Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson

About the book

Rescue Me is an adult novel by Rachel Gibson and is the third book in the Lovett, Texas series. The book was published by Corgi on 6^th December 2012 and it is 384 pages long. Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy.

Synopsis (Taken from Goodreads.com)

Things are getting tricky for sexy Sadie Hollowell, about to be forced into a bubblegum-pink bridesmaid dress for her little cousin Tally Lynn's wedding. And if that ain't problem enough, the second she drives back into town, the entire population of Lovett, Texas will be fixing her up with the nearest available man - any man. She needs a rescue plan now. And good-looking stranger Vince Haven might just be the perfect 'date' she needs to get her family off her back.

But moody ex-Navy SEAL Vince Haven is only stopping by Lovett to visit his crazy Aunt Luraleen. 'No strings attached'is his motto, and he'll be damned if he acts as any woman's fake date! Sadie's out of luck again - but when Vince's aunt makes him an offer he can't refuse, he could be hanging around town for a while. And if Sadie gets that date after all, she might just get more than she bargained for!

What I thought

I’ve never read a Rachel Gibson book before although I have heard such good things about her books so I really wanted to give one a go. Although this is the third book in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone and you needn’t have any knowledge of the other books at all.

Rescue Me begins by telling the story of Sadie Hollowell, a girl born and raised in Texas and a girl who couldn’t get away quickly enough. She hasn’t been home to the ranch and her father in a long time but when a cousin getting married has her as a bridesmaid, she can’t say no. Sadie is a very independent woman, not letting anyone tell her what to do and she definitely doesn’t rely on any man. In fact, she barely ever has boyfriends. It took me a while to warm to Sadie but mainly because it took a while to really get to know her character. It wasn’t until her backstory and family history were explained that I really felt like I knew who she was.

Then there is Vince. Vince is the super hot guy Sadie rescues on her way into town. Like Sadie, Vince has a past and not one he is too willing to share with anyone. Being an ex-Navy SEAL, Vince has been all over the world and seen a great many things. It also means he has a body you’d want to lick! He also doesn’t really do relationships and is more a one night stand kind of guy. Vince is able to find a woman to keep him satisfied wherever he goes but it never gets to be anything more than that. Although Vince does sound like an asshole when describing him, he wasn’t at all. He knows what he wants and is very upfront about how he feels about relationships.

As both Sadie and Vince are stuck in town for a little while, they strike up a friends with benefits kind of situation although neither of them were expecting to. The way that these two characters begin to hit it off was extremely hot! The chemistry between these two character was absolutely smoking and I loved every second of them being together. As this is an adult novel, there is a hell of a lot of sex throughout but Rachel Vincent keeps it interesting by changing things up all of the time. Nothing is ever boring, which is also a theme running through this book.

Remember Me is a romance novel with a slightly dated setting but also with a really modern feel to it. The small town of Lovett, Texas is where the dated part comes in. It’s a town where everyone knows everyone else and their business but it also felt modern because of where Sadie and Vince have spent their time beforehand. I also really liked the use of the ranch belonging to Sadie’s family because I tend to put that together with Texas. Stereotypical I know but I can’t help it. The plot was pretty predictable though but I don’t expect new and extremely exciting plots from romances. They’re not why I read them.

I’m really happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my first Rachel Gibson book and now want more!

Film Review: Looper

About the film

Looper is a 2012 science fiction/ action film. The film has a rating of 15 due to language, violence, some sexuality and drug use. Looper has a run time of 119 minutes.

Plot

Set in the year 2044, time travel has not yet been invented. However, in 2074 it has. Time travel is illegal and only available on the black market. It’s hard to kill someone and be rid of the evidence in 2074 so when the mob wants rid of someone, they send them back to 2044 where people called ‘Loopers’ are ready and waiting to shoot. They’re paid in silver, strapped to the hooded body waiting to be killed.

Looper Joe loves his life. He has plenty of money and lives exactly how he wants to. When his future self is sent to him to be killed, he hesitates, giving future Joe enough time to escape. All targets must be killed and both Joe and his future self end up running for their lives, both of them wanting different outcomes.

What I thought

Although Looper is a film about time travel, the majority of the film is set in the past (2044). Something I really loved about this film was that the time in which it was set, was not too far ahead of where we are now. The futuristic world is not a million miles away from what we have now and instead of being a world unrecognisable, it pretty much just has some amped up technology and ways of enjoying yourself. The time travel aspect of the film, while a focal point of the plot, kind of takes a back seat. Unlike other time travel films, this one doesn’t spend ages explaining how time travel works, why it works or anything else like it. Looper pretty much says time travel exists and that’s it! It was refreshing to not have to sit through a long and drawn out explanation.

Protagonist Joe is a Looper, a man hired to kill people from the future with no questions asked. His targets are sent to him in a field, covered up from head to toe and a whole load of silver strapped to their backs. Joe is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt who, I have to say has gotten pretty old looking compared to his days in films like 10 Things I Hate About You. I barely recognised him and would have had to look up who he was if I didn’t already know he was in the film. As Joe, he’s a pretty arrogant and full of himself kind of guy, knowing what he has in life is pretty damn good. He plays and parties hard, knowing he has a stash of silver which will cover anything he needs. Joe was a hard character to like to begin with because he was such an ass. However, things begin to chance when he is faced with killing his future self.

Joe from the future is played by Bruce Willis, who is in his element in this kind of film. We all know Willis is a great actor in action films and this one is no exception. Future Joe is completely different to regular Joe, due to having so much more life experience and knowing how the world really works. I really liked seeing the contrast between two characters who were actually the same. Future Joe, although still a hard ass, has reasons for changing his life, which Joe just cannot begin to understand, not having lived it for himself yet. My boyfriend and I also thought it would be pretty cool to know you’d turn into Bruce Willis when you grow up – it could be worse, couldn’t it?!

As well as the chase between regular and future Joe, there was a pretty strange twist which I wasn’t expecting. Telekinesis plays a large part in this film and future Joe knows that there will be one person who could change everything later on in life. Future Joe’s goal is to stop this person from becoming what he is in the future although there’s a slight problem. It could be one of three and all three are children during 2044. Although the whole telekinesis thing was quite strange, I liked the twist that it brought into the film. It also made the film about so much more than the two Joes.

Two other fantastic characters in Looper are Sara and Cid, played by Emily Blunt and Pierce Gagnon. Sara and Cid live on a farm way out in the middle of nowhere but regular Joe happens across them while on the run. Sara is immediately protective of her and her son, not wanting Joe to have anything to do them. The addition of these two characters bring in that something extra that this film needed to set it aside from other science fiction or action films. They add a bit of normality to the world created, as their life revolves around living on a farm. Sara and Cid also make it so that the scenery throughout the film isn’t always set in the futuristic city.

While Looper was slightly confusing at times, it was extremely enjoyable. There are some great plot twists, a fantastic dialogue and the action scenes you would expect from Bruce Willis. This one will be getting a place in my DVD collection!

Wake by Amanda Hocking

About the book

Wake is the first book in the Watersong series by Amanda Hocking. The book was published by Tor on 16^th August 2012 and the book is 356 pages long. Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy for review.

Synopsis (Taken from Goodreads.com)

Gorgeous. Fearless. Dangerous. They're the kind of girls you envy; the kind of girls you want to hate. Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, Lexi and Thea have caught everyone's attention—but it’s Gemma who’s attracted theirs. She’s the one they’ve chosen to be part of their group.

Gemma seems to have it all—she’s carefree, pretty, and falling in love with Alex, the boy next door. He’s always been just a friend, but this summer they’ve taken their relationship to the next level, and now there’s no going back. Then one night, Gemma’s ordinary life changes forever. She’s taking a late night swim under the stars when she finds Penn, Lexi and Thea partying on the cove. They invite her to join them, and the next morning she wakes up on the beach feeling groggy and sick, knowing something is different.

Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster, and more beautiful than ever. But her new powers come with a terrifying price. And as she uncovers the truth, she’s is forced to choose between staying with those she loves—or entering a new world brimming with dark hungers and unimaginable secrets.

What I thought

There are very few mermaid/ under the sea kind of creature books in the young adult genre which is why I wanted to read this one so much. The premise sounded very different from the other few mermaid books I have read so I was immediately interested.

Wake tells the story of sisters Harper and Gemma although technically, I guess Gemma should be called the protagonist. Harper generally keeps to herself and is the complete opposite of her beautiful, swimmer sister Gemma. Their mother doesn’t live with them anymore and Harper has taken it upon herself to play that very role, being very overprotective of Gemma and what she gets up to. I really liked that the two sisters were very different and they had varying interests. It gave each character their own distinct voice and made their personalities clear.

While the beginning of the story is a little drawn out, it sets the scene well. Gemma loves her late night swims and is determined to keep them up even though there has been a few people gone missing recently. While out at the bay swimming, Gemma notices a group of insanely pretty girls, girls who are new in town but have definitely been noticed. Both Gemma and Harper think something is off with these girls but can’t quite put their fingers on it. A large chunk of the beginning of the story is spent getting to know the girls and where they live and I think the main plot could have been gotten to quicker.

There are slight romantic themes throughout Wake although they do not overpower the main plot. Love interests Alex (for Gemma) and Daniel (for Harper) were both great characters and again, very different. Daniel is the smouldering older guy who randomly lives on a boat while Alex is the boy next door and also Harper’s friend. I have to say, as nice as geeky Alex was, I much preferred Daniel. He seemed like a slight bad boy with a past and someone who could be a whole lot of hot trouble in the future. Alex was just too nice and predictable for me.

So, the main plot. Wake isn’t actually about mermaid but Sirens. This was something that I absolutely loved and was very thankful for something different. There is actually quite a lot of background information about the Sirens and where they came from/ why they came to begin with. The mythology behind this new and exciting creature was fantastic and I loved learning more about them. However, I did hate to see Gemma tricked into something she wouldn’t have wanted but the end outcome and cliff-hanger was amazing and so exciting.

While I do think Wake could have been better, it was still a really good read and now I’m looking forward to reading the sequel, Lullaby. 

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

About the book

Second Chance Summer is a stand-alone young adult novel by Morgan Matson. The book was published by Simon and Schuster on 7^th June 2012 and it is 480 pages long.

Synopsis (Taken from Goodreads.com)

Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love

What I thought

I loved Morgan Matson’s other book, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour and I couldn’t wait to this one, although I didn’t have it in the summer when it was released. Instead, I got bought it as a Christmas present and read it soon after New Year. Let me start by saving DO NOT BE DECEIVED BY THE COVER! Yes, it looks like a happy, summer book but it is more than that and you won’t be expecting what is inside.

Main character Taylor has a habit of running away whenever things get tough. When he Dad gets some bad news and the family decide to go away for the summer, back to their old summer house in the mountains, she definitely doesn’t want to go. Things happened five years ago at the summer house and with everything going on with her Dad, it’s more than she can handle. I really enjoyed getting to watch Taylor grow and deal with the harder things in her life.

It was really good to see a slightly different family dynamic throughout this book. Taylor isn’t incredibly close to her Mum, younger sister or older brother although she does have a special relationship with her Dad. This family was slightly different because they weren’t perfect and they didn’t get along all of the time, which made them a real family in my eyes. Having her family around though made it possible to get to know them although not quite as well as we get to know Taylor herself.

While at the summer house, Taylor is reminded of what happened there years ago. She has to try to rekindle her friendships with old friends Lucy and first boyfriend Henry. I really liked these two as characters and thought that they made great additions to the book. Lucy is mad at Taylor for whatever it is what happened (this is revealed throughout the book) and refuses to talk to her while Henry is shy, quiet and doesn’t really know how to react to Taylor being back. The tension and awkwardness between the characters was fantastic and really gave this book that something extra. Henry is the love interest of the book although it isn’t the main theme of the story. It was nice to have a little bit of romance without it consuming the whole book.

Second Chance Summer is more about love and loss. Taylor’s Dad is terminally ill and the family’s idea was to spend one last summer away together. It was heart-breaking to see Taylor’s Dad slowly get worse and worse and become less like himself. This aspect of the story is drawn out right through to the very end. I was sat on a train reading this book, tears absolutely streaming down my face and me thinking; ‘I thought this was a happy summer book?!’. It is not! However, Second Chance Summer is sad in the best possible way because it has a story which makes you feel and characters who really make you feel for them.

While this was not the book I was expecting to read, it was wonderfully written, heart-breaking and lovely all at the same time.

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Spirit and Dust by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Speaking to the dead is no new thing for Daisy Goodnight. The living, on the other hand, can occasionally be a problem. Especially when they knock you out, kidnap you, and force you to be their magical police dog. 

Donald Maguire—mob boss, extraordinaire—has a missing daughter and Daisy is his first choice to track her down. But he didn't actually ask her for help. When she woke up in his guest bedroom, she was told. But why her? And who—or what—in the world is the Black Jackal?

Release Date: 14th May 2013
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (US)

Book to Film Review: Interview With The Vampire

About the film

Interview with the Vampire is a fantasy film that was released in 1994 and based on the novel of the same name by Anne Rice. The screenplay for this film was also written by Anne Rice. The film is rated 18 due to bad language, moderate sex/ nudity and strong bloody violence and it has a run time of 122 minutes.

Plot

In San Francisco, Daniel Malloy, a reporter, sits down to interview a man names Louis. Louis claims that he is a vampire and begins to tell Daniel how he became a vampire and how he got to where he is today.

The story then goes back to 1871 where Louis lives in Louisiana, aged 24. Although quite a wealthy plantation owner, he is struggling to cope with the death of his wife and child and he decides that he no longer wants to live. The vampire Lestat sees how sad and pathetic Louis is and offers him the chance to choose between life and death although both options turn out to be death in a way. Even though Louis chooses to become a vampire, he still has his morality and cannot bring himself to feed on humans.

Louis is tormented with what he has become and doesn't know how to live with himself or Lestat as they have completely opposite views on life. He begins to tell Daniel just how hard life as a vampire can be.

What I thought

Brad Pitt plays Louis and after reading the book, I think he was the perfect choice. Even though his performance is quiet and brooding most of the time, you can easily see the pain and torment that Louis experiences and I ended up really feeling for his character because of what he had to deal with.

Tom Cruise was a big surprise as Lestat. Many people, Anne Rice included had doubts about his ability to perform as such an evil and mysterious character but the risk with him definitely paid off. Cruise was charismatic and sleazy but charming, dark and scary at the same time. Interview with the Vampire was a film that showed just how versatile an actor he is.

There are some minor differences from the book and while these things normally really annoy me, I don't think they were don't badly this time. One of the most notable changes is in Claudia, the young vampire played by Kirsten Dunst. In the book, she is about 5 years old but in the film version, she is around 10 to 11. I understand that for a character as complex as Claudia that a child so young could not have played her well at all or understood anything about the character. While every other cast member were fantastic, Dunst clearly outshone them all. She played the part with such maturity and passion that it is hard to believe that she was just 11 at the time. I think that this has been her best film ever and unfortunately, nothing else she has done can compare to this.

Character development is something that Anne Rice took very seriously. Each main character goes through so many changes, whether it be physical, biological or mental. Neither Lestat, Louis or Claudia stay the same throughout (even though their physical appearance does after a while) and some of the changes they experience are life altering for all three of them.

The difference in locations were so perfectly done. Every little detail seems to have been paid attention to and whether in Louisiana or Paris, it really felt like you was there. As the mood changes quite a lot throughout the film, the atmosphere changes too. It is quite easy to distinguish times of happiness from times of pain and suffering and this had a lot to do with where the characters were and how lighting and effects were used. Even though the story is dark and mysterious, it is also visually beautiful. Each scene is extremely atmospheric which adds to the eerie feel that you are supposed to get.

The story itself is exciting and thrilling throughout. The changes of location add to the excitement levels as you never really know what is going to happen or what surprises await. As I hadn't read the book when I saw this film, I didn't see a fair amount of the story before it happened and I loved each shock as it came.

A classic vampire film and highly recommended. 

Easy by Tammara Webber

About the book

Easy is a New Adult novel by Tammara Webber. It was published by Razorbill on 3^rd January and the book is 304 pages long.

Synopsis (Taken from Goodreads.com)

Jacqueline seems to have a knack for making the wrong choices. She followed her boyfriend to his choice of university, disregarding her preference. Then he dumped her. She chose a minor she thought she could combine with her music studies, but she's falling behind. And then, leaving a party alone one night, she is attacked. If it wasn't for the timely intervention of a stranger, she would have been raped. Now she must make a choice - give up and give in, or toughen up and fight on. Only the support of the man who is tutoring her and the allure of the guy who saved her from the attack convince her that it's worth fighting on. Will Jacqueline now have to make a choice between them too? And can she make the right decision? It's not easy . . .

What I thought

Easy was the second of two New Adult novels I read in one day. This, along with The Vincent Boys was the most recommended and I couldn’t wait to get around to reading it.

Easy does not start off nice and slow. The book begins with protagonist Jacqueline leaving a party and nearly being raped by one of her recently ex-boyfriend’s friends. While I was quite shocked at the beginning of this book, I also think it was one of the strongest and most memorable openings I have read in such a long time. The content is a little graphic, and a little uncomfortable to read, but it makes the situation so real and so scary. The opening of Easy also introduces the other main character, Lucas, who saves Jacqueline from a terrible ordeal. I loved that Tammara Webber tackled such an important issue so early on in the book and it doesn’t stop there, the themes of rape and consensual sex run throughout.

I really liked Jacqueline. Although being put in a terrible situation to begin with after already going through a hard time due to the break up, she springs back well. Yes, her attack scares her and she isn’t quite the same person after that but she doesn’t let it ruin her life. This shows just how strong of a person she is which was something I loved about her. She’s also not an idiot. She’s very aware of what is going on around her and with the people she knows. Jacqueline is also such a normal girl. She goes to college, parties with her friends and has gossip sessions. She isn’t full of herself or arrogant but instead, she’s quite a lovely girl.

As much as I liked Jacqueline, I loved Lucas so much more. Knowing what Jacqueline has been through, he is the most sensitive and gentle guy although a bit distant and weird at times. He’s also quite a mystery, especially to Jacqueline. Lucas doesn’t really let on too much about himself and he ends up being the boy sitting at the back of class with his lip ring, tattoos and sketch book. I loved the mystery surrounding Lucas though because it made me want to find out about him so much more. He’s a complex character who is super-hot and super nice at the same time. What’s not to like?

What I really loved about this book though was that it wasn’t just a love story. Yes, there were strong elements of that throughout and some quite steamy scenes to go with it, but Easy has such a strong plot. Tammara Webber writes difficult themes beautifully and most importantly, she makes them real and easy to relate to. Although the rape issues are a strong part of this book, there is also so much more going on. Easy has so much to enjoy within its pages and I couldn’t put it down.

As you can probably tell, I completely loved this book!