Gut Feelings: Listen to Them!

So, you know when you're watching a scary movie, and you're like, "Oh, Hell no, I wouldn't be going there..." or "OMG, you idiot, don't go up the stairs/down in the basement!"....

Or, you know the classic slasher films in which a group of teenagers seclude themselves from the outside world to party and fornicate in peace, but along the way they run across creepy situation after creepy situation and you're like "HELLO! You were warned by the town crazy not to go into the woods because you'd be DOOMED and yet you still went into the woods."




It's kinda funny because you can predict what will happen before it even happens.. Who will die first.. Who will be left standing... How the murders will begin...

I watched this movie the other day ~ The Cabin in the Woods... Not the greatest horror film, but definitely not the worst and without a doubt one of the more unique I've seen. You have a group of characters that are typically five different stereotypes. Basically, what it boils down to is that they choose their own demise. Rather than listening to their gut instincts, they ignore that chill raising the hairs on the back of their necks, and they continue with their ridiculous decision-making. "Let's read old Latin out of a creepy journal that talks about raising the dead." "Oh, why don't you and I talk a walk through the woods in the middle of a foggy night for some 'privacy'." "Let's split up!"... Just fail, after fail, after fail.


I'm not complaining by any means. I find movies and books with these types of story lines to be wildly entertaining. It's the one and only time I can truly laugh at witnessing someone else's demise and not feel the least bit guilty.


So why am I rambling about this? Well, I'm reading Ten by Gretchen McNeil, and it consists, so far, of the same elements. Kids lie to their parents and go for a hopefully wild weekend out on a secluded island ~ without cell phone reception *insert dramatic - DUN DUN DUN*


Meg and Minnie, best friends, ride a ferry over to the island, and while unloading themselves onto dry land, Meg gets this weird feeling as - yup, you guessed it - the guy helping her asks if she's sure she'll be okay on the island. DING DING DING. There's the first clue.


Now, I'm no prude, and I certainly believe in having a good time, but I think I would have been all set with the knowledge that absolutely no one was going to know where we were in case something happened. Some call that paranoid, I call it being prepared.

The second clue, which comes almost immediately after the first, is the gut feeling Meg gets that there is something wrong with them being out there completely isolated. But her psycho friend Minnie, who's oblivious to everything and everyone that doesn't have to do with her specifically, blows Meg off as being silly and antisocial and tells her that she better try and have a good time.


Third clue: the house they are to stay in is secluded on the secluded island. Yes, you read that right. The only way to get to it is to cross a bridge that isn't really much of a bridge as the waves crashing over it could knock you off into the dark pit of water. Did I fail to mention there was also a storm blowing in? That means the waves are about twenty times bigger and a helluva lot more dangerous. Good luck getting over to the house and even better luck crossing to come back to the main island.


Fourth clue: DVD cases have no DVD's except for one that says "Don't watch this." Of course, they watch it, and what do they find.... This...

You might think I'm spoiling the book for you, but trust me, I've left out quite a few of other obvious clues that these kids refused to acknowledge. The video definitely would have tipped me off that something wasn't right, but nope... They chalk it up to some kind of practical joke and scamper off to bed...


Now I'll stop there...

So how many more bad decisions await as I turn the page? hmmmmm... *knowing smirk*


Maybe I'm being too harsh because I know that this is a horror novel. I know people are going to die. The characters are ignorant of the terrifying world the author's thrown them into... So, am I being to judgmental in thinking that they should have guessed or even had at least a suspicion that something was way, way off...?


Maybe so. But it just seems so obvious to me.

So my question is: Do you think you would notice something was terribly wrong? And if so, would you blow off your gut feeling or would you listen to it??


Remember: Your life could be at stake...


Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Feature and Follow

Feature and Follow is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely Parajunkee and Alison Can Read in which we bloggers make new connections, gain new followers, and learn a little bit more about each other...

Q: What book do you think would make a great Halloween movie? Please explain in graphic detail of goriness…

The book that immediately came to mind is Kendare Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood. First of all, there's creeptastic Anna who has black orbs in place of eyes and blood constantly dripping from her white party dress. That's the scream-worthy image you see right before she drags you through breaking glass and tears your writhing body in half with her bare, ghostly hands. Then there's the monster that follows Cas around ~ the voodoo freak with his eyes sewn shut. Gives me the shivers just thinking about it ~ you can feel his eyes on you, but all you see is black thread through dead skin.... *cringe*....

Love these Halloween themed posts! If you're in the spooky spirit, swing on over to my Halloween giveaway for your chance to win your choice of classic horror and a very nice, fabulously festive bookmark :)


Follow me and I'll follow you!


Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

OMG ~ Beautiful Creatures Movie Trailer

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

If you don't know how much I love the wonderfully southern gothic Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, lemme just state it for the record now.. I LOVE THEM!

k, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'm wicked excited to share the Beautiful Creatures movie trailer with you... it says "teaser trailer," but I'm not sure how much more than can add without giving it all away... I literally had goosebumps, misty eyes, the whole nine yards... Stoked.. :)

You know, I wasn't a fan of who they cast for Ethan Wate, but he's starting to grow on me... 
What do you think??

Happy Reading (and Viewing) Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Christian Grey, anyone?

Ahh, the delectable Christian Grey... How can you resist?? Too bad he isn't real, BUT we may be able to put a beautiful face to the name that gets us swooning..

Of course they are going to make Fifty Shades of Grey into a movie... Why wouldn't they get in on that? Every other book is being put up on the big screen, and this rather sizzling story would be no exception...

So who will be cast as the notorious Christian Grey? All I can say is I hope it's not Ryan Gosling, who is apparently in the lead for the role.. Sorry girls, but I'd be highly disappointed.. Who would I pick? I think it's between these delicious fellows...

Matt Bomer

Henry Cavill

Vote for your favorite :)

Who would you like to see as Christian Grey?
	Henry Cavill
	Matt Bomer
	Ian Somerhaulder
	Colin Egglesfield
pollcode.com free polls

Ian Somerhaulder

Colin Egglesfield

Now that leaves us with the question, "Who would be Ana?"... Well I've got a few picked out for that role as well... If only my opinion counted for something :)

Cast your vote :)

Who would you like to see as Ana Steele?
	Alexis Bledel
	Amanda Seyfried
	Ellen Page
	Emmy Rossum
pollcode.com free polls

Amanda Seyfried

Alexis Bledel

Emmy Rossum

Ellen Page

Laters, baby... :)

Books to Movies: The Host

Stephenie Meyer has become a household name. Even if you've never read her books, you've at least heard of her and her either much-loved or much-hated Twilight series. (I'm in the 'much-loved' category, and I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit it.) In the middle of the Twilight hype, Stephenie released The Host, the first book I ever read by her and one that was completely over-shadowed by the noise of squealing Team Jacob and Team Edward teenage fans. It's a shame, really, that this book didn't receive the attention it deserved. It's more science fiction than paranormal ~ think Revenge of the Body Snatchers ~ but it's more about the surviving and thriving elements of humanity than about the conquering of the world by an alien race. Just trust me ~ it's good ;).

They made movies of all of Stephenie Meyer's other books, so it makes sense that would make one based on The Host. I stumbled upon the trailer and cast list ~ the movie will be released in March, 2013 ~ and although the trailer looks awesome, I'm a little perturbed about who they are casting as Melanie Stryder ~ Saoirse Ronan. I love her, don't get me wrong, but I always pictured Melanie as this dark Amazonian looking woman   who can outrun just about anyone. I guess we'll find out..

My preconceived notions aside, here's the trailer for The Host. Looking forward to it :).

Happy Reading (and Viewing) Everyone :)

~ Keely ~ 

Beautiful Creatures

You know, I find it very difficult to keep up with the news about new novels, author tour dates, and film adaptations. It's not that I don't look or don't care, it's just that there's so much of it! I'll focus on a few authors, follow them and their work only to stumble upon news of another of my favorite authors that's over a month old! It's rather discouraging.. But I keep at it ;)

So my point is, I discovered some very exciting information this morning. My favorite series, The Caster Chronicles, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl will be adapted onto the big screen in February of 2013. Last month, Kami Garcia posted a list of the cast, and for the most part, I'm really liking the direction this is going. 

Viola Davis will be Amma ~ I mean really, who else could play the strong-willed, strict, loving, mother figure of Ethan Wate?

Jack O'Connell will play Ethan Wate. Not sure how I feel about this one, but then again, I had a problem at first with Josh Hutcherson playing Peeta, and that turned out to be a glorious decision.

Alice Englert will be none other than the mysterious and powerful Lena Duchannes. Not sure what I think yet.She's typical of what beauty is today. I pictured Emily Browning as Lena ~ uniquely beautiful. 

And my favorite, Link, will by played by Thomas Mann. Looking at him, he gives me a new face to put to Link. Perfect!

And Emmy Rossum will play the sexy, troubled, lolli-pop-riot-causing Ridley. I would never have guessed it, but after seeing her in Shameless, I think she fits the role pretty well.

You can see who else is cast here on Kami Garcia's blog. So much to look forward to!!

There were no surprises in Gatlin County. 

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. 
At least, that's what I thought. 
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. 
There was a curse. 
There was a girl. 
And in the end, there was a grave. 
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. 

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. 

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Hunger Games ~ Movie Review

Probably the most anticipated weekend of the year (aside from Breaking Dawn this fall), Hollywood did not disappoint readers with their adaptation of The Hunger Games. 


The book and the movie go hand in hand, complementing each other. The movie stays close to the events in the book, and as a reader, I was happy to see the actual story that I read and fell in love with on screen. Of course, not everything can be exact ~ details in a book are much more intimate than that in a movie ~ but I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't constantly thinking, "that's not how that happened!." This movie will make people want to read the books just so they don't have to wait a year for the next movie to find out what happens next. (As they should...)

Jennifer Lawrence ~ nobody else could have played Katniss. She was incredible, awesome, perfect in this role ~  exactly how I imagined our heroine. In fact, all the actors chosen matched their characters to a t. Peeta, well,  I was a little wishy washy about Josh Hutcherson, but he soon won me over as I watched. His relationship with Katniss was the biggest, and pretty much the only, deviation from the first book, although I can't say whether or not they will bring up the reality of Katniss's feelings in the second movie. We were able to witness Katniss's inner thoughts, doubts, and hesitations in the book. It's difficult to show that in a movie, so usually we only get what's on the surface.

My favorite aspect of the movie was the emotion I felt practically dripping off the screen. The acting was amazing and every moment had a physical presence ~ it was almost overwhelming. I knew what was going to happen, how events were going to unfold, but I still felt the sting behind my eyes and the breath stopping in my lungs at the portrayals of the fear, anger, terror, love, and courage that are the center of this story.

Incredible.

Happy Reading (or Viewing) Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Hunger Games Clips

Today's the day everyone's been freaking out about... I've seen it on every news website from CNN to The Weather Channel... The Hunger Games is being released in theaters today and is said to be the biggest hit and money maker of the year (until Breaking Dawn is released ~ but personally, I'm way more excited about seeing Suzanne Collin's novels on screen). So, in my excitement, I was going through clips, watching in anticipation as my husband laughed at me over my shoulder, but soon quieted as he got drawn in ~ *sucker*  ~ too good not to share :)







Happy Hunger Games Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

I Got Chilllllssss!

I'm going to try to refrain from being one of those annoying fifteen year old teenage squeak toys that insist on putting OMG twenty-seven different ways to get the point across that they are excited. I'm just going to say, I'm so friggin' stoked :) It's March ~ the month I've been waiting for since I found out they were making a movie of The Hunger Games. Get a life you say? Ha, you've obviously never read the books... You're life pushes the *hold* button when you're nose is in these books, and anyone who I've gotten to read these books knows EXACTLY what I'm raving about...

So don't judge, just read :)

I try to keep up with 'current events,' and when I say that I mean the latest info, trailers, clips, etc... when it comes to books or movies... But alas, I'm always about seven steps behind everyone else.. What can I say? I've got a day job and two men and three dogs (not to mention a very senile cat) to clean up after... I struggle constantly to keep up with my hobbies... So why am I rambling? Well, I came across this very chill-inducing trailer that I hadn't yet seen (although I'm sure most others have) for The Hunger Games and I just needed to share it...






 Impressed yet? I thought so...

  Happy Reading Everyone :)

 ~ Keely ~