The Sunday Salon: My Hunger Games marathon

Wow, it's been awhile since I wrote a post for The Sunday Salon. Guess I'll go back on track with it now.

So I've been sort of on a Hunger Games marathon. I watched the movie twice in the cinemas, once with my friend and the second time with my mom. The second time watching the movie wasn't planned. I had free tickets, which couldn't be used to watch Mirror, Mirror. I wanted to go for The Vow but only front row seats were left. So The Hunger Games it was for me again. At least my mom appreciated the movie's ending.

Effie Trinket (left) and Katniss Everdeen (See how scared and worried Katniss looks just after volunteering to be a tribute to replace her younger sister!)

I have to say that the movie is one of the best movies I've watched this year. For me, it is also one of the best film adaptations from a book. No exaggeration. Good story, good actors and really colourful setting for The Capitol!




As most of you know, the Hunger Games story is a trilogy made up of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. I've finished the first two books and am now reading the third one. (Click on the links to read my reviews of the first two books)

The story sure is interesting and gripping (yup, cliche words I know but they describe the books!). I liked reading about the tributes from the other districts, the conversations between Peeta and Katniss and also the scenes with Effie and Haymitch! The latter two characters really stood out in the movie and I was eager to read more of them in the books. Gale, I'm sorry to say, is pretty dull.

I received my copy of The Hunger Games about two years ago as a gift through the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. I only read the first page. Though I found it good, I never reached page 2. It was probably due to lack of interest and lack of the mood for YA science fiction.

Anyway, I'm glad to be reading Mockingjay now and looking forward to see how Katniss fares in District 13. Same goes for Peeta! He's my favourite character in the first two books but I've read in online reviews that his character changes in Book 3. So we'll see how it goes. Just on Chapter 3 right now. :)

***

This is not book-related but I have to write about this! The Big Bang Theory has become my new favourite TV series.

From left: Howard, Leonard, Penny, Sheldon and Raj

I watched Season 1 Episode 1 around last year I think. It was so funny but somehow I never continued to watch the episodes that follow. Well, I caught up with the series last week when I was sick. I hope all the laughing during the show helped me get better.

My favourite character is definitely Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons). Straight to the point and extremely logical. It seems that it's because of him that has propelled the show to such popularity.

Looking forward to watching the rest of the seaons! 

Sunday Salon: About 3 Books

I'm now shaking my head to the beat of Avril Lavigne's Skater Boy but I'll try to write my 3rd Sunday Salon post!

So, I finally finished The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray a few days ago. My full review can be found here. I keep repeating this and I'm going to say it again. It took me more than a month to read it but I enjoyed every page. =) Oh yes, sometimes it was kind of draggy but it all fitted in the story. Towards the ending though, some things didn't make sense, especially Felicity who suddenly turned out to be gay and is looking forward to going to Paris to find more of her kind there.

After all, the book is all about rebellion and going against the rules. The sad thing is, Gemma doesn't get something she wants. I'm not going to reveal it to those who haven't read the book yet.

Anyway, how would you pronounce 'Gemma'? I thought it was 'Gemma' like g in get but apparently it's pronounced as 'Jemma' like g in gesture.

Two nights ago, I watched 'The Scarlet Letter' starring Demi Moore and Gary Oldman on DVD. Again, it's about a married woman who broke the 'rules' by being different in a society of Puritans. Thinking her husband dead, she had an affair with the local minister and was pregnant with his baby. I decided to read the book which was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne right after the movie but found it tedious and boring. I think I shouldn't have started with the Introduction chapter (The Custom-House - Introductory), which has nothing to do with the story at all. It's got nothing to do with the story, right?

So I gave up on that book and went on to read The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Now at Chapter 15. It's a cute and funny story about a tiny mouse (Despereaux) with large ears who falls in love with a human princess! The mouse's mom is French and immensely pessimistic. And Despereaux has been sent to the dungeon since he has broken a few mouse rules.

The book won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 2004. It has also been made into a movie and I don't know when it'll be shown in Malaysia.

Sunday Salon: The Sweet Far Thing

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Uh yeah, I'm still reading this book. It's been taking me forever to get through it! But I have a week's holiday (Chinese New Year holidays) ahead of me so I'm hoping to set aside time for this book. I'm now at Chapter 34. I managed to read around two chapters last night after watching a movie on TV.

How many chapters are there in this book? Is it 75? Oh yeah, it is, I just checked. At the rate I'm going, I won't be surprised if I don't finish it when the holidays are over! I still have to do my assignments and catch up on my reading for classes.

Anyway, about the book. Have you read it? Have you read the previous two books: A Great and Terribly Beauty and Rebel Angels? I was hooked on them and that's why I had to get this book. This book is the final one in the Gemma Doyle trilogy.

So Gemma holds all the magic now and she's quite unwilling to share it around. She is willing to give some to her closest friends, Felicity and Ann even though she doesn't seem to see them as true friends.

I find Felicity a selfish girl who's only using Gemma to get what she wants. As for Ann, well, she has dreams of becoming a performer. I don't know why Gemma can't confide much in Ann. Probably because Ann is already drowned in her own problems to care much for anyone else.

And Kartik! He and Gemma are obviously attracted to each other but as fate would have it, they can't be together. He's being chased by his old brotherhood called the Rakshana because he betrayed them. Was it not? He was supposed to kill Gemma but he couldn't do it. Just like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, huh? He didn't have the heart to murder the one he loves.

Alright, I guess that's all for this SS post. I had better continue my reading. Enjoy your Sunday and Happy Reading!

Sunday Salon: Friday's Child

I've decided to join The Sunday Salon! Hope it'll encourage and motivate me to read more on Sundays when I'm more inclined to spend the day sleeping or just wasting time online. I'm currently reading Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer, a review copy sent to me by Sourcebooks. I love Sourcebooks! They send me fabulous books for me to review.

Okay, right now I'm at Chapter 13 of Friday's Child. It's been a slow read for me but I'm trying. This is my first Georgette Heyer book and I'm not liking it so far. I hope that as I read, the story will get more interesting but I doubt it.

I think Hero doesn't really have a mind of her own and she only wants to please her husband, Sherry all the time. She married him so that she can escape being a governess and being looked down on. Well, she's quite a pleasant character and gets along with almost everybody.

I guess I'll go back to the book now. Will post updates after I've read a few more chapters.