Movie Review : Black Swan (2010)

Movie Review : Black Swan (2010)

Plot:

Black Swan is an outstanding psychological thriller film by Darren Aronofsky.

Its a movie depicting a ballet dancer (Natalie Portman) craving to get a part in a play The Swan Lake as the main lead of The Swan Queen. She is perfect to be cast as the simple pure White Swan but lacks the dark side of her twin the Black Swan. She is extremely desperate to get the role and loses herself to reach the summit of perfection, to transform herself into the the dark one. Princess Odette becomes her dark twin Odile but not near any swan lake, right in the city of NY. The movie is basically about the psyche of the young ballerina Nina who is up for the challenge life has brought to her with her very first encounter to sensuality and the dread of not being the part of it. 

She takes off the mask of a good girl and hoes intimate with her competitor breaking every rule, but this this all turns out to be her dream. The play leaves an impact on her mind and she hallucinates the dark side of herself doing evil things to her body but soon she gives up to the reality of her dream and becomes complete by achieving her darkness and turning into a Black Swan.

The movie has a plot revolving around the famous ballet play The Swan Lake and also uses the mythical concept of a doppelganger.

Black Swan was an extreme hit and highly appreciated by the critics. Also won the lead, Natalie Portman, an academy award for her outstanding performance.

Review:

The only person standing in your way is you.

Everything about this movie is as classy as a Swan. The epitome of perfection comes from the flawless acting and mindly direction combined.

The film turned out to be a psychosexual thriller as it unwrapped.

There is something terribly mystic about this movie as it grabs attention from portraying a wrong angle of things going on around but its the anguish and ultimate frenzy which makes it wonderful.

The performances were utterly unexpected. Natalie Portman actually turned her character 360 degrees to fit into the plot as the result we get to see Odile taking birth from Odette. She deserved an Oscar which she got! 

Mila Kunis was in her sexy fiery element there. She was all a bold black swan would be like!

Black Swan doesn’t contain a kind of genre which is likeable to many but it does have small things that every audience (Adults only) might wanna talk about. The movie isn’t all fantasy ballerina story which actually disappointed some but it is about the transformation and realization of an inner force. It was a risk taken by the director who created an idealistic atmosphere for a movie which could raise brows but the terrific presence of crafty yet creative art beats everything!

By the end you are ready to scream:

I felt it. Perfect. I was perfect.

I liked The Ballerinas with a Twist so I wouldn’t hesitate rating it a whole:

****

Reviewed by : Adina Farid

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Movie Review : The Fault In Our Stars (2014)

 Movie Review : The Fault In Our Stars (2014)

Plot: 

-“Life doesn’t have to be perfect for love to be extraordinary.”

The Fault in Our Stars is a 2014 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Josh Boone, based on the novel of the same name by John Green. The film stars Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff, with Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, and Willem Dafoe in supporting roles. Woodley plays Hazel Grace Lancaster, a sixteen-year-old cancer patient who is forced by her parents to attend a support group, where she subsequently meets and falls in love with Augustus Waters, portrayed by Ansel Elgort.

Movie Review:

Note: If you think this is another chick-flick, a stupid perverted rom-com or a depressing story about cancer, ATTENTION: IT ISN’T.

Being a true fan of John Green’s ‘The Fault’, I was looking forward to its movie adaptation with great anticipation. And this movie is just spot on. Josh Boone was successful to bring out the essence of the book on the big screen in the right manner. The actors portraying the characters were utterly perfect and had a great understanding about their roles. I’ll start by talking about the rising enigma i.e. Shailene Woodley (known for her lead role in “Divergent”). She plays the terminally-ill Hazel Grace like no one else could have & makes me see Hazel in a new light. I greatly appreciate the qualities Hazel possesses of empathy, kindness, wit and no-nonsense attitude. I laughed with her, I cried with her & most of all, I understood her. That is what a protagonist is supposed to make you feel like and she did her job well. 

“The world is not a wish-granting factory.”

Now, my favorite character i.e. Augustus Waters, who is portrayed by the new and talented actor Ansel Elgort (seen in “Carrie” and “Divergent”). I am just biased when it comes to him. First of all, I am irrevocably in love with Augustus Waters; secondly, Ansel is just so cute and charming like a peacock in this role..that I cannot even describe it to the best of my capabilities. He’s just adorable. *Sigh* He came in Hazel’s life and changed it forever, likewise he changed mine too.

“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.”

 Here’s a fun fact:

Ansel Elgort who played Shailene’s brother in Divergent is her “Epic love” in this movie. Yes, that’s right! Believe me, this movie isn’t awkward at all but seeing them as siblings in Divergent definitely was.

So I was talking about Ansel/Gus. He did his role of a pretentious ,dramatic ,metaphor-believing witty, and funny Augustus with utmost perfection. But when it came to cute, vulnerable, loving, caring , and emotional Augustus, he broke all the dams that were holding my tears back. I literally cried. I won’t give any spoilers though. Those who have read the book know what I am talking about and those who haven’t should a) READ IT! What are you waiting for? It’s a thin book with a roller coaster of emotions. & b) after reading the book, watch the movie! Because this is among the best book adaptations ever.

“I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”

Then the cute/blind best friend Isaac is played by Natt Wolff. He is a great comic-relief in this movie. I loved how naturally he said all his lines like a normal person does, but I wish he had more scenes just like in the book. He was great though.& so was Hazel’s mom, played by Laura Dern .She reminded me of my own mom. Hazel’s father, Patrick from support-group & last and the least (pun intended) Peter van Houten were all like a fragmentation of my imagination put into reality.

“It's a metaphor, see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing.”-Augustus

The soundtrack of this movie is equally entertaining and is on repeat on my playlist. ‘All of the Stars’ by Ed Sheeran captures the soul of the entire movie. “All I Want” by Kodaline with its beautiful lyrics capture the tragic element and if you are looking for a peppy-teen number, listen to ‘Boom Clap’ by Charli XCX. ‘Let Me In’ by Grouplove is another good one.

Thank you John Green for bestowing the world with your acerbic wit in the form of Fault and thank you Josh Boone for making it soo perfect.

In a nutshell, this movie is worth every smile, every tear, every laugh. Watch it with your bffs or alone and have the time of your life. Okay? Okay.

“Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.”

-Augustus

This movie is worth all the hype it is creating and is already my favourite romantic movie. I’ll rate it with: 

*****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Book Review: If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

Book Review: If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

Plot:

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.” 

A magical tale by one of the best creator of fiction love Cecelia Ahern.

‘If you could see me now’ is about Elizabeth who’s serious responsible and stuck in a small romantic Irish town, which bears not a hinge of interest for the placid-thinking Elizabeth, with her 6 year old nephew Luke.

The abandonment of her free-spirited mother in early age has made her look and think far from her age while on the other hand Saoirse, her younger sister, is replica of her mother. She left her newborn son in charge of Elizabeth and left to live life to its fullest, though she comes back time to time in her life for favors.

Then there is Ivan, he is and isn’t at the same time, well the hero (My most favorite of all other fictitious heroes) is an imaginary friend.

Ivan is a citizen of the Imaginary World where there are fairies and friends always present to help disturbed children. But as the tale proceeds its not only Luke who needs a friend.

Ivan soon realises that Elizabeth can feel his presence, the more she gets deep into depression the she feels him. At last there comes time when she could see him but not as Luke’s imaginary friend. They both go out and spend time together changing and transforming each other, completing themselves. Elizabeth smiles down to the life that she had around her forever, she allows herself to finally feel the pull of love thats greater than gravity.

At that point the task that was given to Ivan is complete. He has done what he was sent for, mending the lives of his friends. Opal, Ivan’s boss feels the change in him and reminds him that their Love is as imaginary as him.

Eventually there comes a time when Elizabeth stops seeing Ivan and he is again invisible to her (a major heartbreak).

Somehow they both carry on with their lives, transformed into something better,

But Elizabeth Remains His Favorite Friend.

“Don't ever take for granted when people look in your eyes; you have no idea how important it is to be acknowledged. Even if it's an angry stare, because it's when they ignore you, when they look right through you, that you should start worrying.” 

Review:

“I think I wished for you all of my life.”

The Happily Ever After is not what you expect but here it comes in a style that only Ahern can write.

If you could see me now is something beyond words. The love and the feel of this outstanding book is everlasting. The fiction within the fiction is so real that makes you believe the stories of childhood and relive them with a new dimension.

This book is special, as special as every small moment of happiness in life is. This book is not about Elizabeth or Ivan, but this is a story of how angels are sent down to bring people back to life. It is lovestory that doesn’t need any place or time to survive, only a moment of realisation will do.

If I let go without writing about the moment of separation, it remains incomplete. Ahern has given words to the feel of leaving your loved one alone and watching them as they go on with their lives, living the dreams that you saw together. It is that time when you wish that They could see you now,

The air of magical romance of a small Irish town mixed up with an unforgettable Lovestory that one can ever get hands on to,

“If you love something, let it go. if it was meant to be, it will come back to you.” 

I left my heart in the last page of the book where Ivan watches Elizabeth and Luke happy with their lives.

So I would rate this epic tale:

*****

Reviewed by Adina Farid

Thanks!!

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Book Review : The Other Side Of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon

Book Review : The Other Side Of Midnight
by Sidney Sheldon

Plot:

Novel by one of World’s favorite storyteller, Sidney Sheldon. This epic tale is a story of two women born far away from each other but linked closely by fate. One of them being the most beautiful powerful and wild Noelle Page and the other being the smart brainy and unaware of the mysteries that beauty and sexuality beholds, Catherine Alexander.

Noelle has a tough start to life as she struggles to become something she thinks she is. On the way road to success, moving past/with different men she finds the one who’s ‘the one’ the American RAF pilot Lawrence "Larry" Douglas.

She has a nice warm affair with him but soon he leaves her, alone and pregnant, dressed up for wedding.

She then swears on her life to take everything away from Larry which would quench the thirst of her rage starting from his unborn child.

Larry meets Catherine and gets married to her soon after. This is when Noelle meets the Powerful Constantin Demiris (Costa) and finds her way to go to the extreme limit and destroy everything. Everything. Including herself.

Review:

“If you don't know why, I could never explain it to you.”

Written by the pen of Sheldon, this one beholds a tale of deception and rage which eventually results in doom. One of the great thing about this book is the drama and theme of it. The strong storyline and bewitching characters may be a part of fiction but never once you feel them far from reality or you don’t want them to be.

The character of Noelle Page is the protagonist. She has a different nature, the one you would want to know more about. Sidney creates an aura of mystery around her and even when she does evil you can not disagree to her moves keeping in mind all that she had to bear. the rise and fall in her career is a mirror to a struggler’s life.

The story is different. Theme is fantastic and to sum it up this book is a must read.

“To be successfull you need friends and to be very successfull you need enemies.” 

I would give this one of my two introductory books of Sidney Sheldon (the other being ‘Stars shine down)

a whole-hearted:

****1/2

Reviewed by Adina Farid

Thanks!!

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

TV Series Review : One Tree Hill

TV Series Review : One Tree Hill

Plot:

One of the longest running American Drama series, the one to die for, One Tree Hill is originally a story of one’s belonging. Its is about a place call Tree Hill and the not so ordinary citizens.

The series started with the focal point of rivalry between two half brothers Lucas and Nathan Scott and soon became high school teenage tale of America’s most famous teenagers; the most beautiful gorgeous & Lucas’s Pretty Girl Brooke Davis, the smart but confused yet the most desirable Peyton Sawyer, the tutor girl meets the funny meets the hot and honest friend Haley James and her Basketball star bf Nathan Scott, last but not least the storyteller Lucas Scott.

The series went on and on from that point focusing numerous love affairs, crazy and unforgettable new characters, brilliant basketball players, evil dads, gorgeous designers, uncountable heartbreaks, peppy rock stars and all the way down to the cute next generation of Tree Hill teens: Jamie Scott (Haley & Nathan’s son).

To sum up the 10 years of successful run there is only one statement One Tree Hill doesn't focus exclusively on the teenagers, but also stretches out to include dedicated subplots for their parents and other adults.

Review: 

You ever heard the expression “the best things in life are free”? Well, that expression is true. Every once in a while, people step up they rise above themselves…sometimes they surprise you and sometimes they fall short. Life is funny sometimes.

The characters in this drama series are unique attracting and different. Somehow we get to see the youth of the new world and how it evolves from the high school routine life to the exposure of practical world. Some survive this evolution while some remain tied to the roots of home front. The Series showed us Brooke Davis & Haley getting everything they want and also Peyton Sawyer fighting the troubled family setting. 

Then to the male characters we saw Lucas & Nathan on the road to success with a ton of turmoils. About the adult cast the evil dad Dan Scott is a constant villain while Deb struggles her way out of a troublesome marriage. It is a series that survived too long and enjoyed full interest of audience. It leaves memories and moments that are worthwhile.

One Tree Hill is tv’s most loved shows ever. The music, the story everything is upto expectations. Its a dreamland, a wish for a perfect teen life. It attracts every kind of audience with the story that it conveys.

There is no reason to rate it any less than five stars and every reason to watch it again and again, the story of never ending friendship never becomes old, the songs have an ever lasting aura.

So yes, a straight:

*****

Reviewed by Adina Farid

Thanks!!

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Book Review : The Geography Of You And Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Book Review : The Geography Of You And Me 

by Jennifer E. Smith

“And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart 

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)” -- E.E. Cummings

Book Synopsis:

Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.

Lucy and Owen's relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and -- finally -- a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith's new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

Review:

I started reading this book online today and completed it right now. There's something about this book that is addictive; I just couldn't stop reading it once I started. There was instantly something so simple, sweet and adorable about the entire scenario, getting stuck in a lift with someone, and how those few seconds’ difference could have made the biggest of changes, yet Lucy and Owen were such realistic characters, and they brought this naive and spontaneous nature to themselves that made the story what it was. There's something kind of wonderful about the thought of meeting someone in a lift, and being stuck with them and their company throughout what should have been one of the most scary experiences of somebody's life, and to then share that moment for a whole night, in the middle of a New York City blackout with defrosting ice cream and a sky full of stars, is just magical. Smith managed to make the whole thing so believable and almost like a conscious thought that I was so lost and wrapped up in the whole story from chapter one; I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Their story, written across the globe in miles and postcards, via lakes and rivers, from New York to the hills of Edinburgh, the Point Zero in Paris, London, the seaport of Seattle, right back to New York, to the night they met, for me, couldn't have been more perfect. 

It covered the aspect of growing away from people, moving on with life, taking what live throws at you, living your dreams and how your dreams aren't always what you want in the end. Something about family, the difference between having someone and not having someone, having something, somewhere, a part of you lost everywhere you've been and being happy with it. Owen and Lucy grew so much as people, growing as they learnt from their wrong relationships, growing into themselves and the journeys they took over nine months, growing as they learnt from each others’ lessons, and growing to meet each other once more.

There was something so honest and perfect about this story, something so sweet and lovable, something so amazing about trekking across the world to find that home isn't a place, it's a person, and a feeling, a pull to something better.

Some Great Quotes From the Book:

• “He was like one of her novels, still unfinished and best understood in the right place and at the right time. She already couldn’t wait to read the rest.”

•“Sometimes it seemed as if his whole life was an exercise in waiting; not waiting to leave, exactly, but simply waiting to go. He felt like one of those fish that had the capacity to grow in unimaginable ways if only the tank were big enough. But his tank had always been small, and as much as he loved his home- as much as he loved his family- he'd always felt himself bumping up against the edges of his own life.”

• “But there's no such thing as a completely fresh start. Everything new arrives on the heels of something old, and every beginning comes at the cost of an ending.”

•“There's a difference between loneliness and solitude.”

This book seems to be quite underrated but it took me places, and I enjoyed in the simplicity it offered.

 I’ll rate it with:

****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Movie Review: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

Movie Review: The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

" Let Life In"

Ben Stiller directs and stars in THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY, James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker (Kristen Wiig) are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

Review :

Watching this movie, there was a smile on my face the whole time. I wanted to drop everything off and go out on an adventure just like Mitty did. And that is right. Sometimes you do have to take the leap. There is so much beauty in this world waiting for you to notice it. Just like John Green mentioned in TFIOS:

“The Universe wants to be noticed.”

This is exactly what I felt and understood while watching this film. In a way we are all like Mitty: we imagine so many things, keep daydreaming about how we are going to face every obstacle in our lives with some super hero strength but in reality, we are afraid. We are oh so afraid to do what our heart tells us. But we have to take chances in order to live. I should be reviewing this movie about how perfectly Ben Stiller did his role, how beautiful the landscape was, how the special effects were spot-on. These all things were there and surely played a major role but the message this movie contains is far too important than any of these things, Hence; my totally philosophical rant above.

I just saw this movie and I think it deserved a fricking Oscar. It was that awesome. Nevertheless, this quote from the movie justifies the cruelty of Oscars:

 -“Beautiful things don’t ask for attention.”

It will always be a thought-provoking and a really really beautiful movie for me. And those of you who have good taste in movies will definitely love it too.

I’ll rate it with:

****1/2

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Book Review: Where Rainbow Ends (a.k.a Love Rosie) by Cecelia Ahern

Book Review: Where Rainbow Ends (a.k.a Love Rosie)
by Cecelia Ahern

“Home isn't a place, it’s a feeling”

Book Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of PS, I Love You comes a delightfully enchanting novel about what happens when two people who are meant to be together just can't seem to get it right.

Rosie and Alex are destined for one another, and everyone seems to know it but them. Best friends since childhood, their relationship gets closer by the day, until Alex gets the news that his family is leaving Dublin and moving to Boston. At 17, Rosie and Alex have just started to see each other in a more romantic light. Devastated, the two make plans for Rosie to apply to colleges in the U.S. 

She gets into Boston University, Alex gets into Harvard, and everything is falling into place, when on the eve of her departure, Rosie gets news that will change their lives forever: She's pregnant by a boy she'd gone out with while on the rebound from Alex. 

Her dreams for college, Alex, and a glamorous career dashed, Rosie stays in Dublin to become a single mother, while Alex pursues a medical career and a new love in Boston. But destiny is a funny thing, and in this novel, structured as a series of clever e-mails, letters, notes, and a trail of missed opportunities, Alex and Rosie find out that fate isn't done with them yet.

Book Review:

This book from the author of P.S. I love you is a sweet read that clutches at your heart. Totally different from other styles of writing, this story is told in the forms of correspondences that take place between the main characters in the story. Rosie and Alex are childhood friends who grow up together till Alex has to move away due to his father getting a better job offer in US. However, Rosie's and Alex's friendship does not grow weaker, instead they seem to develop feelings for each other which does not reach a fruitful conclusion till the very end of the novel by which time Alex and Rosie are in their 50's and a whole lifetime has passed without them being together.

You hang upon every word and wait with impatience for the end. Until it is the end and you wish it'll continue because you don't want to let go of the characters you've come to know and understand, most of all to love. Rosie Dunne is a wonderful woman; she has dreams even though she keeps facing the treacherous twists and turns of life. And Alex Stewart who succeeds to follow his dreams but keeps making the stupidest mistakes when it comes to love. Two soul-mates who through their life never get a chance to meet the way they should. Best friends since childhood, we see them grow up and face life in their own way while preserving  their  friendship.

Cecelia Ahern keeps you hanging wondering and even cursing these two for making the wrong decisions time and time again. It is a must read! You get the whole idea of how life works, how for the youngster it doesn't stop at school but it continues way after, how you can survive any ups and downs, how if you finally speak up and say how you feel you'll get to be with the person you love and cherish! 

Some Great Quotes From the Book:

•“Twice we stood beside each other at the altar, Rosie. Twice. And twice we got it wrong. I needed you to be there for my wedding day but I was too stupid to see that I needed you to be the reason for my wedding day. But we got it all wrong.”

•“You deserve someone who loves you with every single beat of his heart, someone who thinks about you constantly, someone who spends every minute of every day just wondering what you’re doing, where you are, who you’re with, and if you’re OK. You need someone who can help you reach your dreams and protect you from your fears. You need someone who will treat you with respect, love every part of you, especially your flaws. You should be with someone who could make you happy, really happy, dancing on air happy.”

This is the kind of book that you start with a smile and end with a smile. 

I’ll rate it with:

****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

Movie News:

“Love Rosie” is in its post-production state & this movie is going to be released  in October 2014. Sam Claflin ,who played Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,is going to star as Alex and Lily Collins ,who played Clary in The Mortal Instruments:City Of Bones, is playing the character of Rosie. I think this movie is going to be worth watching, simply because Sam is in it. *swooning*

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter: 

https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts

keep reading ~~~~ keep commenting ~~~~ keep sharing"

Book Review : The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book Review : The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

“Like most misery, it started with apparent happiness.”

Plot:

Narrated by Death, The Book Thief is the story of Liesel Meminger, a nine-year-old German girl who given up by her mother to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann in the small town of Molching in 1939, shortly before World War II. On their way to Molching, Liesel's younger brother Werner dies, and she is traumatized, experiencing nightmares about him for months. Hans is a gentle man who brings her comfort and helps her learn to read, starting with a book Liesel took from the cemetery where her brother was buried.

Liesel befriends a neighborhood boy, Rudy Steiner, who falls in love with her. At a book burning, Liesel realizes that her father was persecuted for being a Communist, and that her mother was likely killed by the Nazis for the same crime. She is seen stealing a book from the burning by the mayor's wife Ilsa Hermann, who later invites Liesel to read in her library.

Keeping a promise he made to the man who saved his life, Hans agrees to hide a Jew named Max Vandenberg in his basement. Liesel and Max become close friends, and Max writes Liesel two stories about their friendship, both of which are reproduced in the novel. When Hans publicly gives bread to an old Jew being sent to a concentration camp, Max must leave, and Hans is drafted into the military at a time when air raids over major German cities were escalating in terms of frequency and fatality. Liesel next sees Max being marched towards the concentration camp at Dachau.

 Liesel loses hope and begins to disdain the written word, having learnt that Hitler's propaganda is to blame for the war and the Holocaust and the death of her biological family, but Ilsa encourages her to write. Liesel writes the story of her life in the Hubermanns' basement, where she miraculously survives an air raid that kills Hans, Rosa, Rudy, and everyone else on her block. Liesel survives the war, as does Max. She goes on to live a long life and dies at an old age.

Review:

Disclaimer: 

If you want a fast read, this book is not for you. If you only like happy endings this book is not for you. If you don't like experimental fiction, this book is not for you. 

If you love to read and if you love to care about the characters you read about and if you love to eat words like they're ice cream and if you love to have your heart broken and mended on the same page, this book is for you. 

“When death captures me,” the boy vowed, “he will feel my  fist on his face.”

Personally, I quite like that. Such stupid  gallantry.

Yes.

I like that a lot.

Death himself narrates the story about a little girl named Liesel growing up with her foster parents in Nazi Germany. At the beginning, I felt somewhat intimidated by the idea of Death as a narrator. I assumed that his voice would be dark and thunderous, but for the most part, he was a ray of light illuminating earth’s saddest time. Incredibly insightful observations and occasional dry humor are only some of the things no one but Death could have brought into this story. Besides, we hear people calling God’s name every day for many reasons, but when Death calls to Him in despair and even those calls fall on deaf ears, no one can fail to understand the gravity of the situation.

I do not carry a sickle or a scythe.

I only wear a hooded black robe when it’s cold.

And I don’t have those skull-like 

facial features you seem to enjoy

pinning on me from a distance. You 

want to know what I truly look like?

I’ll help you out. Find yourself a mirror while I continue.

The Book Thief is not one of those books you read compulsively, desperate to find out what’s on the next page. No. It is, in fact, better to read it slowly, in small doses, in a way that allows you to savor every word and absorb the power and the magic it contains. All the while, you know what’s going to happen. Death has no patience for mysteries. However, anticipation of the inevitable makes it even worse. My whole body was tingling with fear because I knew what was coming and I knew that it was only a matter of time.

Zusak found a way to give a fresh approach to a much-told story. He offered a glimpse at the other side of the coin. Really, should we feel sorry for the people hiding in a basement in Munich suburbs? Sure, bombs are falling on their heads, but most of them are members of the Nazi Party, willingly or reluctantly. Some of them truly think that Jews are no better than rats. Some, on the other hand, are hiding a Jew in their own basement. Some are just innocent children. But the more important question is, are we any better at all if we don’t feel compassion and sorrow? Death does a great job of asking all these questions in a calm, unobtrusive way.

Some Quotes From the Book:

•“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you.”

•“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”

•“Somewhere, far down, there was an itch in his heart, but he made it a point not to scratch it. He was afraid of what might come leaking out.”

•“I guess humans like to watch a little destruction. Sand castles, houses of cards, that's where they begin. Their great skills is their capacity to escalate.”

•“There was once a strange, small man. He decided three important details about his life: 

1. He would part his hair from the opposite side to everyone else. 

2. He would make himself a small, strange mustache. 

3. He would one day rule the world. 

...Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words.”

I’d rate this different yet powerful novel with:

****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer 

Book Review : Fifty Shades Freed by E.L.James

Book Review : Fifty Shades Freed 

by E.L.James

Plot:

As we return back to the last & best of Grey series we find everything at its peak.

E.L James has created this last book with more magic & less kin!

The book starts with a jolt when Christian wakes up from his nightmare about his past where his mother lies cold and dead on floor.

Ana and Christian get married and go on honeymoon in Europe.

Christian's purchase of SIP goes through, and he tells Ana that he wants her to eventually run the business.

When Christian is out of town on a business trip, Ana sneaks out to have drinks with Kate. Jack attempts to break into Escala with the intention of kidnapping and assaulting Ana. The security team catches Jack and has him arrested, but Christian is furious with Ana for not staying home when she was told. Ana tells that Christian is too overprotective and controlling, but she tries to understand why he feels the need to protect her.

Christian surprises Ana by inviting Kate, Elliot, Mia, and Ethan to all go on vacation in Aspen, Colorado. Elliot proposes to Kate at a restaurant in front of all their friends.

Ray is badly injured in a car accident with a drunk driver, but manages to make a full recovery. Ana learns that she is pregnant because her birth control shot ran out early and she missed four appointments with Dr. Greene. When she tells Christian, he walks out on her. He tries to find Dr. Flynn, but instead finds himself at Elena's salon. He later comes home drunk and while Ana is trying to get him in bed, she sees a text from Elena. Ana worries that their marriage is on the rocks.

Jack is bailed out of prison by an unknown party (later revealed to be Elena's ex-husband, Mr. Lincoln). Jack and his accomplice (revealed to be Elizabeth Morgan) drug and kidnap Mia and hold her for a $5 million dollar ransom. Ana is able to outwit Jack and manages to save Mia's life, but is hurt in the process. Later, Ana discovers that Jack wanted revenge against Christian for destroying his life and taking SIP away from him. Elizabeth eventually feels guilty for her part and willingly testifies against Jack to the police.

At the hospital, Christian is upset with Ana for endangering both her and their baby's life, but apologizes for walking out on her. Most of Ana's family and friends are upset with her for being reckless -- except for Mia, who is actually grateful for being rescued. Christian finally opens up to Ana about his childhood in Detroit and his relationship with Elena. With Christian finally opening up to her, Ana's worries are put to rest.

In the Epilogue, Anastasia and Christian have a son Theodore and are expecting their second child, a daughter they name Phoebe. Kate and Elliot marry and have a daughter named Ava.

After the book ends with a happy ending there is some bonus material about their life afterwards. Ana gives birth to a baby boy whom they name after Grace’s father Theodore, and is expecting again with a baby girl.

The story has ended well but still with some space for yet another sequel!

Review:

“I want your world to begin and end with me.”

Outstanding and complete! Not a slight detail left unattended. What an splendid end to what an awesome series!

The turn of events and the unfolding Grey wraps up readers in to a mystified fog, intoxicating and addictive.

This last book of trilogy is also the best one as it is unputdownable right from the start!

If you are able to save yourself from kinky Christian after two books, the good and irresistibly hot Christian is waiting in this one!

All the secrets are revealed smoothly.

“Life is never going to be boring with Christian, and I’m in this for the long haul. I love this man: my husband, my lover, father of my child, my sometimes Dominant……my Fifty Shades.” 

I would rate this outstanding climax of one of my favorite series, a little over the top, with:
****1/2

Review by Kelly Cutrone

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Book Review: Anna and the French Kiss

 by Stephanie Perkins 

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz, 

or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,

in secret, between the shadow and the soul. 

-Pablo Neruda

Book Synopsis:

“French name, English accent, American school. Anna confused.” 

Anna is looking forward to starting her senior year in Atlanta--she's got a car, a great job, a great best friend, and a smoldering crush that may be evolving into more. Her father has other plans though. He wants her to experience "culture" and enrolls her in an American school in Paris. What? Anna doesn't speak a word of French and has no idea how she'll get through the year. That is until she meets the quite gorgeous and charming Etienne St. Claire. He is all that Anna could ever want in a boyfriend except for the fact that he already has a girlfriend. And doesn't Anna have an almost-boyfriend back home? As the year in the romantic City of Lights comes to an end, will all of the romantic near-misses finally come to something more for Anna and Etienne.

Review :

In this book, Anna is shipped off to SOAP, School of America in Paris by her Nicholas Sparky-type author dad; and she’s absolutely homesick, lost and insecure as she doesn’t speak a lick of French. Along comes the best crew of characters and not only befriend Anna, but drag her out of her dorm to experience the city of Paris and all of its wonders. As the book progresses, Anna and St. Clair develop a lovey type friendship that they eventually must acknowledge, but not without some messy stitches along the way. 

My favorite scenes in the book: Anna and St. Clair’s tour of the city, their Turkey dinner in Paris, yelling down the halls and stairwell during the holiday, sleepovers, multiple trips to the cinema, the flight home, the emails back and forth, the New Year’s telephone call, the banana bead, Pablo Neruda poetry book... I love Neruda! I could go on and on, so let’s just say I loved it all.

St. Clair is absolute perfection, yummier than a fluffy croissant. Anna is adorably awesome and flawed. Together, their story is full of enjoyable moments that reminded me how sporadically awesome it is to be a teenager. I’m in love with the theaters, Notre Dame, Point Zero des routes de France, Luxembourg Gardens and what not!! Every place in this book deserves to be fallen in love with!

And the friends! Gosh, Friends like Mer, Rashmi & Josh are what everyone needs. And the 'BEST FRIEND' St. Clair. I want to hear him say “Ba-nah-na”. Endless love :) 

This book made me real happy, when I was depressed. It’s a cute book for those who love Paris, Friendship & Love! 

Favorite Quotes :

-“I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul.” 

-“Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?”

-“The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you.”

-“I wish friends held hands more often, like the children I see on the streets sometimes. I'm not sure why we have to grow up and get embarrassed about it.” 

It’s a Parisian delight, just the right choice for book worms with a sweet tooth searching for a sugary and romantic read.

 I’ll rate it:

****

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer 

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts

Book Review : Paper Towns by John Green

Book Review : Paper Towns by John Green

Book Synopsis:

Paper Towns is the third young adult novel by John Green known for his famous YA novels “The Fault In Our Stars” and “Looking For Alaska”.

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they’re for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew. 

Review:

"Tonight, darling, we are going to right a lot of wrongs. And we are going to wrong some rights. The first shall be last; the last shall be first; the meek shall do some earth-inheriting. But before we can radically reshape the world, we need to shop." 

The first 80% of this book followed John Green’s usual (and usually successful) recipe: a smart, well-read and generally well-balanced boy ( “Both my parents are therapists, which means I am really goddamned well adjusted.” ) becomes obsessed with a beautiful, chaotic and self-destructive girl and, through his infatuation, learns about himself, life and adulthood. 

Quentin Jacobsen has been in love with his next door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman for as long as he can remember. Margo is everything: she is the most popular girl in school, she is smart, she is funny, she is restless. She has also been ignoring Q ever since they were old enough to have friends outside their neighborhood. Then, one night shortly before their graduation, Margo shows up at Quentin’s window and invites him along for a night or “righting some wrongs and wronging some rights”, after which she disappears, leaving only a few vague clues for Quentin to find. Instead of focusing on his finals and his upcoming graduation, Q becomes obsessed with finding Margo dead or alive (although dead seems more likely by the minute) and while searching, he learns the difference between Margo the dream and Margo the girl. 

There are many wonderful things I could say about this book, but above all, I appreciated that Green kept pointing out how extraordinarily self-centered each and every character was. I would love to say that this was limited to teens, as one expects teens to be completely egocentric, but it started with Margo’s parents and spread to everyone else involved.  This book was definitely a fun read and had some really good characters and witty comebacks.

Quotes That Made Me Think:

-Isn't it also that on some fundamental level we find it difficult to understand that other people are human beings in the same way that we are? We idealize them as gods or dismiss them as animals.

-What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person.

-I'm starting to realize that people lack good mirrors. It's so hard for anyone to show us how we look, and so hard for us to show anyone how we feel.

-As much as life can suck, it always beats the alternative.

-“That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfeast cereals based on color instead of taste.”

Rating :

There is something about Green’s humor that just sits well with me.

I’ll rate this book: 

***1/2 

Movie Lovers Treat:

“Paper Towns” is being made into a movie by the team of “The Fault In Our Stars” and Natt Wolf has been casted as Quentin who is going to appear in TFIOS as Isaac.

Reviewed by Fouzia Umer

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter:
 https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts

Book Review : Fifty Shades Of Grey by E.L.James

Book Review : Fifty Shades Of Grey 

by E.L.James

Plot:

Written By E.L James this erotic fiction was firstly based on the story of Twilight, using the same details. But after immense popularity of this genre writer wrote the whole trilogy & is one of the best seller these days.

Well, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be! Fifty shades of Grey is a true fantasy world. A treasure to woman fiction as well a guide to BDSM.

This kinky version of Twilight has touched the epitome of success in no time.

The Story takes start in Portland where Anastasia Rose Steele is going to interview one of the most handsome, rich & powerful businessman of America because her roommate & editor of student paper Katherine Kate Kavanagh is sick.

She has no idea about Christian Grey’s background even about his age & looks. Just there to oblige to her dear friend’s request when she enters clumsily into Mr. Grey’s office and finds a Greek God-like ridiculously handsome man sitting behind desk. Ana hyperventilates! 

As a result she stumbles through the interview and leaves Christian's office believing that it went badly. Ana tries to console herself with the thought that the two of them will probably not meet each other again. However she is surprised when Christian appears at Clayton's, the largest independent hardware store in the Portland area, where she works. While he purchases various items including cable ties, masking tape and rope, Ana informs Christian that Kate would like some photographs to go along with her article about him. Christian leaves Ana with his phone number. Later that day, Kate urges Ana to call Christian and arrange a photo shoot with their photographer friend José Rodriguez.

The next day José, Kate, and Ana arrive for the photo shoot at the hotel where Christian is staying and Christian asks Ana out for coffee. The two talk over coffee and Christian asks Ana if she's dating anyone, specifically José. When Ana replies that she isn't dating anyone, Christian begins to ask her about her family. During the conversation Ana learns that Christian is also single, but is not "a hearts and flowers kind of guy". This intrigues Ana, especially after he pulls her out of the path of an oncoming cyclist. However, Ana believes that she is not attractive enough for Christian, much to the chagrin of Kate.

After finishing her exams Ana receives a package from Christian containing first edition copies of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, which stuns her. Later that night Ana goes out drinking with her friends and ends up drunk dialing Christian, who informs her that he will be coming to pick her up because of her inebriated state. Ana goes outside to get some fresh air, and José attempts to kiss her but is stopped by Christian's arrival. Ana leaves with Christian, but not before she discovers that Kate has been flirting with Christian's brother, Elliott. Later Ana wakes to find herself in Christian's hotel room, where he scolds her for not taking proper care of herself. Christian then reveals that he would like to have sex with her. He initially says that Ana will first have to fill out paperwork, but later goes back on this statement after making out with her in the elevator.

Ana goes on a date with Christian where he takes her in his helicopter to his apartment. Once there, Christian insists that she sign a non-disclosure agreement forbidding her to discuss anything that they do together, which Ana agrees to sign. He also mentions other paperwork, but first takes her to his playroom full of BDSM toys and gear. There Christian informs her that the second contract will be one of dominance and submission and that there will be no romantic relationship, only a sexual one. The contract even forbids Ana from touching Christian or making eye contact with him. At this point, Christian realises that Ana is a virgin and agrees to take her virginity without making her sign the contract. The two then have sex.

The following morning Ana and Christian once again have sex, and his mother, who arrives moments after their sexual encounter, is surprised by the meeting, having previously thought Christian was homosexual because she had never seen him with a woman. Christian later takes Ana out to eat, and he reveals to her that he lost his virginity at fifteen to one of his mother's friends and that his previous dominant/submissive relationships failed due to incompatibility. They plan to meet up again and Christian takes Ana home, where she discovers several job offers and admits to Kate that she and Christian have had sex.

Over the next few days Ana receives several packages from Christian. These include a laptop to enable her to perform research on the BDSM lifestyle in consideration of the contract as well as for the two of them to communicate, since she has never previously owned a computer, and a more detailed version of the dominant/submissive contract. She and Christian email each other, with Ana teasing him and refusing to honor parts of the contract, such as only eating foods from a specific list. Ana later meets up with Christian to discuss the contract, only to grow overwhelmed by the potential BDSM arrangement and the potential of having a sexual relationship with Christian that is not romantic in nature. Because of these feelings Ana runs away from Christian and does not see him again until her college graduation, where he is a guest speaker. During this time, Ana agrees to sign the dominant/submissive contract.

Ana and Christian once again meet up to further discuss the contract, and they go over Ana's hard and soft limits. Ana is spanked for the first time by Christian; the experience leaves her both enticed and slightly confused. This confusion is exacerbated by Christian's lavish gifts, and the fact that he brings her to meet his family. The two continue with the arrangement without Ana having yet signed the contract. After successfully landing a job with Seattle Independent Publishing, Ana further bristles under the restrictions of the non-disclosure agreement and the complex relationship with Christian.

The tension between Ana and Christian eventually comes to a head after Ana asks Christian to punish her in order to show her how extreme a BDSM relationship with him could be. Christian fulfills Ana's request, beating her with a belt, only for Ana to realize that the two of them are incompatible. Devastated, Ana leaves Christian and returns to the apartment she shares with Kate.

Review:

“I've never wanted more, until I met you.” 

Without any ado Grey is the most hottest & helplessly addictive book ever published!

This genre has been there before but the presence of this series has given it popularity it never imagined. 

Apart from kinky fuckery and stolen background of twilight this book has its own charm as its has Christian Grey. The most powerful fictional hero ever created. 

What else does Grey series have? Why so much hype? Well to be honest to God, a lot of info on BDSM tools and gear and lifestyle so rich that one can’t stop drooling.

The mood and story of this book is much more logical and intriguing than that of Twilight, clearly!

If you prefer critics over your mind and wishes than definitely Mr. Grey won’t please you as it can be called a Critic’s nightmare and Teenager’s Brain-Destroyer!

The dailogs between Anastasia and Christian, The emails & most specifically Ana’s subconscious are evidence of writer’s ability but then the kinky part becomes too much at one point to bear.

Overall this book is quite entertaining and a dose full of shining stars to our fantasy world!

A movie is also being made on this novel and will hit the charts pretty soon.

I do Believe you’re making my palm twitch!

This book works for me and well again TBH, I’m obsessed with Christian so maybe a little biased I would rate this ridiculously awesome book

****

Laters, Baby!

Reviewed by Kelly Cutrone (Me)

My Facebook Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/bestreviewedmovies

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kelly2Cutrone

Follow me on GooglePlus : 

https://plus.google.com/103235364757631868551/posts