Movie Review: Ready Player One

I read Ready Player One for the first time this year and I enjoyed the heck out of it! You can read my full review here. After reading it, I knew I had to see the movie so yesterday I went. I'm happy to report that I loved it! There was so much action and humor that it was just a really fun time! Here are some of my thoughts about it.

Book vs Movie?
If you’re looking for a replica of the events of the book, then this movie is not for you. It's pretty different. It was kind of like watching a fanfic of the book and I mean that in the best way possible. If you've read the book, you know there was no way that everything was going to end up in the movie. The licensing rights for everything would have been hella expensive. They had to change up a lot of things to use the rights they did get and made it work so the movie captured the essence of the book. There are way less obscure 80's references and more mainstream references that younger kids and teens will get. In my opinion, it worked out better in a lot of ways.

I had a few problems with the book and one of them was how flat of a character Art3mis was. The film made her into a more complex character and gave her a bigger role that wasn't just the convenient love interest one that she was relegated to in the book. I liked what they did with the High Five and that Aech had a bigger role in the movie too. I will admit that there was one character that I wish had had more of his bookish role but I really did like what they did with his character in the movie though.

The World Was Awesome!
I was a bit nervous to see what they how the film creators were going to represent the Oasis and the Stacks but I shouldn't have worried! Everything ended up so much better than I imagined it would! I loved how well they balanced the Oasis scenes with the real world segments! It really made the end message of the film hit home more. Also, the CGI for the Oasis scenes was absolutely stunning!

There's Pop Culture Everywhere!
As I mentioned before, getting as many of the licensing rights as they did was insane! Have I mentioned already how impressed I was that they got as many as they did? There are all sorts of pop culture references going back decades and a lot of them are from Warner Bros. movies. That makes sense since this movie is a Warner's property. The thing I found the most interesting was how there were no Steven Spielberg Easter eggs in the movie even though it was directed by him. They probably did that on purpose. I did love most of the substitutions they made. I'm still conflicted about the Iron Giant's involvement but I loved seeing him in the film.

Verdict?
While it wasn't the book, the movie was fun great and I loved it! I would highly recommend going and seeing as soon as you can!

   1/2

  4.5 / 5 Stars!

Weres Wanna Know: When do you get rid of books?

There are lots rules for cleaning out your closet, like "if you haven't worn it in a year, get rid of it." But that's totally unreasonable when it comes to cleaning out your bookcase. I mean, do you know anyone who could get through their TBR in a year?

But in the spirit of Spring Cleaning, I've been thinking about getting rid of some books. *gasp* I don’t read physical books as much as I used to. The Kindle app is just so convenient! But it means that I have paperbacks I haven’t touched in quite a while. I still have two boxes of books from when I moved six years ago! (Did I mention I only have two bookcases?) 

There are some series I quit reading like BDB, Argeneau, and Love at Stake. And there are some series I finished, but haven't really thought of rereading like Jocelyn Drake's Nightwalker and the Jill Kismet series by Lilith Saintcrow. But I’m hesitant to get rid of them because they have sentimental value since they're some of the first books I bought when I started reading UF/PNR.

I also quit reading Anita Blake but I've been thinking about looking back at the early books for a post on the Reverse Harem trend. So how can I be sure I'm not going to need those other books for something later?

And then there are two entire shelves of YA hardcovers that I’ve never read. They’re from subscription boxes or they were great deals. But some I might never read. How long do I keep them? Maybe until I need the shelf space? And how do I know which ones I’m not going to read. OK,  there’s one where the author was recently named as a serial harasser so that’s a definite no. But when you’re a mood reader, it’s tough to predict future moods. I’m stressed out just thinking about it!

So help me out folks! 

When do you get rid of books?

We’re participating in the 2018 Discussion Challenge hosted by It Starts at Midnight and Feed Your Fiction Addiction. Check out all the March discussions!

Movie Review: Love, Simon

If you were on social media at all this last weekend, you probably saw someone or several someones talking about Love, Simon. Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda was one of my favorite reads of 2017 so of course I grabbed some Oreos and went to see the movie opening night.

Spoiler: I loved it as much as I love Double Stuffed Oreos!

Positive Representation is a Hell of a Thing.
Love, Simon is funny, positive, heartfelt, and just freaking adorable. It felt like a love letter to John Hughes and it had the same feel as his iconic 80's teen rom-coms. It made me laugh and it made me sob right there in the middle of a completely packed theater. I wasn't the only one though. I went and saw this with my best friend and his boyfriend and there wasn't a dry eye among us during certain scenes. I couldn't help but wish that we had had a movie like this when we were in high school and he was struggling to keep his sexuality a secret. Love, Simon is a film that believes and shows that everyone deserves a sweet, sappy movie love story, especially people who are often denied them. Positive representation is one hell of a thing and we need more of it in mainstream media.

Each character was perfectly cast! I was a little skeptical about how well Nick Robinson would play Simon but he nailed the character. Seriously. All the characters were perfectly played. And I loved that Simon's love interest, Blue, is played by a gay actor. Also, Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel were so great as Simon's parents! My BFF and I bawled during the scenes where Simon had heart-to-hearts with his parents. It just so great to see such a supportive and loving family on the big screen.

 

There were quite a few changes from the book but there needed to be. A lot of the book is emails between Simon and Blue and wouldn't translate well to the big screen. In my opinion, while it wasn't a perfect adaptation, the changes worked really well while keeping the book's message and adorable feel. The movie kind of became its own entity and I loved it so much!

Ethan
One of my favorite things about the movie was a character named Ethan. Ethan wasn't in the book but he's an addition that makes this story even better. He is the opposite of Simon. He's out and proud and won't let anyone shame him for who he is. He's also had it rough. As the first and only out gay guy at Creekwood, he was frequently bullied about it. He's the perfect flamboyant foil to Simon's normal and I loved him so much!

The Soundtrack
I going to be honest. I don't really buy soundtracks but I bought Love, Simon's as soon as I left the theater. It's SO good! I had never heard of the group, Bleachers, before the movie and now I'm kind of in love with them. As a whole, the music just fit the movie and I can't help but smile when certain songs come up on my playlist.

Verdict?
GO SEE IT. Go See It Now!

    

  5 / 5 Stars!

We Love Lists: Authors You Should Follow Even If You Don't Read Their Books

Looking through my social media accounts recently, I realized that I follow a lot of authors that I've never read. Most are of the "I fully intend to read that book one day" variety, but there are some that just post cool stuff.

 Here are a few of our favorite authors we think you should follow even if you don't read their books.

On Twitter:
Rachel Hawkins (@LadyHawkins)
I have a copy of Hawkins's upcoming release Royals that I'll be reviewing right here on the blog next month, but I started following her for Sexy History. She breaks down historical events by who was sleeping with whom. It's like a soap opera with gifs. Way more fun than any of my history classes ever were.

Cherie Priest (@cmpriest)
I loved Priest's Cheshire Red books, but I haven't read any of her newer ones. I mostly follow her because she has the best pet photos! And she has both dogs and cats so there's something for everyone.

Mackenzi Lee (@themackenzilee)
Lee released a new book called Bygone Badass Broads last month. But it started out on Twitter. She's also the author of one our fave books of 2017. And she's writing a YA Loki book, which I'm eagerly awaiting more news on.

Stephen Blackmoore (@sblackmoore)
Blackmoore writes daily horoscopes better than any you'll find in Cosmo.

Delilah S. Dawson (@delilahsdawson)

I actually love her books but Dawson also gives writing advice almost every day, as well as tips for navigating Cons. And she talks about Star Wars a lot.

On Instagram:

We need some recs for more interesting Instagrams. But here are a couple faves:

Kerri Maniscalco (@kerrimaniscalco)

I love her photos because they're simple but unexpected. 

Sarah Andersen (@sarahandersencomics)

Rose Red's reviewed some of the Sarah Scribbles books here on the blog. The author also posts comics on Instagram.

Tahereh Mafi (@taherehmafi)

If you love fashion as well as books, follow her. She has a great wardrobe and great quality pics. Also check out Ransom Riggs since they're all over each other feeds. His is a little more travel-focused though.

Who are your favorite authors to follow and why?

Did you know you can follow us on Twitter? We have a new blog account @threeweres.

We're also on Instagram @goldiloxandthethreeweres.

RTFB Manga Edition, Vol. 2: My Hero Academia, Vols. 1-10

Today's Read This F@!%ing Book Manga Edition is all about one of my favorite ongoing manga series: My Hero Academia. I was sold on both the manga and the anime when my best friend described it to me as a Japanese Superhero High except way better. I was immediately intrigued. Let's talk a bit about this series, shall we?

My Hero Academia, Vols. 1-10

(Click book cover to go to Goodreads page)

My Hero Academia is one of many series where the anime lead to me picking up the manga. The series is classified as shounen and currently has seventeen volumes out in Japan with the 18th coming out in April. Eleven of those volumes have been translated into English with new volumes releasing every other month in the US.

When I first started watching the anime, it was a story that I never knew I needed in my life until I watched it last year. It's the perfect blend of Western superheroes and Eastern culture. And it is both an underdog story and origin story and I love it! The whole thing is about main character Izuku Midoriya's struggle going from being quirkless (having no superpower) to having to gain control of his quirk to learning how to be the hero he wants to be. This manga is perfect for those in your life who are obsessed with superheroes like I am. The illustrations have a definite comics feel to them while still retaining the feeling of being a manga.

Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, The Underdog Hero We Deserve
Deku is the type of underdog you can't help but fall in love with. When we are first introduced to him, he's a wimpy nerd who has no quirk in a society where everyone has a power. He's been singled out for being different and bullied by those stronger than him. You can't help but root for him to succeed. Everything changes when he meets his idol, All Might. Deku has to work harder than everyone else and it's so heartwarming to see him find friends and to start fulfilling his dream to be the number one hero. One of the things I adore about Deku is that he getting a quirk doesn't change who he fundamentally is. He is still the hero nerd we meet in the first episode analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each quirk he sees.

The Whole Cast is Great!
This manga has a large diverse cast and it is wonderful! I've fallen in love with most of the characters. The whole story revolves around Class 1-A and their interactions with one another. The friendships that form are amazing! And I am totally here for it! It's the best kind of tropey where you've got your rival character, your class president character, your love interest, your pervert, and, of course, your main character who wants to be the very best like no one ever was. All the characters are just so likable in combination with their designs, personalities, and special abilities that it makes the manga feel fresh and stand out amongst other shounen mangas.

Speaking of characters and their personalities, the hero suits and villain outfits are both ridiculous and cool. There is one character who has freaking grenade gauntlets but it works in the context of the story. Each character's suit design fits their personality and quirk to a tee. Did I mention they're kind of ridiculous? There is another character whose costume is badass and it's based off of a tape dispenser. A TAPE DISPENSER. As I said, it's kind of ridiculous but in aesthetic and actual design it works and is completely cohesive.

The Quirks Are Weirdly Awesome
I can't talk about this manga without mentioning the broad range of quirks and powers the characters have. It's become me and my Best Friend's favorite thing to try and guess what each new character's quirk does before it gets revealed. We hardly ever guess right but that's okay! It's refreshing. Some of the quirks are weird but they're also so unique that you can't help but keep watching to see how each character grows into their powers and learns how to do new things with them.

The Anime is Definitely Worth A Watch!
One of my very few complaints about this manga is that the action scenes can sometimes be hard to follow. But that's where the anime shines! The adaptation from the manga is practically perfect and the animation is awesome. I can't recommend it enough. It ranks high in my list of top five favorite animes of all-time. I own an actual physical copy of season one because I love it so much!