Elements Book Cover TAG

 Hey Guys!
Today I have a slightly different Post for you. Todays post is going to be a "Elements Book Cover TAG", which is actually more of a YouTube thing, but I decided to do it anyways. Basically what this TAG is about is that you have to pick nine books which correspond to the nine tasks which have something to do with the four elements (earth, air, fire and water) plus one bonus task.

The way I'm going to do this is that I'm going to give you the task + the cover and synopsis + my justification as to why I chose that book. Sounds good, doesn't it?
So let's begin!

The first element is Water:

1) Find a book with water on it. 

Renegade by J. A. Soulders

  Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

  But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. 

Her memories have been altered. 

  Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. 

  And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

  Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all. (goodreads) 

  This is actually the cover of the German version of this book and I chose it because it's the version that I have. And the reason why I chose it for this task is because the whole cover is basically water PLUS the story itself is set underwater. I read this book a while ago and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped that I would enjoy it.

2) Find a book with blue on it.

iBoy by Kevin Brooks

  What can he do with his new powers — and what are they doing to him? 

  Before the attack, Tom Harvey was just an average teen. But a head-on collision with high technology has turned him into an actualized App. Fragments of a shattered iPhone are embedded in his brain. And they're having an extraordinary effect on his every thought. 

  Because now Tom knows, sees, and can do more than any normal boy ever could. But with his new powers comes a choice: To avenge Lucy, the girl he loves, will he hunt down the vicious gangsters who hurt her? Will he take the law into his own electric hands and exterminate them from the South London housing projects where, by fear and violence, they rule? 

  Not even his mental search engine can predict the shocking outcome of iBoy's actions.(goodreads)

   At first I wanted to choose City of Glass by Cassandra Clare for this task BUT then I realized that only the German version is completely blue so I changed my mind and decided to go with iBoy. The cover contains quite a bit of blue so I guess it fits the task. I actually enjoyed reading this book even though it's a really freaky story but hey, who doesn't like freaky stories from time to time?

The next element is Fire:

1) Find a book with fire on it. 

The Ice People 2 - Witch Hunt by Margit Sandemo

Summer 1586: Silje, the courageous sixteen-year-old peasant girl orphaned by the Trondheim plague in the opening Ice People Novel, Spellbound, has just come of age in this sequel Witch-hunt. Having fled for her life with her adored ‘wolf-man’ Tengel and two children she rescued from the plague, she is struggling at 21 to come to terms with the harchness of life among witches and warlocks in the high mountain valley of the mysterious Ice People.
Silje has bravely borne Tengel their first child, a daughter Liv. But their life of austere poverty is shattered when savage, witch-hunting troops invade the remote valley to slaughter all its feared inhabitants. Warned in time, Silje, Tengel and the three children flee from the carnage to the lowlands ... But are they unknowingly carrying with them to the rest of Europe the accursed heritage of the Ice People? (goodreads)

Like you can see this also isn't the English cover but the polish one, as again it's the one that I have and I simply couldn't find any other book with fire on it. So that’s also why I chose it: it has fire on the cover, it's about hunting witches (which as we all know used to be burned alive using fire) and so I think it fits the task. I read this book and the whole series to which it belongs a really long time ago and I absolutely loved it. Even though I'm normally not a fan of books that are set in like the 16-19th Century, this one was simply amazing.

2) Find a book with red on it.

The Midnighters: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

Nobody is safe in the secret hour.

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma.

Time freezes. Nobody moves.

For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour -- only they are free to move about the midnight time.

These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.

Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.( goodreads) 

I chose this book because the cover consists of quite a bit of red and because I really enjoyed it and also the other two parts of this series. I liked how the story developed and read this particular part I think at least twice. 

The next element is Earth:

1) Find a book with something related to earth on it.

What She Left Behind by Tracy Bilen
  “Don’t even think of leaving… I will find you,” he whispered. “Guaranteed.”
  Sara and her mom have a plan to finally escape Sara’s abusive father. But when her mom doesn’t show up as expected, Sara’s terrified. Her father says that she’s on a business trip, but Sara knows he’s lying. Her mom is missing—and her dad had something to do with it.
  With each day that passes, Sara’s more on edge. Her friends know that something’s wrong, but she won’t endanger anyone else with her secret. And with her dad growing increasingly violent, Sara must figure out what happened to her mom before it’s too late…for them both. (goodreads)

  I chose this lovely cover because it has earth and trees on it which are both obviously related to earth. I've not read this book yet but I am planning on reading it, some when, as I think that the synopsis sounds quite interesting and I really like the cover. (Yes, I know 'don't judge a book by its cover')  

 2) Find a book with green on it.

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
  Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.  Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.
  In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space. (goodreads)

One reason why I chose this book is because the cover contains the color green but also because it's my favorite book of all. I read it so many times, it's unbelievable. I also wrote a review for this book some time ago but it's in German. (Review) I definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves awesome stories filled with action and character development and also to everyone who loves really great dystopian novel, because this one is brilliant!

The next element is Air:

1) Find a book with air on it.

  Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden
When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip in the Australian bush, they find things hideously wrong — their families are gone. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the reality of the situation hits them, they must make a decision — run and hide, give themselves up and be with their families, or fight back.(goodreads) 

 I have to admit that I was quite unsure which book I should choose for air as I wasn't quite sure what is exactly meant but I finally decided to choose this one. On the top part of the cover we see the sky and airplanes flying and both relate to air, so I think it should be an alright choice.
I've not read this book yet but I really want to as the synopsis sounds really interesting, just like the title and also the cover looks amazing. 

 2) Find a book with white on it.

Legend by Marie Lu
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. (goodreads) 

Again you can see that I chose the German cover because it’s mostly white. The English cover is silver with a bit of white, with which I wasn't satisfied so I chose the German one, which is also the one I have.
I love this book and I also love its sequel Prodigy. The way it is written and the way the story develops is very interesting and I can really recommend it to anyone who loves good dystopian novels.  

Bonus: Find a book with the colors blue, red, green and white on it.

Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart
  Jake Stephens was always an average, fly-under-the-radar guy. The kind of guy who would never catch the attention of an insanely popular girl like Amanda Blake-or a psychic teenage government agent like Cass. But one day during lunch, Jake's whole life changed. He and Amanda suddenly locked eyes across the cafeteria, and at the exact same instant, they turned into zombies and devoured half their senior class.
  Now Jake definitely has Amanda's attention-as well as Cass's, since she's been sent on a top-secret mission to hunt them down. As Jake and Amanda deal with the existential guilt of eating their best friends, Cass struggles with a growing psychic dilemma of her own-one that will lead the three of them on an epic journey across the country and make them question what it means to truly be alive. Or undead. (goodreads)

I chose this cover because it not only contains all the colors (red, green, white and blue) but also because I find it really funny. I've also not read this one yet but it sounds funny and so I will definitely read it, after I'm done with all the books that I'm planing to read in the next weeks and months.  

  And thats it. Those are the book covers that I have chosen. I hope you found this TAG interesting, if so I encourage you to (if you have a blog yourself) do this TAG too and paste a link to it into the comments underneath this Post. 

                                             Cheerio!

Review: Paranoia - Riskantes Spiel (Film, 2013)

Titel: Paranoia - Riskantes Spiel
Original titel: Paranoia 
Erscheinungajahr: 2013
FSK: 12
Länge: 106 Minuten
Hauptdarsteller: Liam Hemsworth (Adam Cassidy)
Gary Oldman (Nicholas Wyatt)
Harrison Ford (Jock Goddard)

   Adam Cassidy kommt aus Brooklyn und mauserte sich im Keller seiner Eltern zu einem erfahrenen Hacker und Computerpezialisten. Er arbeitet hart an sich, um eines Tages genug Geld zu verdienen, um seinen Vater versorgen zu können. Seinen Aushilfsjob bei der Wyatt Corporation verliert er jedoch beinahe, als er die Geburtstagsparty eines Kollegen über die Firmenrechnung bezahlen lässt. As der CEO der Wyatt Corporation Nicholas Wyatt von diesem Streich erfährt, stellt er Adam vor die Wahl: Entweder er wird wegen Untreue angeklagt oder Adam erklärt sich bereit, Wyatts Rivalen und ehemaligen Mentor Jock Goddard auszuspionieren, dessen Telekommunikationsunternehmen Trion in Konkurrenz zu Wyatt steht.
   Adam gelingt es, in Goddards Unternehmen einzusteigen und mehr noch: Bald schon ist er ein aufstrebender Star bei Trion, schwimmt im Luxus, hat eine schöne Freundin und wird zum Vertrauten Goddards. Doch dann gerät Adam zwischen die Fronten, denn Wyatt geht notfalls auch über Leichen, um an sein Ziel zu gelangen.(moviepilot)

  Langsam bekomm ich das Gefühl das Hollywood entweder die Ideen oder das Streben nach guten storielines ausgeht, denn bei Paranoia fehlt irgendwie die Action, der thrill und dinge die den Film irgendwie interessant machen würden. Die Story scheint irgendwie leblos und war in dieser Form schon hunderte male vorher auf der großen Leinwand. Und mit Paranoia hatte der Film auch nicht wirklich was zu tun.
  Womit der Film punktet ist die Besetzung: nicht nur bietet Paranoia einem Liam Hemsworth, den man schon aus Filmen wie The Hunger Games oder Mit dir an meiner Seite kennt, sondern auch mit zwei Film-titanen in Form von Gary Oldman und Harrison Ford, beides Schauspieler die ich sehr mag. Alle drei versuchen dem Film das nötige etwas zu geben jedoch wenn der Film schon von vorne herein zum Scheitern verurteilt ist, können die Schauspieler auch nicht mehr viel daran ändern.
  Die Story ist simple: Junger aufstrebender Junge gerät zwischen die Machtspiele zweier Firmenmogule und schafft es dennoch irgendwie nicht komplett in der ganzen Sache unter zu gehen. Die Story würde Potenzial bieten wenn sie nicht auf eine total uninteressante und leblose Art und Weise geschrieben worden wäre, aber was erwarte ich auch, immerhin basiert der Film auf einem Buch und wir wissen ja alle das so was nur schlecht gehen kann.
  Ich habe auch ein wenig das Gefühl bekommen das der Film mehr Wert auf die Optik gesetzt hat als auf die Story selbst und das sie sich wohl gedacht haben "hey, nehmen wir doch beliebte Schauspieler für diesen Film, dann wird bestimmt niemanden auffallen das die Story nicht ganz so toll ist" aber wie gut auch Liam Hemsworth aussehen mag, mit aussehen alleine kann man keinen durchschnittlichen Film besser machen.
  Durchschnittlich, genau das ist der Film. Weder gut noch schlecht, einfach nur so was nicht Erwähnenswertes in der Mitte.  

  Alles in allem bot das Thema potential das leider in den Sand gesetzt wurde. Die schauspielerischen Leistungen waren sehr gut aber leider schafften auch diese es nicht den Film zu retten. Auffallend ist auch das ich nicht die einzige bin die dieser Meinung ist. Viele Kritiker gaben Paranoia - Riskantes Spiel eine negative Kritik und auch viele Kinobesucher gingen enttäuscht aus den Kinosälen. Ob Paranoia nun die 6-9 Euro wert ist, die man für den Kinobesuch investieren muss, muss jeder für sich entscheiden. Ich kann jedoch sagen dass ich den Film nicht so gut fand auch wenn der Trailer vielversprechend war.

Meine Bewertung: 2.5/5 Sternen

Review: Upside Down (Film, 2013)

Titel: Upside Down
Original titel: Upside Down
Erscheinungsjahr: 2012/2013
FSK: 6
Länge: 107 Minuten
Hauptdarsteller: Jim Sturgess: Adam
Kirsten Dunst: Eden
Timothy Spall: Bob Boruchowitz 

  In der Zukunft schweben zwei Parallelwelten übereinander und jede von ihnen hat ihre eigene Schwerkraft. Während Adam auf dem unteren ärmeren Planeten lebt, ist die Heimat von Eden  eine Welt voller Reichtum und Luxus, die sich strikt von der unteren Welt abgrenzt. Schon als Kind verliebten sich Adam und Eden, obwohl sie scheinbar nie zusammen sein können. Jahrelang treffen sich die beiden heimlich auf einem Berg, einem Punkt, an dem sich beinahe beide Welten berühren. Adam benutzt dabei ein Seil, um Eden auf seine Seite zu ziehen. Als die beiden eines Tages entdeckt werden, wird Adam angeschossen und Eden stürzt schwer auf ihre Welt zurück. In dem Glauben, Eden wäre tot, verbringt Adam die nächsten zehn Jahre in Einsamkeit. Doch nachdem er sie dann im Fernsehen sieht, entschließt er sich, alles zu riskieren und entgegen der physikalischen Gesetze auf den reichen Planeten zu wechseln, um seine große Liebe zu finden.

  Ich hab mir Upside Down vor ein paar Tagen angesehen und leider muss ich zugeben das ich wirklich endtäuscht bin. Ich hatte mich wirklich auf den Film gefreut und hatte große Hoffnungen in den Film aber nun ja. Der Film hatte viel Potenzial um echt gut zu werden aber dank der typischen Hollywood Klischee Romanze ist er enttäuschend und fast schon langweilig.
   Die Haupt Idee dieser zwei Planeten die voneinander angezogen werden und somit dieses System von oben und unten ermöglichen ist interessant, genauso wie das man von der Anziehungskraft seines Heimat Planeten angezogen wird, selbst wenn man auf den anderen Planeten geht (was man eigentlich nicht darf), ist spannend und bot viel Potenzial.
  Zu meinem Bedauern hat man sich leider für eine typische Liebesgeschichte endschlossen die das ganze ruiniert hat. Alles war viel zu aufgesetzt, vorhersehbar und gespielt dramatisch. Und das Ende war so wie so das schlimmste von allem.
  Mein erster Gedanke zum Ende des Films war "Sieht aus als wäre den Machern die Zeit davongelaufen. Sie waren wohl noch gar nicht richtig fertig aber mussten schnellst möglich ein Ende finden." denn das Ende setzte allem einfach nur noch das Hütchen auf und machte diesen Film zu einem der wohl naivsten Filmen die ich jeh gesehen hab (und ich will anmerken das ich so manch einen Nicholas Sparks Film gesehen bzw. Roman gelesen hab). Ich werde euch natürlich nicht sagen wie das Ende aussieht aber ich will dass ihr schon mal wisst, dass es schlecht ist.
  Ich finde das die Produzenten einen tollen Krimi/Action Film, oder so, aus Upside Down machen hätten können, denn dazu bot sich die Welt förmlich an, aber wir wissen ja das dies leider nicht passiert ist.
  Die schauspielerische Leistung war gut auch wenn sie es leider nicht geschafft hat den Film weniger schlecht zu machen. Die Dialoge schienen schwach und aufgesetzt.

Alles in allem kann man sagen, dass der Film potenzial hatte großartig zu werden, aber leider durch die aufgezwungene Liebesgeschichte, die aus was für einem Grund auch immer in den Mittelpunkt des Films geschoben wurde, zu einfach nur einem weiteren kitschigen und flachen Film wurde.

Meine Bewertung: 2/5 Sternen

Review: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Published: April 7th 2013
Number of pages: 457 Pages
Series: The 5th Wave, #1

  After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
  Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. (goodreads)

  “What were they thinking? 'It's an alien apocalypse! Quick, grab the beer!”

  When I first heard about this book I was really skeptical due to the fact that it involves aliens, because (thanks to Hollywood) aliens somehow are normally always presented in this certain way that’s always the same, they are always those weird creatures flying in saucers with the mission of destroying the US. BUT I still bought it and I did NOT regret it.
  The way Rick Yancey builds this story, the scenery and the events in this book are magnificent and very interesting. He changed the alien game; he changed the way they are portrayed, even though one thing stayed: they came to destroy the humans.

  “Why did they come billions of miles just to stare at us? It's rude.” 

  The way the story unfolds is very interesting and grabs you from the first page on and doesn't let you go till you read each and every page of it. The events were cleverly played and surprising, in a way. Surely, there were a few things which I was already quite sure that its X before I was told that yes, it is X but I'd say it's inevitable that a few things are predictable BUT that did do no harm to the story or to the greatness of this book.
  The characters are distinct and interesting. I really liked Cassie, even though I somehow really dislike that name. I liked the way she thought, the way she reacted and I always asked myself if I would be able to survive ALONE in a forest, and in most cases the answer I gave myself was no, but who knows? 

  “I would kill for a cheeseburger. Honestly. If I stumbled across someone eating a cheeseburger, I would kill them for it.”  

  The male characters, Ben and Evan, were also interesting even though Evan was a little bit creepy at times, but also really sweet. I liked them both and so will not choose which one I prefer, no teaming up on one side cause I know there are a few people out there who already started the whole team ben and team even thing but I think both are great so.
  I enjoyed the military chapters and also the chapters from Cassies brothers point of view. His voice was distinct and childlike which made it very authentic and simply funny to read and see how someone of his age deals with everything that happened around him.
  I very much liked the fact that even though this book deals with this problem of aliens coming to destroy humans and all, there is still humor in it which is very pleasant and builds this kind of contrast between this serious situation and humor which I really like especially in books like this.
 
  "Maybe they're spacefaring micemen from Planet Cheese and they've come for our provolone." 

  All in all, I really loved The 5th Wave, it took a different and very amazing turn on the whole alien apocalypse topic and therefore I can honestly recommend it to all the fans of apocalypse/post-apocalypse stories, as this one is amazing in so many ways.

 

  If you have read this book please comment below and let me know what you thought about it!

Review: ARTIFACT (30 Seconds To Mars Documentary, 2012/2013)

ARTFACT 
Release date(s): September 14, 2012 (Toronto Film Festival)
September 14/15 2013 (Download and DVD)
Running Time: 103minutes
Starring: Jared Leto 
Shannon Leto
Tomo Milicevic

ARTIFACT is a film produced by front man of 30 Seconds to Mars and actor, Jared Leto, and Emma Ludbrook. The film shows how the music industry actually works. Never getting a penny for all the albums they've already (at the time) sold worldwide, 30 Seconds to Mars were sued for $30 million dollars by their record label out of nowhere and the band fought back. During their war with EMI, the film shows how 30 Seconds to Mars continued to work on their "new" album at the time, This is War, while basically saying "fuck you" to their record label. 

   Maybe I should start of by saying that I've known 30 Seconds To Mars since 2006/7, at first I wasn't really that big of a fan as I wasn't that much into their type of music at that time, but as the time moved on and they released their third album This Is War, I fell in love and so became a so called "Echelon" and This is War being one of my favorite albums till this day.
   While watching this documentary I tried to see it from a more "Non-Echelon" perspective, as I wanted to be able to review it for you guys without letting myself get influenced by fan-feelings.

   Anyway, at first I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch this movie as I wasn't sure if I want to spend $14.99 for it but on Sunday I finally decided that I will buy, download and watch it. I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting from this documentary. I knew that it was about the time when they got sued by EMI for $30 million dollars but that was all I knew.
   I was positively surprised that ARTIFACT is actually 103minutes long, as I somehow, at first, feared it might be much shorter and therefore not so much worth the $14.99 BUT after watching I can honestly say that it is more than just worth spending your money on it.
   This movie has a lot to offer in terms of information’s, explanations and music (and beautiful men, hihi). The viewer gets a very simple explanation on how having a record deal with a record company works in terms of who gets the money from the albums sold and so on. I found the things one gets to know from this documentary more than just shocking. I have to honestly admit that I always lived with the thought that artist swim in money from the records they sell and so on, but it turns out the only people that swim in money are the people at the record labels who have completely nothing to do with the creative process whatsoever.
   The movie also features a lot of examples of bands that either sued their label or were sued by their label, like The Beatles, Prince, Metallica or Incubus. I found it more than just absurd that bands had to sue their labels in order to get any money from their sold albums, and also all those little extra things you agree on without even knowing they are there/still there.
As example: When vinyl records came the labels had a "breakage" clause which means that they would take money from the artists for that, which stayed over the time when CD's came and is there still now where we mostly have digital downloads which, as we know, cannot break. Just like they had a "Packaging" thing where you, as in the artist, had to pay for the nice little plastic covers in which CD are, and this packaging thing is still in the contracts even though digital downloads don't need no packaging.
   Like all the people who were interviewed during the documentary said: There is no contract in which the artist would not get screwed over by the label.
   Another thing I found interesting was simply to see how the band produced their album, seeing the process and also the possibility to listen to earlier recordings. I always wanted to know how the whole recording thing looks like and now I have my answer, more or less.
   But coming back to the problem with EMI that the band had, I found it interesting that the band let us, the viewers, listen to some of the phone calls that they had with their lawyer and manager, let us participate in the meetings with them and just have such a big look into the whole case.
   I honestly think that this documentary is one of those few documentaries that everybody should see, as it is really interesting and informative for everyone, not only the fans of the band.
   After watching this documentary I have a completely different way of looking at artists and everything they do. As an example: When 30 Seconds To Mars set up the VyRT thing which made live streams from special events with the band possible, I was very skeptical as to why one had to pay like $9.99 for it. Yep, I am the type of fan that is always skeptical but in the end my curiosity won and I watched two of the events and they were actually worth it. After watching the movie I almost feel bad for being so skeptical about the $9.99, I mean no wonder that they charge money for it as they somehow have to recompense for the money they put into setting the whole VyRT thing up and investing into the equipment and all.
   Towards the end of the documentary the viewer gets some more little info’s like that to "this day" (2012 I guess) EMI was saying that Mars owes them still $1.7 million dollars and that till "this day" they didn't see a cent from the money that was earned from the solo albums, which is just sad and makes one angry, doesn't it? 

   All in all I think this documentary is very interesting for everybody who is interested in the music business, in becoming an artist themselves and, of course, for all the fans. I really enjoyed the way the documentary was made and how all the info was presented. The movie is very enlightening and shows you the true side of the music business and how greedy it really is. This documentary is definitely more than just worth the $14.99.

                      My rating: 5/5 Stars

Review: Placebo Loud Like Love TV (16.09.13)

   What an amazing event!
   For all you guys that have no idea what this "Loud Like Love TV" thing was - well, basically it was a ~90min live stream that featured the band, Placebo, playing songs from their new album "Loud Like Love", a little story time about the begging of the band, interviews with the Music Video director for "Too Many Friends" and the art director for the album cover etc. and many, many other things.
   All this could be watched Live, for free over YouTube and was simply a show to celebrate the arrival of the Bands now 7th Studio Album (holy cow!).

   I've been a huge fan of the bands for several years now and was looking forward to this show as I was curious how it would look like, and I have to admit I was more than satisfied with what we all got to see.
   Just like the host of the program, who's name I unfortunately forgot (I'm sorry!), said during the show, I also think that this program may have opened a new era and new way of how artists can connect with their fans all around the globe at the same time to share an experience and just have fun for an hour and a half. I love it when bands do things like this; it is amazing and just shows that even after 19 YEARS in the business you can still be excited about a new album and that you are still willing to entertain the listener and watcher on a whole new level and in a whole new way.
   I know that now all the Echelon who might be reading this will come around and criticize me for saying all this as the band 30 Seconds To Mars has done a few such shows before, too. BUT the significant difference between what they did and what Placebo did, is that Placebo did it all completely for free, no one had to pay a cent or watch any stupid commercials during the show whereas during the 30 Seconds To Mars events one had to pay $9.99, which isn't that much for some but for others that might be their pocket money for a whole month. Of course after watching Artifact I can understand why I guess they do it, or why one can justify those $9.99 but still. You know what I mean.
   There is just something about Placebo that makes them different and their sound very distinct and unique, in a way that if you hear them on the radio you immediately know it is them. And the thing that I love about them is that they grew as a band, as artists, with each album, creating new albums with so much emotion in them, simply amazing.
   Throughout the show I very much enjoyed their live performances, I love the songs from the new album and it made me more than just happy when they played the song "Teenage Angst" after Stefan's story about the beginning of the band.
   Also the "Placebo IQ" game was very amusing in which their 'new' drummer Steve was being asked questions to test his knowledge about the band. It was fun to see him at times fail and at times be proud to know the answer and as viewer also for myself to try to see how many of the questions I could answer.
   I found it amazing that they were from time to time reading out tweets from fans, that they had 4 fans from different countries ask questions and also the contest with spying the song title clues was amazing. I have to admit saw maybe two or three so congrats to those 2 fans who won the prizes. The contest between Steve on the drums and the boy from Japan was hilarious and just so entertaining.
   All in all, it is amazing to see that bands nowadays go with technology, that they use it to connect with fans all around the world, that they use it to celebrate and have fun all together. It's the way to go and I really hope more bands will get inspired by what Placebo did and maybe in the future more bands will do such events, who knows. I am most certainly looking forward to it. 

   And, as last thing, I want to thank Placebo for making such an event, for doing it for free and at a time when the majority of younger listeners (at least in Europe) could watch the program and enjoy the new tracks and maybe rediscover their love for the band and their music, just like I did.  

   A big fat THANK YOU! [yes, I know that they most probably will never ever read this, but saying thank you is always the right thing to do.]

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Review: The White Lilac by Christina J. Adams

The White Lilac by Christina J. Adams
Published: February 20th 2012
Number of Pages: 334 pages (Paperback)
Series: No

From the day 15-year-old Caryn Tobin watched her best friend drown, she has carried two weights: a fear of water and the responsibilities of the oldest candidate in the Compound, a leading power on Beta Earth. Caryn is determined to live up to her friend’s memory, even if it means forcing herself to train in the water every day in order to protect the other girls so they can live and dream.
After nearly 3,000 years on the first colonized planet, there is still a deadly toxin in the air poised to wipe out the world’s population and it is the Compound’s purpose to train candidates from birth to gather the underwater cure. All the candidates compete for the chance to save the world, but only one can win and the winner will not survive collecting the cure. Caryn has to win. It is the price she must pay to atone for her part in the drowning.
Yet moments after sealing her own fate, Caryn is offered an opportunity to see the planet and leave the Compound for three days. In the city she meets Kai, a 16-year-old street kid, who is searching for answers to his past. They form an unlikely friendship and Caryn realizes she has dreams of her own. Her decision is further complicated when she discovers the Compound has been experimenting on the very people they are sworn to cure. Now she must choose between her sense of duty and her heart, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.(goodreads)

    I received a copy of The White Lilac from the author, Christina J. Adams, in return for a honest review. I was quite looking forward to reading it, but it took me some time till I could find the time to start reading it.
   Unfortunately, when I finally started to read it I wasn’t quite a blown away as I hoped I would be. I liked the idea of Beta Earth, which is the future world in which the story takes place, but this whole business with the ‘Jiggers’, a kind of fish that gives off a toxic dust which makes the people sick and kills them, wasn’t quite my thing, even though the overall idea was really good and planned through. I think I’m simply not such a big fan of sci-fi books, anyways.
   But, I liked the main character Caryn, she was interesting and went through a natural change throughout the book, becoming someone stronger then she was at first. I’m always happy when I see that an author did not forget that characters change and not stay the same throughout the whole book. I also liked the fact that the author, Christina J. Adams, decided to write the book in switching perspectives between first person during Caryns chapters and third person during Kai’s, which was interesting and new and gave the book a uniqueness of its own.
   I wasn’t quite the biggest fan of the ending; I think the author might have incorporated something a little different, a surprising twist or something that’s a bit different.
 
   All in all it was a good read, the process of describing and building Beta Earth was very good and did not give anything crucial for the story away too fast. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ‘Jiggers’ or the ending, but all in all I would still recommend it as it’s a fun read, not necessarily one that will blow your mind but still good.

                My rating: 3/5 Stars

Review: The Transfer: A Divergent Story by Veronica Roth

The Transfer: A Divergent Story by Veronica Roth
Published: September 3rd 2013 by Katherine Tegen Books Number of Pages: 50 pages (eBook) 
Series: #1 out of 4

   More Four! Fans of the Divergent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by "The Transfer," the first of four new short stories told from Four’s perspective. Each brief story explores the world of the Divergent series through the eyes of the mysterious but charismatic Tobias Eaton, revealing previously unknown facets of his personality, backstory, and relationships. (goodreads)

   “My name is Four,” I say. “Call me ‘Stiff’ again and you and I will have a problem.”  

   I started to read The Transfer: A Divergent Story yesterday just around midnight and kept on reading till the very end. As you can see from the specifics above, the story isn't very long, only 50 pages, but still it's packed with emotions and insights into the handsome Four.
     I wasn't quite sure what awaits me as I bought it as I didn't read the small synopsis or anything else because I simply wanted to get surprised. The only thing I knew was that the story will be told from Fours perspective.
   In The Transfer: A Divergent Story we get to know some more about Tobias past, his life before he became Four. We get to know how it's possible that Tris didn't know him before they met in Dauntless, we get to know some more of the horrors he had to face at home and an insight into his process of deciding upon which faction he wants to go to. I really enjoyed reading about that process as I was always asking myself how I would try to decide if I would be him and have a father like Marcus.
   Speaking of which, for all those of you guys out there who hated Marcus due to what we get to know about him in the books, you will hate his guts even more after reading this. 

   “Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.”

   This line made me just feel so much more sorry for the poor Tobias, feel sorry for all the things Marcus has done to him, but happy on the other side that he finally managed to free himself from him.
   And another person that we get to see is Eric as he and Four meet each other for the first time before the fear landscape. It was interesting to see that for them the fear landscape came up much sooner than for Tris and the others. And of course it was interesting to see how Tobias slowly started to become the Four we know and how he got his name. 

   Veronica Roth really managed to keep up her writing style we so enjoyed throughout Divergent and Insurgent. The Transfer: A Divergent Story was very interesting and insightful. I enjoyed it a great deal and I can only recommend it to all the Divergent Fans out there who have not read it yet. It's more than just worth your time and money! 

“You’re the one who has to live with your choice. Everyone else will get over it, move on, no matter what you decide. But you never will.”

             My rating: 5/5 Stars

Review: Die Schattenjäger - Das offizielle Handbuch

Die Schattenjäger - Das offizielle Handbuch
Seiten: 128 Seiten
Verlag: ARENA
Erscheinungsdatum: 2013 

   Die Schattenjäger. Das offizielle Handbuch ist eine handliche Einführung in die Welt der Schattenjäger, wie sie im Kinofilm City of Bones dargestellt wird. Hier findest du Kurzbiographien der Hauptcharaktere, einen kurzen Abriss der Geschichte der Schattenjäger und du erhältst Einblick in die wichtigsten Schauplätze, die bedeutendsten Runen sowie die Waffen der Kinder der Nephilim.
    Das Ganze natürlich bebildert mit exklusivem Fotomaterial vom Set und vom Dreh. Ein absolutes Muss für alle Fans von Cassandra Clare! (Hugendubel)

    Ich muss zugeben dass ich mich auf dieses Buch wirklich sehr gefreut habe und es wirklich sehr lesen wollte. Ich hab mir vorgestellt das es wirklich so was wie ein Schattenjäger Handbuch ist, so wie der Name es auch sagt, jedoch ist es mehr so was wie eine kurze Zusammenfassung des Buchen, mit mini Biographien (ja, ich weiß in der Beschreibung oben steht das Wort 'Kurzbiografien' jedoch find ich selbst das Wort schon zu groß für die wortkargen Biographien die einem in diesem Buch geboten werden) der Hauptcharaktere, zwei drei Worte zu den Waffen und Runen, zusammen mit Bildern aus dem Film und Bildern der Runen und Waffen, und das war es dann auch schon im Grunde genommen. 
   Wenn man die eigentliche Buchreihe gelesen hat, also alle bisherigen fünf teile der Chroniken der Unterwelten-Serie, dann ist dieses Buch eigentlich überflüssig. Es bietet nichts so wirklich was man sonst nicht auch schon weiß. Sicherlich, die Bilder sind ganz nett für jeden der den Film noch nicht gesehen hat, aber im Grunde genommen kann man sich die 9€ sparen, meiner Meinung nach. 
   Ich muss sagen, dass ich doch recht enttäuscht bin da ich doch etwas Besseres erwartet hätte. Für mich sieht es bei diesem Buch leider nach reinem "Den Fans das Geld aus den Taschen ziehen" aus, auch wenn 9€ nicht so viel zu sein scheinen, ist es dennoch Geld das man für etwas anderes hätte nutzen können, wie z.B. den Film im Kino gucken. 

   Mein Fazit: Spart euch das Geld für dieses Buch, es ist, meiner Meinung nach, absolut kein Muss für Fans von Cassandra Clare oder der Chroniken der Unterwelten-Serie. 

                          Meine Bewertung: 1/5 Sternen

Review: Beautiful Disaster von Jamie McGuire

Beautiful Disaster von Jamie McGuire
Original titel: Beautiful Disaster
Verlag: 
Seiten: 464 Seiten (Paperback)
Buchreihe: Ja, 1 von 2
Erscheinungsdatum: 16 April 2013

Als sie Travis zum ersten Mal in die Augen blickt, ist nichts mehr wie zuvor. Abby fühlt sich unwiderstehlich von ihm angezogen, obwohl er alles ist, was sie nicht will: ein stadtbekannter Womanizer, arrogant, unverschämt – aber leider auch unverschämt sexy. Doch dann lässt Abby sich auf eine verhängnisvolle Wette mit ihm ein und gerät in ein gefährliches Spiel voller Hingabe und Leidenschaft, das sie bis an ihre Grenzen treibt… (goodreads) 

   Beautiful Disaster - was soll ich sagen? Das Buch ist ein Disaster, jedoch fehlt der beautiful-Teil an den meisten Stellen. Die einzigen zwei Dinge die beautiful darin sind, ist der männliche Hauptcharakter - Travis Maddox – vom Aussehen her zumindest, und das Cover des Buches.
   Das Prinzip der Geschichte in Beautiful Disaster ist ganz einfach - gutes braves Mädchen (mit einer angeblich ach so dunklen und grausigen Vergangenheit) trifft auf Bad Boy/Weiberheld (Barney Stinson nur in Bad Boy mit Tattoos und allem Version) und das was immer passiert, passiert eben - nur ist der Weg dorthin für den lesen einfach nur schrecklich ansträngend. Die "dramatischen" Wendungen sind flach und langweilig wie auch das angeblich so dunkle Geheimnis das Abby hat.
   Die Charaktere sind, nun ja, gewöhnungsbedürftig. Der männliche Hauptcharakter, Travis Meddox und sein Charakter neigen oftmals zum extremen. Von süß zu angsteinflößend bis hin zum reinen Stalker. Oftmals reagiert er übertrieben aggressiv und ist einfach nur eigenartig und obsessiv. Es ist meist schwer seine Handlungen nach zu vollziehen bzw. zu verstehen, genauso wie seine Hartnäckigkeit oftmals total unrealistisch ist. Viele versuchen ihn dennoch zu verteidigen indem sie sagen das er sich doch im Laufe des Buches verändert, was stimmt jedoch verändert er sich von einem extrem zum anderen – von „Frauen sind nur da um mit ihnen Sex zu haben“ zu „Ich brauche DIESE eine Frau um überhaupt leben zu können“ – bin ich die einzige die das irgendwie dennoch nicht gesund findet und es eher als weiteres Indiz gegen Travis sieht?
   Jedoch wird sein Charakter wohl nur noch vom Hauptcharakter des Buches - Abby Abernathy - übertroffen. Nicht nur ist sie einfach nur nervig, auch sind ihre Entscheidungen und Handlungen total widersprüchlich und unverständlich. In einem Moment hasst sie Travis doch im nächsten küssen sie sich und sie liebt ihn woraufhin sie mit ihm doch Schluss macht - so geht es im Grunde genommen das ganze Buch lang.

   “Ich fürchte, das du jeden Augenblick herausfindest das ich ein Stück schieße bin und mich verlässt.“ (“I feel like any second you're going to figure out what a piece of shit I am and leave me.”) 
   Und das hätte Abby auch tun sollen, sie hätte endlich die Augen öffnen sollen und einsehen sollen das Travis irgendwelche schweren Psychischen Probleme hat und sie sich besser weit von ihm entfernen sollte.

   Ich glaube, dieses Buch enthält auch eine der am meisten schockierenden Szenen die ich je, im Kontext in welchem die Szene ist, gelesen habe und generell gibt es vieles in diesem Buch das ich etwas sehr extrem finde, ich meine, sicherlich verliebte tuen manchmal verrückte Sachen, aber manches hier ist mir dann doch ein wenig zu verrückt. Ja, ich weiß es ist nur ein Buch, eine Geschichte und damit nicht real aber dennoch wundert es mich das es so viele Mädchen/Frauen gibt die Travis verhalten süß/hot finden, die Geschichte ach so toll und süß und für ein Beispiel wahrer liebe halten. Nein, einfach nein.

   Alles in allem kann man sagen dass die Charaktere widersprüchlich, eigenartig und zu extremen Handlungen neigen (besonders Travis). Die Geschichte ist nervig und ansträngend auch wenn im Grunde sehr einfach und auch in vielen anderen Büchern (vielen viel besseren Büchern) zu finden ist.
   Ich glaube bei diesem Buch kann ich ganz ehrlich sagen das man es sich wirklich sparen kann es zu lesen. Mir hat Beautiful Disaster absolut nicht gefallen, ich hatte mir definitiv etwas Besseres vorgestellt nachdem eine Freundin von mir davor geschwärmt hat. Leider eine komplette Enttäuschung. Schade.
 
   Vor kurzen ist mir auch noch zu Ohren gekommen das Beautiful Disaster auf die Leinwand kommen wird, wann und welche Schauspieler darin sein werden steht jedoch, meines Wissens nach, noch nicht fest. Na das kann ja interessant werden.

                                          Meine Bewertung: 1/5 Sternen