Book-To-Movie; What I'm Looking Forward To!

The Maze Runner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every thirty days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

The first is a book called The Maze Runner by James Dashner which is the first book in the series. Although I have yet to read the book, which I will be getting very soon, the whole concept of it has interested me, it seems like a very original plot, well, I've never seen or heard anything like this before so hopefully it'll be a breath of fresh air! I know that the book has been very hyped up and a lot of people seem to have enjoyed it immensely.

The movie is being released on Valentines Day (Feb 14th 2014) which seems strange to me but hey ho, the book trailer, although short, was pretty damn good. I watched it for the first time today after searching for the actual movie trailer before realizing that there isn't one yet. -cry- But oh well, considering the movie is quite far away it makes sense and it gives me time to catch up!

OH and is it true? Is adorable Dylan O'Brien playing Thomas?! JUST LOOK AT HIM UH.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Divergent
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


The next book to movie I'm excited about is Divergent by Veronica Roth. Again, I'm late to hop onto this bandwagon because I haven't picked up the book yet! But I will read it before the movie is out. This is the first book in a trilogy, or so I recall reading? Anyways, I saw the trailer for this movie and was instantly captured! I wanted to read the book ASAP which is why I went onto Amazon and bought both this and The Maze Runner. (This is where all my money goes -slaps wrist-)

I remembered the lead actress as soon as she appeared in the trailer and, it took me a while but, I realised what I'd seen her on! She was on a TV show The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I really did not like her on that, she seemed very whiny but obviously that was just her character! I hope she's as captivating in the movie as she was in the trailer cause it looked awesome from just that!

March 20th 2014 is the release date so yet again, I definitely will have time to read the trilogy, or at least the first book so I'm caught up.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Hundred
In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland... before it's too late.

Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust - and even love - again.




Very excited to see this being brought to life! Although it's not being made into a movie, it's being made into a television series which I hope will be AH-MAAAAZING! I don't know much about this one, details wise so if anyone knows when it's being released or when it begins, please tell me! I've searched the internet to find the answers but no such luck. This book is definitely not as popular as the other two I've spoken about but I hope it gains the recognition it deserves :)

Oh and just a warning before you watch the trailer... Every single person in the 100 chosen to go to Earth looks as though they've just stepped off the runway so just prepare yourself for a knock or seven to your self esteem...

Now it's your turn! Make a blog post, or leave a comment below, telling me which book-to-movie transformations you're looking forward to! If you make a blog post, leave it in the comments so I can have a look and follow you too.

I am definitely looking for suggestions, I review books or movies, preferably new ones so if anyone knows of any, just leave a comment! Otherwise you can tweet me (and follow me *hint hint*) at @Daydreamreviews. I'm happy to chat or take suggestions!


I hope you enjoyed this post. Hit the books, they wont hit back;)
Stay lovely! Xx

Review: The Host (movie)

There are spoilers in this review, but I assume most have seen this movie by now! You have been warned:)

After finishing The Host book yesterday, I said to myself that the next thing I do would be to watch the movie. As I made my way through the book I found myself wondering how they could put all of this into a movie that wouldn't end up being 5 hours long. So when I saw that the movie was only in fact two hours long, I instantly knew they'd had to have missed a helluva lot out. I just got done watching it and I have to say, it was a good movie for two hours, but it definitely has left me feeling disappointed. I desperately wanted to like this movie but... it was okay. Just okay.

The acting was brilliant! The cast was exactly how I'd imagined it, especially Melanie and Jared, I definitely saw them that way. Oh and let me just say, the body that Wanderer is put in at the end was probably the most beautiful, angelic looking person I've ever seen! Like she was drop dead gorgeous, I couldn't believe it and although that's not how she was portrayed in the book, I could definitely see why they chose this specific actress.

The main cast;

Melanie Stryder
Definitely the right choice of actress. She has the perfect look and was almost exactly what I envisioned when reading the book! Her acting was brilliant as she could seem to convey emotions very well.

Actress: Saoirse Ronan

Wanderer/Wanda
Although she doesn't look like I imagined her, I still think it was a perfect choice. I imagined long, golden hair and freckled, fair skin. She is stunning though!

Actress: Emily Browning

Jared Howe
*Drool* Exactly how I imagined he'd look! And that accent, unffff, although in the movie he was American. I did hear the British slip in a few times though. His acting was also good, not as good but still superb! Uh look at him though.

He was very good during the flashbacks with Melanie, he portrayed affection very well... Maybe it wasn't as fake as putting it on for the movie ;);)

Actor: Max Irons

Ian O'Shea
Oh isn't he just perfect? I don't usually go towards blondes but DAMN. He was one of the best actors for me, simply because he knew how to convey the right emotions, and make it seem real.

When he was trying to get Wanda to stay and he said he loved her, I cried a little. No shame. (Maybe a little)

Oh I want him for Christmas!

Actor: Jake Abel

Jamie Stryder
Perfect choice. Naive but strong willed in his character which he played brilliantly! Oh and look at him, isn't he the cutest!

Although his bond with Wanda was rushed in the movie, he did play the role brilliantly for someone so young. I just can't get over the need to pinch his cheeks and coo. Gah.

Actor: Chandler Canterbury

Uncle Jeb
In the book, Uncle Jeb was a chatty, optimistic joker who bonded with Wanderer first and never treated her like an 'it'. He talked to her like a human and became her friend.

In the movie this was not portrayed. He was kind to her and all but his bond was not as strong, he was not as curious or open hearted. I don't think that was something to do with his acting though, all these flaws listed in this review were to do with how the movie was written and produced.

Actor: William Hurt





There were so many significant characters that I barely saw or just weren't there! Like Walter, Sunny, Sharon and Maggie, Lucinda and her children. They were the ones who I felt should have at least been shown more, if at all! I mean in the movie, there was not as much hatred towards Wanderer, therefore there was not as much revelation. This was a downfall for this movie.


Throughout the movie I found myself pointing out everything I noticed that they'd missed. Some things that I thought were so significant that they ought to at least be acknowledged! First of all, Walter, in the book, dies eventually of cancer and this seemed to be the turning point for Jared and many others, seeing how this alien parasite that had invaded the human's home could be so kind and so loving of someone she has barely known. They'd all seen how Wanderer had created this bond with Walter, how sad she was that he was in such pain. This part was not even mentioned in the movie, I actually think I only saw him once and that was at the table when Wanda was explaining different planets she's been on.

That brings me to two other points; in the book, the kitchen was the place where everyone simply began (albeit slowly) to tolerate Wanderer, they listened to her stories of the different planets she had lived on, and how she got her reputation as a 'wanderer'. The stories that were told in the book were not even mentioned in the movie. The countless times that everyone gathered to listen, even the times when Wanda would tell Jamie, Ian and Jeb her adventures weren't shown at all. And this was a major turning point in the book. In the movie, everyone went from ignoring Wanda, to accepting her and wanting to listen to her and it all happened in a blink of an eye.

I just think that everyone accepted her far too quickly, there was much more of a build up in the book. So much more they could have shown whilst keeping the film at a reasonable length.

Towards the end of the film, it got better and kept to the book. When Wanda had to say goodbye to Ian and Jamie, I got sad and teary but then Wanda said goodbye to Melanie and I was definitely shedding a tear or two. I very much enjoyed the ending, although it wasn't as in depth as the book, but it was a good way to end it.

I think if I hadn't read the book first, the movie would have been awesome. There was nothing wrong with it in general but after reading the book and enjoying the depth of which the author had shown us this entire new world and the species with it, you can't enjoy the movie as much.

All in all, I was disappointed. This could have been such a good movie with everything included! I know it could have been better, more developed. I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, but it seemed like a lot was missing. Even the way Mel tried to take her life bothered me as it was not in sync with the book.

I will watch the movie again, but I'll never ever love it as much as I adored the book version. But isn't that the way it usually goes? The books are always 10x better than the movies, and then sometimes, very rarely, there are those few books-to-movies that are so close to the book that they are as good. E.g, Harry Potter. All those movies were as good as the books, I just wish I could have liked this one. I do give Stephenie Meyer 5/5 stars on the book though, absolutely captivating till the last word.

Conclusion; I adored the book, (I wrote a review last night) but the movie didn't do it for me. I'd really like to hear your take on this book-to-movie transformation. So leave a comment so we can rant together haha. OH and I'm very excited for this second book to surface (hopefully) soon! I have no doubts that it will be as good as the first. I feel like I have a lot more to say on this movie but I can't put it into words, and that's frustrating!! Simply, there was just too much missing for me to enjoy it.

I am definitely looking for suggestions, I review books or movies, preferably new ones so if anyone knows of any, just leave a comment! Otherwise you can tweet me (and follow me *hint hint*) at @Daydreamreviews. I'm happy to chat or take suggestions!


I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you enjoy the book even more! Hit the books, they wont hit back;)
Stay lovely! Xx

Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Host
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.


I literally JUST finished this book but I could not wait to review this simply because I have all the feels right now, I'm overwhelmed and... I'm going to try and keep spoilers out so here goes.

First of all, let me just admit that I was so incredibly close to tears during the final parts of this book. I think this is to do with the fact that I just got so into Melanie/Wanderer's character that I actually felt what she felt and my throat definitely closed up and tears were pooling. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN! Genuinely, I've never ever ever ever been so into a book or it's characters that I felt the overwhelming urge to sob. Never has a book captured my emotions as well as The Host.

When I saw the author of this book also happened to be the author of the infamous Twilight saga, I was like, "just another predictable, tween story that I've read too many times before". Oh BOY was I wrong! And I am so freaking glad that I was forced to go to my aunts, enduring a boredom I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. This was the only book she had lying around and that's what possessed me to pick it up.

From the first chapter, I was mesmerized. The book managed to enrapture me so entirely that I found it an actual struggle to put the thing down! Like it got to about 3:30am and I was still muttering "eh, one more chapter" whilst my poor, tired body was yelling at me to just put the bloody book down and sleep!

Melanie was a fleeting character, although the body was always hers, she only appeared through thought or outbursts or flashbacks. Stephenie Meyer had created both Melanie and especially Wanda to be so appealing and, not relatable, but you understood every feeling.

Also, can I just give a massive pat on the back to Stephenie for utterly outdoing herself! To create an entirely new species, and a new perspective of humans that showed us exactly how a non-human-parasite felt inside this alien body is just astonishing. How all the new feelings were so overwhelming, the intense impact that love, hate and conflict had on Wanderer. She created a world with so much depth that it felt real until I looked out my window to see I was still in boring reality. All existing questions were answered, she explained the soul's system, their nature, other planets (of which she also created perfectly), how they felt, how they behaved. JUST PERFECTION ENTIRELY. And the guys.........

Uh, Ian you perfect human you.

AND JARED FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD IN THE WORLD.

*******SPOILER********
This is the only spoiler I'll be giving but only because I needed to say this about Kyle.
Although every single human in this book reformed somehow, I think it was Kyle who progressed the most by the end chapter.

In the beginning, when Wanderer was being kept a prisoner, Kyle had every intention of killing her, whether he do it with his own hands (which he would have preferred, I'm sure) or at Jared's. Even after most of the humans had accepted Wanda into their home, Kyle was so against her being there. I mean, he even tried to go against Jeb's rule and kill Wanda which was unsuccessful. Obviously.

As the book went on, he gradually just came to terms with her, accepting that she was going nowhere and was much a part of this family as he was. He moved on from calling Wanda an 'it' to calling Wanda a 'she', which was shown very subtly in transition.

Then, by the end of the book, he has his very own parasite! Since he couldn't get his Jodi back, he settled for the soul inside her body, Sunny. It was the most heart-warming union apart from Mel/Jared and Wanda/Ian because let's face it. The inevitable happened, everyone turned out happy and reunited and all is rainbows and unicorns AND I'M OK WITH THAT.


My review is over, if you read all that through then congratulations haha. It was more of a rant I think, but overall; No doubt one of the best books I have EVER EVER picked up and although I'm a little late on this bandwagon, I 1000000% recommend this book to anyone who has never read it.

I'm watching the movie tomorrow as it's late-ish here in the UK and I need sleep, so I shall watch it tomorrow now. I'm so incredibly worried because I know nothing can compare to the book! Also, add the bad reviews it's gotten and I'm anxious! I need to see it for myself though.

I'll definitely write a review for it tomorrow on my blog so follow me pretty please:)

I'm now going to curl up in fetal position and over-think everything I read in the past five-ish days and let the feels all sink in.

Goodnight all! Stay lovely, hit the books, they wont hit back;)
Xx