrupt that. But that's just me (and I am admittedly a weirdo).

However, I do know something that most people agree on:

- The narrator matters. If there is a bad narrator reading the books or one who's voice doesn't go with the story (i.e. an elderly Scandinavian lady reading a middle grade comedy Sci-Fi) then it can "ruin" the book.

Do you listen to Audio books? And does narrator, genre, or anything else matter?