Film and TV show adaptions

When I first started writing this post I have to be honest with you, it was just a ramble of complete annoyance.

As some of you who follow this blog may be aware I have been reading Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series, when I started I was only ruffly aware that they were the books True Blood was based on.
Well I loved the books and couldn't read anything else until I finished the series, then I could not wait to watch the TV show that everyone had raved about. Everyone seemed to love it, even people who read the books, which I think is sometimes a rarity.
It's safe to say that I had high hopes. So can you imagine my outrage when I realised that the TV show I was so excited about wasn't really what I expected!
I had the house to myself, and i sat down to watch it, giving my full attention, laptop away, ipad/phone ignored, just me and Bon Temps, and my commentary went something like this:
"What?!?! NO THAT'S NOT RIGHT?! WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!"
Now don't get me wrong, I expected some changes but it almost felt like someone had skimmed the books, and taken out the main events, it didn't matter if the characters where right, or if the events leaving up it were correct as long as they where there that's what counted.

I feel like there is a danger of turning this into a massive rant against True Blood, and I can promise you its not, as episodes pasted, I fell in love with the show in its own right, and once I regarded it as something in its own right I learnt to love it. Enjoy each characters development and just enjoy the show (I can't wait to see series 6)

However this did bring to my attention something that I find conflicted with.

I don't really enjoy Films and TV shows made out of books I enjoy, however am like a gold fish and every time I see they are getting made, I get really excited, bug everyone I know into going to the cinema with me or to come over and watch a show, to just leave disappointed.

I understand that with films where is a time constraint, you have 2 hours to tell a story that could last weeks, with TV shows I find it harder, because I think that you have to a certain about unlimited time to again tell the story.
However what frustrates me is the complete reworking of things, if something doesn't or wont translate to the screen that well then fine, remove it, and work it in somewhere else. But DON'T just remove stuff and then add random extra because if this is done it changes the main body of the film/show and it stops being part of an actuate representation of the book.

This is true in so many films, everyone has who has accidentally been stuck listening to my rant about this has agreed! I always get the response "Yeah I had that in *insert your film/show*"
The problem doesn't even just belong with book lovers, i find it with everyone who had read ANY book that has had a film/show.

My main problem with it is this, the fans of the book are the reason the film/show is being made in the first place, and what do they want to see? The story in the book! Not some story that someone else thinks is an improvement on the original.

Now am pretty sure i know where i am in this argument but i have two main problems:

First, I still want to see the Films/Shows because eventually I will get over it and enjoy them. And if am not reading I love watching films, I find now it almost replaces music if someone if over, I have a friend and when we get together we sit and chat and then just watch all the crappy telly that we shouldn't enjoy but do. If books I enjoy stopped being made into films we would loose some of you viewing!

Second and really more important is that even though it drives me crazy, it makes some people read. For example years ago I watched the film Chocolate and fell in love with it, this then drove me to read the book, at the time i has having a book funk and just couldn't get into reading, that one film, drove me back into the world of reading that i missed.
I think for some people it can broaden there reading, after all you are more likely to give up 2 hours of your time to watch a film, which you may not like, than depending on your reading speed, maybe a week, or longer on a book my may not like.

For this reason along I cant stop watching the films, in general I will try and read the books before the film as a personal preference, however if i watch a film, enjoy it and then learn there is a book you can almost guarantee I will read the book, because no matter what is it always better because its more fleshed out, you can understand the characters more clearly, some things in the film which just happen are put into better context!

Writing this post has been hard because in the moment it was so bitterly disappointing I wanted to tell you all that the films/shows are dull and week in comparison, and that I wouldn't watch any again. However that's just not true, Vampire Academy is being made into a film, and I know I will see it, along with countless others, there are books I still wish would be made into them. Also while writing this piece am on my second viewing of The Hunger Games which makes me want to read the books, which I would not have done if I had not stumbled across the film.

And above all else I love that they can make myself and others read books, and this is something I hope continues.

Do you always see films based on books? Have any films inspired you to read? Any books to films that you like?

Buy books and Save the world!

Hello fellow book people!

First off I have to admit this is a really really cheeky post, so for taking advantage of you am very sorry in advance.
Now that's out the way lets get on with this....

While at work (I know sometimes I have to stop reading) I came across the Give as you Live campaign.
You sign up and download it, from then the charity you choose will receive a percentage of what you spend online as a donation.........the best part of it is it doesn't cost you anything.
For example Waterstones have pledged to donate 3% and The Works 6% of what people spend to their chosen charity though this scheme.

Am working on launching this for League of Friends in Sheffield, all there donations go to providing equipment and services for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals (That's all 5 hospitals across the city)
So the cheeky part would be can you please spare 5 mins on this link and help me raise some money for us.

http://www.giveasyoulive.com/join/leagueoffriendssheffield 

Also you can change the charity at any time, so you can raise money for a specific charity or just a cause, so you can help your local area too.

This way we can all buy books (And loads of other things) And save the world! Also helps ease my book buying guilt :P

Thanks for taking the time to read this post!
xx

PS Sorry this is a bit of a plug for the charity that I work for! However you can use it to support anyone!

Weird Book Habits and General Update

I think I've written this post twice already and seem to be having a bad writing week, so here it goes this is being posted no matter what.......

This week has been a bit of a whirl wind. I have good news regarding my job, but am sworn to secrecy at the moment. Am hoping next week I can tell you all, though its safe to say after a mad year things are finally looking up.

I hate to be super cheesy but I feel I can tell you guys, I really am having one of those, so this is my life moments, and am happy about it. When I left uni its was the first time really I had no plan. Don't get me wrong things didn't always turn out how I thought they would, for starters am not some wacky scientist, who is a also a rock star with a part time job at Woolworths! (yes you read that right, don't ask me why but when I was 8 it was what I wanted to be "When I grew up")

However when one thing ended I ALWAYS knew where I wanted to go next, and this time I couldn't. And honestly it was terrifying,

So continuing this theme of properly sharing too much, I realise the more I talk about books to people and while trying to work out what to write for the blog, I have some really odd Book habits.

Therefore here at my Top Ten Weird Book Confessions in no particular order............

1.My book shelves are organised; my favorite books are the top, least favorite at the bottom. A book series has to be all on the same shelve, it can't be divided over a couple of shelves. 

Authors work has to be in chronological order from when published and on one shelve.

2. I LOVE new books, because I can break the spine myself. which means when I read it at again I can see where I stopped before.

3. All my books I dog ear the pages.

4. Unless its a second had book, then I avoid it like the plague.........why?

5......because its known another life and its not fair........

6......yeah in case you didn't get it from number 5 I seem to personify books sometimes.

7. I try to keep my TBR pile to a maximum of 10,but a minimum of 2 

8. I always have to finish a book I start, even if am not enjoying it, though I have been know to cheat and start reading another book, and keep the other one out beside it, so I can say am just reading a different genera.

9. I feel guilty if I start a series of books and don't finish all the books

10. My mood tends to reflect where I am in a book, if something bad happens to a character it tends to upset me for the day until I get to a happy bit, therefore I always try to finish reading on happy bits, so people don't have to put up with me.

Am sure there are plenty more, and as I think of them I will try to update/add them.

How about you? Do you have any book confessions?

Tethers

There is sooo much I want to say in this post I feel I should apologizes now if I waffle a bit.

"In the wake of a cold Victorian winter, Karl Scheffer and Esther Emerson discover an anonymous journal filled with strange passages and bizarre scribblings. The journal soon draws them into a covert and sinister conspiracy, a conspiracy centred around an otherworldly artefact with the power to change everything"

When I first read about this book its concept grabbed me and straight away it was one of those books I just wanted to read. 

Having received my copy I was planning on reading it straight after I finished my current book however then the book funk hit. I didn't open it for a good few weeks, partly because I wanted to give it a just and fair chance, and knew at that time anything I picked up wouldn't have fit the odd mood I was in.

However one rainy afternoon (seriously its meant to be summer) having not read for WEEKS (which is really unusual for me) I found myself staring at it on the kindle app.

At first I thought, well I will just give it a page and see........well at 10 pm that night I was still reading.

I can honestly say I LOVED this book, and owe Croxall a massive Thank you for breaking my reading funk. 

I think this is going to always be one of those books I remember, as ones that were so good I forgot about everything else.

People who follow my twitter will properly have seen that I missed sleep some nights as I was reading too much.... YAY!!!!!

What really stood out for me was the voices the characters are given, I really felt like I was watching Karl, with a K, and Esther come to life, and show me their story. And having moved to the area (sort of) recently I really felt that the dialect, and colloquialisms are perfect. One thing that did stand out was that rather than just mention there accents Croxall using colloquium in there speech  which feels more organic to me.

The story moved on smoothly and the pace never left me bored, only guessing what would happen next.

This is defiantly a book I would recommend to anyone, but especially school kids, I think this is one of the books that would get them reading, and make them realize that reading is fun. Though at 22 I was still captivated.

Another thing I also noticed was that my usual Kindle-disease didn't get to me. Being a bit of a freak I cant stand the kindle, I think it has a place in the world however that place isn't with me. I like BOOKS, I want to be able to hold the pages, see how far I am in the book, not see that am 62% of the way though! Ops sorry that's a rant for another day........ The point is normally I just cant get though a book on the Kindle, or I do but I have no real connection to it there a few exceptions to this and I am pleased to say Tethers is one of them.

I was nervous about starting it just because I didn't want my prejudices of the format to get in the way of the story, I think it speaks volumes for the writing that it didn't

Now the only thing left to do is get myself a Paperback copy, so I can re-read it, and have it sit happy on my bookshelf. While I eagerly await the next installment. 

I give this book a 4.5 out of 5

HELLO

Hello Blogosphere

Am sorry for my really long absents! I don't really know what happened it was almost like I suddenly got snowed under.

My folks went away, and after so many months of not being on my own I suddenly went into hibernation and let NETFLIX take over my life. Then I started my new job (which is far better than I thought it would be) and I really just lost touch.

I also got in a reading funk, I just couldn't begin to pick up my book, my head was just to full. Looking back I think I just got a bit nervous, I knew after months of searching/jumping though hoops  I was finally starting work, and my brain just kinda couldn't cope with the idea, don't get me wrong I love working and HATED my unemployment with a passion, and lived in fear that I wouldn't be able to get employment, however I don't no the area and had my routine and it was sort of comfortable, and am crap with change. 

On top of all that I wanted a change in job, and was freaking out that I was falling behind in my life while watching friends get degrees and get careers I was applying for jobs and being rejected and living back home, with no job let alone career. 

However AM BACK, my funk as lifted and am reading again AND baking and just generally happier. Plus I ve kind of gotten over myself. It looks like am in a good work place for progression and could get a career, and finally sort of got that not everyone has a degree and really a lot of the people I was at uni with are in the same position.

So hopefully onward and upwards, I am hoping to do a post at least once a week, and FINALLY update this poor blog after months of not doing it.

Thanks for putting up with me :)

Paul Hollywood's Bread

In case you hadn't guessed it this review is on Paul Hollywood's BREAD. When I first started this blog I thought it would just contain my general ramblings about fiction etc. However I really do feel like this needs a mention!

I will be honest I watched the TV show, about the book, just to have a little eye candy. I know am not alone in this, and many people have told me that they did the same.

Surprisingly he did actually inspire me to get baking some bread, and after a successful soda bread my Mum kindly bought a copy of the book for me. (Really I think this was a hint to bake her more bread) 

I think now is the time to admit that I am a bread snob, I really can't help it, from aged 15 I worked in a Bakery and got to take the bread home, meaning most of the bread I ate was from 15-19 was fresh bread (great for when I was at Uni) and when my parents moved they bought a bread maker and everyday we have a fresh loaf. And honestly I just prefer it (see snob).

Anyway back to my review, So the TV show was great and I did get my eye candy, However I did find the delivery of the recipes left me a bit less than satisfied.  Seeing him mix the ingredients without weights at the time was a bit annoying, and I was a bit worried the book wouldn't flow. However my fears where unfounded since its clear and easy to follow each recipe.

Right now my bread goal if you will is to make the tasty looking enriched bread at the end.......

...................Oh sorry am back, yeah so am a long way off from that level of skill but am working on it.

The recipes are so easy to follow, so far I've made:

Soda bread,

Cheese and rosemary scones (on stew and baked separately),

Chickpea curry (not a bread but tasty)

And wraps.

And am so pleased with each result, what I also love is that the recipes are something you and integrate into a normal meal, unlike some book I have where the recipe's look and sound great but I wouldn't normally cook it or attempting it just seems like a mountain to try and achieve it.

My only concern is that a lot of the recipes contain cheese and bacon/ham, this really is a plus for me as he is apparently a man after my own hear, though I could see it being a bit of a issue if you really don't like them.
As a recipe book I would give it 5 Stars since I use it all the time now and it continues to make me want to push my baking skills.

Have you tried BREADS? Whats your favorite recipe? Favorite cook book?

Reading update

Hello!!

How is everyone?

Sorry this post is a bit late I've had a bit of a random week and blogging seemed to fall off my radar  Having finally come back to the land of the living from my Matcha Tea incident, I thought I would get my week alone with reading. However it seems I've been hung over and showing my friend the sights of Derbyshire instead.

My lovely friend Emma decided to visit me on Tuesday (having us both plan this on Monday night) Which was great but also meant I ran into "Hostess with the Most-est"  mode, meaning pies needed to be baked, along with bread and cake, beds needed to be made and generally a quick run to Tesco for lunch, and of course the wine.

This lead to a very giggly girly night were we where both a bit delicate the next day. Though we managed to get some Derbyshire sight seeing in, and drop by Ellie's fantastic book shop (because its on of my favorite bookshops and all my friends from the south are being told about it, and how when they visit its part of the tour!) as well as visit, what I now know is called Blue John Caverns, not John Blue! *slams palm of hand to forehead* 

After Emma sadly left me to return to the flat land of Cambridge, I collapsed in a heap and stayed there staring at the Light Box (telly) for a few days to recover. 

So am very behind on my reading, oops! However while pressure washing the tiles today (that's right I get to be all domestic while the folks are away) I did manage to get some more audio book in, and am going to read some more tomorrow, and hopefully catch back up. 

And may have found my way onto amazon and trying to convince myself to hold back on the book ordering :S

Hows everyones reading? Good week? Also any recommended books??