Book to Movie: Salem Falls

Summary: Based on the best-selling Jodi Picoult book, former teacher Jack McBradden moves to Salem Falls after a student's crush led to false accusations and a wrongful conviction for sexual assault. He finds a job and settles into a new routine, but everything turns when a trio of teenage girls with dark secrets (lead by manipulative Gillian Duncan) maliciously target Jack with accusations of assaulting Gillian in the woods. Now at the center of a modern day witch-hunt, Jack must once again proclaim his innocence to a town searching for answers and the woman who has come to love him. ~mylifetimemovies.com

Review: Salem Falls is one of my favorite books by Jodi Picoult. I read it before I began blogging or I'd link you to my review. I think why I liked it so much is that the characters were so believable and genuine. Do I remember the details of the book, not really but I remember enough to say that the movie is pretty close to it. I think that's because Ms. Picoult is a Executive Producer on this one. I wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of James Van Der Beek but I don't dislike him either. He was definitely convincing as Jack and gave an understated performance. Sarah Carter was also excellent as Addie.

I definitely remember disliking Gillian and that doesn't change here either. For me, there was nothing redeeming about her until the end when the big reveal happened. Although even knowing that revelation, I still didn't have much sympathy watching the movie.

The movie is slow-paced and it doesn't really leave a lot of time to develop the relationship between Addie and Jack. You pretty much have to buy into it within 30 minutes. Perhaps this is because most of the viewers will have read the book and it's assumed you know all the background.

I was happy that Lifetime didn't shy away for the taboo subject matters that Salem Falls deals with because they could have easily swept it away.

All in all I enjoyed the movie, but if you haven't read the book, go pick it up. You won't regret it.


Final Take: 3.75/5

And The Winner Is...

Congratulations to Tiffany Drew, you have won our copy of If You Give a Kid a Cookie, Will He Shut the F**k Up?: A Parody for Adults.

An email should be waiting for you, please respond with your mailing address so we can get you the book ASAP!!

Thanks to everyone for entering.

As usual GJR used Random.org to generate the winner.

Thanks again to St. Martin's Press for providing the giveaway!

Children's Corner: Thanksgiving Day

Review: Thanksgiving Day has been been a staple in our house since my daughter was about 1 year old. We read it every year starting in October and yes, I've taken to hiding it so I don't have to read it in the middle of July. I love the book because it explains the history of Thanksgiving while not getting too complicated. Essentially, the kids in the class put on a play about the first Thanksgiving. Each of them play a role and tell the story.

The illustrations are full of vibrant colors and big so the younger kids have no problem seeing the details. The kids are also diverse, which I think is important to show kids that not everyone looks a like and not everyone has the same Thanksgiving traditions.

I'm sure over the next week this book will be read every night in preparation for the big day. If you are looking for a book or another book to add to your pile on Thanksgiving I definitely recommend Thanksgiving Day.

Hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Julie's Review: The Other Queen

Summary: For years Philippa Gregory’s readers have been asking her to write a novel about Mary Queen of Scots—a request she now fulfills with a tale as engrossing as any she has ever written. A heroine everyone recognizes but few truly know, Mary Queen of Scots is remembered mostly for her death on the scaffold than for her turbulent, romantic life. In The Other Queen, Philippa Gregory resurrects Mary and her world by way of a chapter from her life that is all but forgotten: Mary’s long imprisonment as a “guest” of the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwick. With the earl and his wife, whose fortune and marriage are jeopardized by the extraordinary woman under their charge, Gregory has found the perfect means for understanding Mary herself, a queen who will lie, seduce, plot, and sacrifice the lives of thousands in her quest to regain her Scots throne—and to take over Queen Elizabeth’s. ~amazon.com

Review: The Other Queen is not Ms. Gregory's strongest novel. Honestly, if it wasn't for the 2011 TBR Challenge I probably would have put it down or skimmed the remainder of the book. I will start by saying that is very unlike me and especially with her novels. Typically, they captivate me from beginning to end.

Part of it had to do with the fact that there were not any truly likable characters. I admired Bess but I wouldn't trust her and sure as heck wouldn't count on her to have my back in time of strife. While I did try to like Mary Queen of Scots I just couldn't do it. As beautiful as she was on the exterior, she was a horrible individual in her soul. She thought she was untouchable and divine.I guess back then the royals hadn't learned that they were human just like the rest of us.

You pretty much guess from the beginning of the novel that the Earl and Lady of Shrewsbury housing the Queen of Scots isn't going to turn out well for them. Not only does it pretty much bankrupt them but well it seems that her charms are irresistible for men. I found the Earl to be weak minded and while he thought he rules the house, you knew it was Bess. He states several times how loyal he is to Queen Elizabeth but honestly in the end, the only one truly loyal to the Queen of England was Bess. Although in the end there was something in it for her.

Some might not like Queen Elizabeth and I guess she's not a truly likable person, but she ruled the only way she knew how, by fear. She surrounded herself with people who had their own agendas and at times didn't truly serve the Queen. I guess not much has changed in politics, Monarchy or Democracy.

I would not recommend this to be your first Philippa Gregory novel unless you want to read about Mary Queen of Scots. Even then this only captures three years of her life.

I am looking forward to starting to read her Cousin's War books soon though. The Lady of the Rivers: A Novel (The Cousins' War), The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousin's War) and The White Queen: A Novel (Cousins' War).

Final Take: 3/5

Lisa reviewed it too!

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations to Kristin L you have won the giveaway copy of  It's a Waverly Life by Maria Murnane.

An email should be waiting for you, please respond with your mailing address so we can get you the book ASAP!!

Thanks to everyone for entering.

As usual, GJR used Random.org to generate the winner.

Julie's 2012 To Be Read (TBR) Challenge List

This will be my one of 4 reading challenges for the 2012 and is perfect for me to make another serious dent in my pile! I have to thank Adam at Roof Beam Reader  for dreaming up this challenge that makes me  finally read 12 books from your "to be read" pile, within 12 months:  The 2012 To Be Read (TBR) Challenge.

The details:

Each of these 12 books must have been on your bookshelf or “To Be Read” list for AT LEAST one full year. This means the book cannot have a publication date of 1/1/2011 or later (any book published in the year 2010 or earlier qualifies, as long as it has been on your TBR pile – I WILL be checking publication dates). Caveat: Two (2) alternates are allowed, just in case one or two of the books end up in the “can’t get through” pile. 2.  You must write an original review/response (it doesn’t have to be anything fancy) for each book, to help us ensure you are actually completing the books you say you are.

Julie's Twelve Selected Reads (in Random Order*) :

1. Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
2. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline  Reviewed on 2/16/2012
3. The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard Reviewed on 3/14/2012
4. My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster Reviewed on 4/9/2012
5. The Lotus Eaters by Tatyana Soli
6. The Stuff That Never Happened by Maddie Dawson
7. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel DNF
8. Innocent by Scott Turow
9. Petty Magic by Camille DeAngelis
10. A Friend of the Family by Laura Grodstein Reviewed on 3/9/2012
11. Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen
12. True Colors by Kristin Hannah
  
Two Alternate Reads:

1. The Lost Hours by Karen White Reviewed on 7/25/2012
2. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian Reviewed on 12/11/2012

I'm excited because a lot of these books have been sitting around for a year or longer, not for lack of wanting to read them but lack of time!

I'll be updating this post with my reviews and also labeling any reviews that are related to this challenge as such.

Care to join me on the quest? Here's the link to sign up:

The 2012 To Be Read (TBR) Challenge.  But HURRY!  You need to have your list posted be 12/31, so start compiling...