Book Review: Good Omens

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying I LOVE Neil Gaiman. His way with words is so enchanting ... on the other hand, I don't really care for Terry Pratchett. His way with words isn't my favorite. Which made this book an unusual ready.

The storyline is brilliant. The whole pebble under the cup game (which they tell you to pay careful attention to) effects the endgame in ways that I totally saw coming, but enjoyed the ride.

Books as Television Shows ... is it a good thing?

This post can also be found on This Side of My Screen where I am a guest blogger this week! 

Fangirls and fanboys love to know that one of their fandoms are coming to the screen. There is a moment, right after the pure elation, that I panic for a moment as these words go through my head:

Oh No! What if
via GIPHY

Big reveal for V. E. Schwab!

Author of A Darker Shade of Magic just announced that the book is has been optioned for TV.

What do we think, fans, is this a good thing? I tend to like television shows better than movies when a book is involved, but can they bring the magic of "ADSOM" to the screen?

Check out more information Here and Victoria's announcement here.

Let's Talk About Shadowhunters ...

Okay, I've been meaning to write this up for like two weeks, but alas, I've been reading instead ;)

via GIPHY

First, this is SO different than the books. That isn't a bad thing, but wow. The whole setting is different, jobs are different, the characters are older, the way the meet is different ... fans have to adjust. I have to adjust.

New Shadowhunters Show

Here are my thoughts:

1. I'm totally excited, I really love TV ... I know, it is probably rotting my brain, but a great television show can be almost as good as a delightful book. The thing about television is that it makes you drag the story out. When I read a story I want to get to the end, yes I savor it, but I move quickly. The story in its entirety is what excites me. However, when I'm watching a show I only get about 40 minutes at a time. Slow moving and detailed. It is lovely

2. With shows that The Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl, and Pretty Little Liars - the show is better than the book. It is terrible, but everything is there, live and in color. It expands the story to make it richer and more complex. I'm really looking forward to it.

3. Here is a concern, you saw the movie, right? Well, I'm worried they may totally butcher the storyline again. I'm not saying the parts about jobs and Clary is an art student, I'm saying totally change the storyline, change the ending, change who knows what ... the whole thing. From that perspective the movie was a total disappointment (although, I'll admit, I own it).

These pictures are all from TVLine.com and you can check out that page for more information on the actors.

Here is our friend Clary Fray television vs movie version. The television version looks so much more like I pictured Clary (plus she doesn't have Lily's eyebrows). I'm looking forward to this casting because she has the looks down - but will she pull off Clary? I hope so.

Jace, oh Jace. I liked Jace in the movie, he was a bit of a raw nerve, an edge that you were always on the verge of cutting yourself on. This is very much Jace to me. However, the Jace in the movie was so slight, thin, dare I say frail? Jace in the books is described as being pretty built so I think this new casting will be better for the overall look. Can I get past the two color eyes though? 

Movie Alec was always wrong to me. I pictured Alec as insecure and thinner. This Alec was short, stocky, and had too much hair. I know the fangirls really wanted Kevin (who plays movie Alec) to play television Jace, which would have also been a bad call. I guess I don't feel like he is that stellar of an actor. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the new Alec and I hope he can pull off a little more insecurity and be less ferocious. 

Isabelle in the movie was a little too insecure for me. I liked what a strong character Isabelle is in the books and our new Isabelle just looks tougher - it is in her eyes. I'm looking forward to her being fierce!

Jocelyn in the movie spends most of her time not in the film. I really liked the movie casting and I feel like the television casting falls a little flat. I feel like the TV version of Jocelyn is a little too old and not as mysterious as the movie version. But she hasn't done any acting for the show yet and might prove me wrong. 

I love the bold changes they took with Luke. He will be a police officer which gives him more sustainability in the show's storyline and instead of a sweaty, hairy guy, they made him this hot black dude. In a society that whitewashes characters all the time (remember how upset people were when they cast Rue because no one knew she was black?) I'm glad that this show is upping the represented ethnicities. 

Magnus, perhaps my favorite casting. I always pictured Harry as Magnus - maybe subconsciously, but I think he has the smooth charm needed to play this role. Oh, I'm so excited. Magnus is my favorite. 

Simon isn't my favorite character, but I'm glad they moved him up in the world from silly little boy to semi-dopey best friend status. I'm glad he will be a student rather than a wanna-be rocker. I never felt like that fit him well and maybe this will make me like him more as a character. 

Valentine's casting is perfect. He is dark, angry, and perfectly how I pictured him. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was too weak looking and never really made me believe he could be evil - I was always disappointed in his casting. I'm so looking forward to seeing Alan Van Sprang bring this character to life. 

Lack of updates and VAMPIRE DIARIES

Now, I realize I'm supposed to be reading, however I've been reading all picture books to prepare for some upcoming outreach programs and enjoying the start of fall television shows (don't judge, I didn't watch television until I had graduated from college - I'm catching up for lost time)! Even with a lack of blog posts I have still had ever climbing blog views these past few days. The culprit? This Vampire Diaries post I wrote a few months back where I compared the book to the show.

Now, all fans know that the show comes back on this Thursday, October 11th and it is going to fabulous!!!! Because I feel like reminiscing about how much better the show is than the book (and the simple fact that I NEVER get to say that) ... here is some eye candy to tide all you fans over for the next couple days.

Vampire Diaries

Guess what came in the ILLs today?? That's right (I guess the title gave it away), the first book in the Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries series, Origin (by LJ Smith). Now, I love the show and have been addicted since the first season. Usually I have a hard, fast rule about reading the book first before indulging in any other sort of media, but I didn't know these were books before I started watching. Nevertheless, it was time to start reading.

But, can I just tell you, I was a little disappointed in the cover? I don't believe in buying books with the movie adaptation covers ... and I don't it that this is ALL the Stefan's Diaries have. I couldn't even find a different kind of cover. Sad day. 

Anyway, super excited to start this ... as soon as I'm done with Everneath of course :) So, probably tomorrow!!

In case you haven't seen the show (it is in my top five favorites right now), you should check it out.

April 12th

Remember how I said I was going to wait to read this until I finished Everneath? Well, that didn't happen. Last night I read the first six chapters and I was pleasantly surprised. I liked how it added to what they show on television (I was a little worried it was a total repeat). The story line actually has other things going on! I like meeting the characters I already know, and seeing what Stefan is thinking before he knows better (i.e. about Katherine). I'll try and trade off reading this one and Everneath, but this is pretty intriguing ... plus it is a super quick read.

April 16th

The dates between updates is a little embarrassing, but I'll admit I went the whole weekend without reading anything except silly magazine articles and Facebook posts. However, I'm back at it with a question, do I feel like L J Smith is a great author because she describes her characters and setting in such a way that seems real, or does it all seem real because I've already seen it on television and she is merely an okay author? How does one decide? This is why I always read the book first. The story line is progressing, however a bit slow for my tastes (and what I normally expect from a YA book is great characters and a quick moving plot line). 

April 19th

I actually finished this a few days ago and forgot to update! Sorry :) 

In the end I think that I liked the book because it added a little to the show, but for the most part I felt like it was just a retelling of what I had already seen. In addition, I think I would have thought of Stephen as pathetic, Daemon as childish, and Katherine as slutty if I had read this first. Although those are a part of their characters, they are so much more than that on the silver screen. In addition, the book isn't very detailed, it doesn't tell us about the town, the people, the weather, anything really. I actually think it was a little dry.

So, as much as this goes against what I normally think, I'll stick with the television show.