Ask the Author: Temple West (Velvet)

   Hey guys!
   This week on Ask the Author I have YA Paranormal author Temple West. Her debut novel, Velvet, is said to hit the stores on May 12th.
   Here is her book and the interview:

Velvet by Temple West
Published: May 12th 2015 by Swoon Reads
Number of Pages: 416 pages (Paperback)
Series: No

   First rule of dealing with hot vampire bodyguards? Don't fall in love.
   After losing both her parents before age seventeen, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before the terrifying encounter with a supernatural force. Then, she learns that her hot bad-boy neighbor, Adrian—who might have just saved her life—is actually a half-demon vampire.
   Suddenly Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart? (goodreads.com)

Interview with Temple West 

   1 – Describe Velvet with six adjectives.
   Saucy. Smoochy. Funny. Serious. Mythical.

   2 – In a genre as crowded as paranormal, especially the Vampire department, how hard is it to stand out? And in what way do you think does Velvet stand out and offer something that should make people want to read it even more?
   This is an excellent question and one that I can only answer with a bit of a bias, since all writers think their own work is pure genius and indubitably original. That being said, I think Velvet stands out in its portrayal of young friendship, young love, and the struggle to grow up and mature and become your own person. In addition, I tailored my mythology to fit the world I created. For instance, the vampires in Velvet diverge from traditional vampire mythology (or biology) in some ways, while maintaining the spirit and allure of traditional vampirism in others. Also -- and I can't say too much here because it has to do with books 2 and 3 -- anyone who may draw parallels between Velvet and other YA vampire novels should stick around because I promise the series goes somewhere that I don't think I've seen in another vampire franchise.

   3 – What’s the thing you like most about Caitlin, the protagonist of Velvet, and least about Adrian, the hot-bad boy neighbor?
   Caitlin is passionate. She fails hard, a lot, but she feels things deeply and cares deeply and sticks up for herself, or rather, she's at least learning that she can stick up for herself. She starts out pretty rough, hostile even, but she grows exponentially as a character.
   Adrian is the opposite: steady, predictable, studious, almost placid. While he, too, feels things deeply -- very deeply, actually -- it's buried much further under the surface. It's harder for him to emote, to relate, to interact on anything more than the shallowest social level. As he spends more time with Caitlin, that begins to shift, and he doesn't entirely know what to do about it.

   4 – Caitlin is an aspiring designer, who are her favorite designers and why?
   This is a hard question! Mostly because I tried to strike a balance in the book between mentioning real things and places and people, and leaving some things ambiguous because social references don't always age well in novels. If I had to pick a real-life designer, it'd probably be Coco Chanel. Caitlin's got a classic edge to her style, while also being modern.

   5 - How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal?
   It took 6 months to write the first draft, back when I was 19 and a freshman in college. I tinkered with the manuscript on and off for the next five years. I was 24 when I learned it had been chosen for publication, and I'm 25 now that it's actually hitting shelves, so about 5-6 years.

   6 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more months thousands of readers will be able to hold and read your debut novel?
   Is it weird if I say I'm not sure? Honestly, it still doesn't seem real. I think when I can finally walk into a bookstore and hold a copy in my hands I'll be just unbearably happy.

   7 – What’s your writing routine? Write daily or when inspiration hits?
   I am slowly teaching myself to develop routines, but I've traditionally very much been an inspiration-strikes type of writer.

   8 – Book adaptations – movie or TV series?
   I'd say it depends on how long the book series is. Outlander, Game of Thrones, and The Vampire Diaries all seem to be benefitting from the long-term television format. It lets the story breathe and grow and stretch and cover the most amount of the original material. However, I couldn't imagine something like The Hunger Games or even Twilight as a TV show. I think if it's 3 books or less, they should be movies, 4 books or more should be considered for television. Although Harry Potter definitely breaks that rule, so, hmm...perhaps location has something to do with it. Is the world cinematic, or fairly normal, etc. Although shoot, Game of Thrones breaks that rule!

   9 – What are your 3 favorite books and why?
   "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" by Laini Taylor because it's hands-down the best YA dialogue I have EVER read. Also, her world-building is just so phenomenally different from everything else in paranormal or fantasy YA that it blows me away. Incredible writer.
   "The Lies of Locke Lamora" would be perhaps my favorite book of all time. It's not YA, but it is the most satisfying novel I've ever read. The plot was so carefully and intricately constructed, the dialogue had me literally laughing out loud, the world felt complete and rich and detailed, and I cared deeply about the characters. I think I've read it 5 times. It's amazing.
   I don't even think I can choose a 3rd book. There are too many.

   10 - If you were forced to participate in The Hunger Games, as female from District 12, what would be your strategy? Fight or flight?
   I'd definitely be one of the creeping-around-hiding-in-trees sorts of people. Hide to survive!

About the Author

   Temple West, debut author of the YA paranormal romance Velvet, is as nerdy in real life as she is on the Twitter. Armed with a very shiny English degree, she spent four months in Oxford holed up at the Radcliffe Camera amongst the hush of ancient books and the rich musk of academia. Returning to Los Angeles, she acquired a concurrent degree in film, mostly as an excuse to write essays about The Princess Bride and Hook. She can sew (poorly), drive stick (please fasten your seatbelt), and mostly lift her feet off the ground while stuttering into first gear on a very small motorcycle. She currently lives in Seattle and is the proud mother to a one-year-old laptop and a vintage Remington typewriter.
   She loves getting questions on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and her website (or on Goodreads), so don't be afraid to submit a question!

Ask the Author: Lily Paradis (Ignite and Volition)

   Hey guys!
   This week on Ask the Author I have the lovely Lily Paradis, author of Ignite and Volition, for you guys. I read and reviewed Ignite back in January and already started reading Volition, which I quite enjoy so far, so of course I had to ask her for an interview!
Here are her books and her answers:

Ignite by Lily Paradise
Published: August 26th 2014 by Empire Books
Number of Pages: 326 Pages (Paperback)
Series:Yes, #1

   After her father’s untimely demise in a mining accident and her mother’s abandonment, Lauren Lindsay is no stranger to loss. She’s used to living life for one person: herself. That is, until another family tragedy thrusts three children into her care and uproots her life in ways she could never imagine.
   Lauren's first instinct is to run, until she meets their striking, mysterious neighbor Dean Powell. Their immediate chemistry and his connection with her late father just might be enough to keep her in town long enough to uncover pieces of her past that she never had answers to. Dean’s shady past and her reluctance to trust him could cost her the life she's always been searching for, but will she run back to her old life?
   Or will she choose to stay and live the life her father always imagined for her?

Volition by Lily Paradis

Published: January 16th 2015 by Empire Books

Number of Pages: 396 Pages (Paperback)

Series: No

   You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that stays with you, then tears you apart slowly at first, and all at once shreds every fiber of your being?

   It’s because you’re contradicting the universe.

   Everything lines up so perfectly that you couldn’t have imagined it to work out better, but then you have to go and do everything humanly possible to ruin it because you can’t stand to have it go right?

   That’s what I did.

   I did it because there’s a darkness that surrounds me, and I think I want it there.

   My name is Tate McKenna, and my soul is blacker than my heart.

Interview with Lily Paradise

   1 – Could you tell us a little something about your two books, Ignite and Volition?
   Sure! I guess I would classify them both as YA/NA Contemporaries. I say YA because they don't contain anything too explicit, but NA because I like to write about characters in their late teens/early twenties! They are both extremely different in nature. Read Ignite if you're looking for something fluffier, and Volition if you want something that will make you think.

   2 – Volition, and its protagonist Tate McKenna, are more on the ‘dark type of story’ side, where did you get the idea for it from?
   I got the idea from my own personality, as selfish as that sounds. I was tired of seeing female characters as tropes. I wrote Lauren in Ignite as a typical (ish) main character that you'd see in a popular book. Some people reacted well to her, but the ones who didn't like her inspired me to write Tate. Before I wrote Volition I felt like I had to write books that would fit in and sell. I didn't write what I wanted, I wrote what I thought everyone else would want. So then I decided to write a main character who had thoughts like I did and acted more like me, and Tate McKenna was born.

   3 – What made you ultimately decide that you do want to publish Volition, despite your doubts?
   The foreword can probably explain this better than I can, but a good friend of mine really connected with Tate after many, many beta readers did not. I was afraid people were not going to like this book because it wasn't the fluffy, air-head kind of stuff that can be popular right now. Tate wasn't giving and wonderful and oh-so deserving of a man. No. She's the darker part of all of us that we like to pretend doesn't exist. I wanted people to relate to that, and to my surprise, they did!

   4 – How long did it take you to write Ignite and Volition? Which took you longer and why?
   I honestly don't know because I don't remember when I started writing Ignite officially. They took probably around the same amount of time. It takes me forever to write a book anyway because (at the time) I was getting my undergraduate degree, and now I'm in graduate school. I wish it was my full time job! That's up to you all, so please tell your friends! :)

   5 – You are currently working on Ragnarök which is a very different type of story compared to Ignite and Volition, which were both contemporary novels. Could you maybe tell us a little bit about it?
   Well, Ragnarök looks like it's different, and it is, but it's not as different as it seems. It's an end of the world novel, as you can tell by the title. But it's not fantasy, and it's not really science fiction. It's not even too far into the dystopian genre, but its not contemporary either. I literally have no idea where to put this book, and people are going to want a genre. I still haven't come up with what to call it. It's going to have "before" and "after" chapters, so I suppose you could call the "before" chapters Contemporary? I'm not fully finished with it yet so I don't want to say too much just in case I change things. I can tell you that Rafe Kiley is going to be your new book boyfriend. Originally this book had four different perspectives but I split it up into two books. The second one will be called Leviathan!

   6 – How did you feel when the first reviews for Ignite came in?
   I think I was honestly just more in shock that people were reading words I'd written. It was surreal! Of course it was hard when reviews bashed the editing because I'd had such an issue with that company (you can read more in a blog post on my website) but overall, I was just really happy that people were (for the most part) enjoying something I'd written.

   7 – What is your process for deciding on a book title? Do they change over the course of writing?
   Once I decide on a title, it stays. I usually even decide before I start writing it. I really like strong, one-word titles. I also like them to have a lot of meaning regarding what the content of the novel is! If you ever can't figure out why I decided to use a certain title, google the definition and think about the novel. I never pick randomly.

   8 – Do you have a specific writing schedule or do you write whenever inspiration hits you?
   I don't have a schedule because I'm so busy with classes, but I find writing at night works best for me. That's when my mind is most creative - when I'm about to fall asleep! I also have an issue where I can't FORCE myself to write. It all just comes out terrible, and I should probably work on that.

   9 – Coffee or Tea?
   I love both! Probably coffee, though.

   10 – What are your three favorite authors and, if you’d run into them on the street, what would you say or ask them?
   My three favorites are Garth Nix, Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men and The Road are my favorites), and Meg Cabot. Interesting trio, I know. I'm pretty sure I'd just fangirl. Kind of like if I ever met Leonardo DiCaprio.

   11 – If you’d be forced to participate in The Hunger Games, as female from District 12, what would be your strategy? Fight or flight?
   I'd like to think that I'd channel my inner Tate, fight, and win the whole thing. Hmmm... maybe I should write that for fun...

About the Author

   Lily lives with her family and loves reading, running, and hiking. Although she's a Colorado native, New York City is her favorite place in the world and fosters her borderline unhealthy obsession with the Empire State Building and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Ignite is her debut novel.
   She loves hearing from her readers and can be reached at paradis.lily@gmail.com.
   Find more information at lilyparadis.com
   Send Mail (And get a letter back!)
   P.O. Box 270514 Louisville, CO 80027

Review: For the Record by Charlotte Huang

For the Record by Charlotte Huang
Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Number of Pages: X
Series: No

   Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything.
   Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
   Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

* I recieved an eARC of For the Record from Random House in exchance for a honest review *

   I have so much love for this book and I am beyond happy I got the chance to read it five months prior to its publication. This book just truly has it all: a rock band composed on fun and different characters, a cute Hollywood movie star, the love for music and an outstandingly fun main character, Chelsea, who spreads her wings as lead singer of Melbourne.
   Charlotte Huang did an amazing job at capturing the different emotions that go through Chelsea as she experiences her first concerts and everything that belongs to being the new kid in town, or rather the new girl in the band. And I love the fact that she didn't just do that in the first twenty pages and then forgot about it, but rather that it took her the entirety of the book to develop confidence in what she does and finding her place in this entirely new world she finds herself in.

   Chelsea is a great main character and story narrator. Her thoughts and descriptions of her emotions are very clear and seem real, like they would belong to someone who went through all that she went through. She is fun and she has a personality. She isn't just a bleak character who just seems to exist and do whatever the author wants her to do, but rather like a layered character with flaws and traits which make her the person she is. All her decisions fit her personality and way of thinking.
   The other guys in the band, Pam, Malcom and Beckett are a lot of fun and they are all unique and different. Pam is more of a grumpy cat, Malcom like one who likes groupies and Beckett the guy you'd like to hang out with and talk about music for hours. I enjoyed them as characters a lot and it was really hard to say goodbye to them once the book was over.

   Another thing that makes this book great and stands out is the degree of insight we get to see into the life of a rock band, of the life on tour and how it feels to be the one on stage and not in the crowd. It perfectly captured the dynamics of the band and how crazy life can get when you are in the spotlight, when you are the one with thousands of fans who watch every step you take and gossip knows your secrets before you know them.

   All in all I think this book was amazing, fun and felt incredibly real, which is always a big plus. For the Record is exciting, fun and filled with endearing characters which will make saying goodbye to the book surprisingly hard.
   I think this book is definitely something for those who always dreamed of being a rock star themselves or wondered how life on tour must feel like. I recommend it to, basically, everybody because it's great and something like a fan girls dream come true.

I give For the Record by Charlotte Huang 5 out of 5 rock stars.

Ask the Author: Lindsay Cummings (The Murder Complex)

   Hey guys!
   I'm super excited about this weeks Ask the Author because I have the lovely Lindsay Cummings, author of The Murder Complex and The Death Code, for you. First let's have a look at her novel, The Murder Complex, and then the interview. Enjoy!
 

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings
Published: June 10th 2014 by Greenwillow Books
Number of Pages: 398 pages (Hardcover)
Series: Yes, #1 in The Murder Complex Series
Buy it: Book Depository
~ Free worldwide shipping ~

   An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.
   Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.
   The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family? (goodreads.com)

Interview with Lindsay Cummings

   1 - Describe The Murder Complex is 7 words.
   A blood-soaked futuristic thriller in Florida :)

   2 - How did you come up with the idea of creating a future where the murder rate is higher than the birth rate?
   I figured it would just be really, really creepy if that were the case. And sad. Ideas sort of pop into my head. I wish I had a cooler answer for that!

   3 - How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal? And how many queries did it take until you found 'the one’?
   The first book I wrote got 120 rejections from agents. The Murder Complex was sent to a few agents, and the first one I sent it to, Louise Fury, is still my agent today!

   4 - If Meadow and Zaphyr would be transported into our normal world, how would they react to it? Especially because our reality isn't as bloody and horrifying as theirs seems to be.
   I think they’d be incredibly shocked. And Meadow, probably, would be very very bitter and angry about it. She’d wish her family could have a world like this. Zephyr would settle in—but feel guilty for being there, because he’d think he didn’t deserve it.

   5 - What music, if any, did you listen to while writing The Murder Complex?
   None!! I actually can’t listen to music while I write!

   6 - How much time do you spend on writing on a weekly basis?
   I try to write a little bit every single day! Even if it’s just 200 words.

   7 - Are you a plotter or someone who writes what comes to their mind and edit it all later?
   I usually just write what comes to mind..but lately, I’m having to learn to become a plotter!

   8 - You were a successful book blogger before you became a published author, how did you manage to do both time wise?
   Same way I still do now! I just separate my day into chunks, and do a little of each thing.

   9 - Chocolate or Vanilla?
   CHOCOLATE ALWAYS OMG!!

   10 - If you were forced to participate in The Hunger Games, as female from District 12, what would be your strategy? Fight or flight?
   I’d take a Foxface route, and try to be sneaky. Then, if I survived long enough…I’d fight. And probably die. lol

   11 - What advice would you give aspiring authors?
   Read and Write every single day!!

About the Author

   Lindsay Cummings is the 24-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX series from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, and the MG trilogy THE BALANCE KEEPERS, from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.

   Lindsay deals with chronic fatigue, can’t get enough of her two pesky German Shepherds, wolf cub, and two horses. She's still waiting on her letter from Hogwarts--it was probably just lost in the mail. You can follow Lindsay on twitter @authorlindsayc

Ask the Author: Francesca Zappia (Made You Up)

   Hey guys!
   Today I have something really special for you, something that's never been on Bettgeschichten before and I am super excited because of it. I got the chance to interview Francesca Zappia for you guys! Her book, Made You Up, is currently way up there on my list of most anticipated books of 2015, and it also happens to be her debut novel.

Made You Up by Francesca Zappia
Published: May 19th 2015 by Greenwillow Books
Number of Pages: 448 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No
Pre-order it: Book Depository
~ Free worldwide shipping ~

   Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.
   Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn't she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.
   Funny, provoking, and ultimately moving, this debut novel featuring the quintessential unreliable narrator will have readers turning the pages and trying to figure out what is real and what is made up. (goodreads.com)

Interview with Francesca Zappia

   1 - Describe Made You Up in the shortest way possible.
   Schizophrenic teenage girl must survive her senior year of high school intact.

   2 - What was the first initial thought or thing that sparked the idea of Made You Up? Was it a name or the most basic idea of a story about a girl with schizophrenia?
   Made You Up started a LONG time ago, and the story has changed a lot since then, but one thing that has always stayed the same are the main characters, Alex and Miles. I think they're the initial spark--them as people and their relationship together.

   3 - How much research did you do on schizophrenia? And did you, at some point during research, feel discouraged or anxious in terms of writing about it, or rather incorporating it into your story?
   I wrote most of Made You Up while I was in high school, and I did about as much research as a high school student could do. I read books on it, I watched documentaries, and I went online to forums where people who have schizophrenia were discussing the illness. Weirdly enough, I never felt anxious or discouraged while writing about it. I do get anxious now, though. Many people have said they're interested in reading the book because they know someone who has schizophrenia, and I just hope I don't let them down.

   4 - Did you have a personal motivation behind writing a story with schizophrenia or was it out of pure interest in the illness itself?
   I actually didn't want to write the story because of the schizophrenia. I wanted to write about Alex and Miles, people who needed help but didn't quite know how to ask for it. I don't have any personal ties to schizophrenia, but it has interested me for a long time, and I wanted to explore that.

   5 - How long did it take you from first thought until publishing deal? Out of curiosity, how many queries did you have to send until you found 'the one'?
Oh, gosh. Probably ten years? Like I said, it went through a lot of changes since the very first draft I ever wrote, and I probably queried with it and other stories for around five years before I landed an agent. I believe the final time I sent out around seventy-five queries before signing with my agent (whom I actually didn't even query). In the entire five years of trying to get an agent, I sent out hundreds of queries. It was a very long process.

   6 - How do you feel about the fact that in only a few more months thousands of readers will be able to hold and read your debut novel?
   Very, very nervous. But it's also exciting, because it's like, "This thing I've been working on my whole life will finally see the light of day! People will read it!" It's awesome.

   7 - Why do you thing the readers out there should pick up Made You Up?
   Because it's way more lighthearted than they'll expect. It's not just about Alex's problems, it's about this whole community around her, the friends she makes, and the mystery she unravels. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I think people will have fun reading it.

   8 - While writing the story did you ever imagine how a cover might look like and what do you think about the absolutely gorgeous final version?
   I did sometimes think about what the cover might look like--and even tried making some myself, when I was in high school--but I never imagined it would end up looking the way it does. The cover Greenwillow came up with for Made You Up is stunning, and I couldn't have asked for anything better. What I love most about it is that it encompasses so much of the story without giving away anything.

   9 - Did you listen to any particular songs or artists while writing Made You Up? If so, could you give us an example?
   Yes! I always listen to music while writing. Every story has its own flavor of music, and if I can't find any music for an idea, that typically means the idea isn't going to go anywhere. For Made You Up, it was a lot of music that makes me feel nostalgic--like Eve 6's "Inside Out" or Harvey Danger's "Flagpole Sitta". Then there's "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz and "Touches You" by Mika. My favorite songs, though, are the German ones--particularly "Guten Tag" by Wir Sind Helden. If anyone wants to know what kind of mindset I was in while writing Made You Up, listen to "Guten Tag."

   10 - Any final words or message to your future readers out there?
   I hope you enjoy the ride!

About the Author

   I'm a YA writer represented by Louise Fury of the Bent Agency. My debut, MADE YOU UP, will be out from Greenwillow/HarperCollins on May 19th, 2015. I like writing, reading, drawing, anime, playing way too much Pokemon, and other things.
   I'm on Twitter @ChessieZappia, Tumblr (exeuntstormtroopers.tumblr.com), Instagram @ChessieZappia, and on my website, www.francescazappia.com.

Review: John Wick (Film, 2014)

John Wick
Originaltitel: John Wick
Erscheinungsjahr: 2014
FSK: 16
Länge: 96 Minuten
Hauptdarsteller: Keanu Reeves (John Wick)
Alfie Allen (Iosef Tarasov)
Michael Nypvist (Viggo Tarasov)
Willem Dafoe (Marcus)

   John Wick genießt seinen frühen Ruhestand in der Vorstadt. Doch als seine Frau  einer tödlichen Krankheit erliegt, verfällt er in Trauer. Nur sein Hund bleibt ihm noch als Gefährte – und wird von drei russischen Gangstern getötet, als die in Wicks Haus einbrechen, um einen 1969er Boss Mustang zu stehlen. Damit wird Wick von seiner finsteren Vergangenheit eingeholt, war er doch früher einer der besten Auftragskiller des Landes. Er verlässt die Vorstadtidylle und macht sich, seine Rache vor Augen, auf die Suche nach den Einbrechern. Einer von ihnen ist Iosef Tarasov, der Sohn des einflussreichen Verbrecherbosses Viggo Tarasov, für den Wick selbst einmal gearbeitet hatte. Doch alte Verbindungen zählen jetzt nicht mehr. Und so hat der Rächer bald auch den Ex-Kollegen Marcus an seinen Fersen...(www.filmstarts.de)

   Was lehrt uns dieser Film? Breche niemals in das Haus eines Profikillers ein, töte nicht seinen Hund, welcher das letzte Geschenk von seiner verstorbenen Frau ist, und klaue nicht anschließend auch noch seinen 1969-iger Boss Mustang denn dafür wirst du bitter büßen..
   John Wick ist ein Action Thriller der seinem Genre alle Ehre macht. Es gibt viele überragend gut choreografierte Kampf und Aktion Sequenzen, viel Thrill während Szenen in dem man sich fragt wie er nur aus dieser oder jener Situation lebend wieder herauskommen wird und jede Menge genialer Musik. Ein bisschen Humor kommt sogar auch noch dabei herum.
   Für Keanu Reeves ist dies sicherlich mehr als nur eine erfolgreiche Rückkehr zum Action Genre. Sein Charakter, John Wick, bringt er überzeugend und mit viel Scharm, tiefe und Glaubwürdigkeit auf die Leinwand. Sehr schnell wird einem klar das, was auch immer man tut, man sich definitiv nicht mit John anlegen sollte.
   Ein weiterer Star den man schnell wiedererkennt ist Alfie Allen, welcher bei Game of Thrones die solle des Theon Graufreud spielt. In John Wick spielt er Iosef, den Sohn von John's früherem Boss, ViggoTarasov. Sehr überzeigend bringt er Iosef mit seiner totalen Planlosigkeit und dem verlangen zu zeigen dass er genauso hart ist wie sein Vater und seine handlanger rüber obwohl einem schnell klar wird, dass Iosef mehr Schein als Sein ist, denn eigentlich ist er eher ein Angsthase als ein harter Gangster

   Jedoch, was für mich noch viel mehr heraussticht als die genialen Kampfszenen, ist der Soundtrack welcher in einem eher düsteren und rockigen, mit ein paar elektoeinflüssen, Klima gehalten wurde. Er geradezu perfekt zu dem Film, den Szenen und John Wick selbst passt. Zweimal treffen wir beispielsweise auf "Killing Strangers" von Marilyn Manson. Dieser Song spiegelt auf grandiose Art und Weise die Stimmung des Filmes wieder. 'Wir töten unbekannte bevor diese jene die wir lieben töten können' heißt es im Text an einer Stelle. Perfekte Wahl.

   Alles in allem ist John Wick ein grandioser action-Streifen in dem Keanu Reeves zeigen konnte dass er ein grandioser Schauspieler ist und das solche Filme genau sein Ding sind. John Wick mag nichts für schwache Nerven sein und wahrscheinlich auch nicht etwas für einen Kuschel Abend, jedoch wenn man einen aufregenden Hitmen Film mit viel rums und guter Musik steht, dann ist dies genau dass, was man sehen sollte.

Ich gebe John Wick 5 von 5 Sternen.

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey (Film, 2015)

Fifty Shades of Grey
Originaltitel: Fifty Shades of Grey
Erscheinungsjahr: 2015
FSK: 16
Länge: 125 min
Hauptdarsteller: Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey)
Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Stelle)

   Während eines Interviews für ihre College-Zeitung lernt die 21-jährige Studentin Anastasia Steele den 27-jährigen Milliardär Christian Grey kennen. Nachdem sich zwischen ihr und Christian langsam eine Beziehung entwickelt, erfährt sie, dass Christian in seinem Appartement zahlreiche BDSM-Utensilien bereithält. Dort überreicht er ihr einen Vertrag, der klarstellt, dass ihre Beziehung eine rein sexuelle Form von Dominanz und Unterwerfung sein soll, und zwar ohne romantische Bindung. Ana willigt ein und begibt sich damit auf eine immer intensivere Reise ins Reich der sexuellen Praktiken. (moviepilot.de)

   Fifty Shades of Grey mag vieles sein, langweilig und unbehaglich sind zwei davon, jedoch interessant, sexy oder gar romantisch ist dieser Film definitiv nicht. Viele meinen der Film sollte eher Fifty Shades of Beige heißen, und dem kann ich nur zustimmen.

   Ich habe das Buch, oder eher gesagt die gesamte Trilogie, gelesen und fand diese schon ausgesprochen miserabel daher hatte ich keine wirklichen Erwartungen was den Film angeht. Ich war daher nicht wirklich überrascht, als sich herausstellte, dass der Film ungefähr genauso schlecht ist. Schlecht genug das einer der Kinobesucher während meiner Vorstellung eingeschlafen ist.
   Wenn mich jemand fragt worum es in Fifty Shades of Grey geht, lautet meine Antwort ganz schlicht: ein Reicher Mann erkauft sich eine persönlichkeitslose Durchschnitts Frau mit seinem Aussehen und teuren Geschenken um diese dann als "unterworfene" zu halten. Keine Beziehung, keine liebe nur Sex, wenn er gerade Lust darauf hat, und auch nur so wie er es will.
   Wenn es um die nackt-und Sexszenen geht, kann man sagen, dass, wenn man mit denen bei Game of Thrones kein Problem hat, man mit denen in Fifty Shades of Grey auch keine haben wird.

   Die Dialoge sind oftmals schmerzhaft kramfig und beinahe schon unangenehm mitanzusehen, denn man wundert sich echt was mit den beiden, und besonders mit Anastasia, nicht stimmt. Während des Interviews mit Christian ist sie tollpatschig und schüchtern, aber auf eine übertriebene Art und Weise. Und dann folgen auch noch solche Aussagen wie "sieh mich doch mal an", was so viel bedeutet wie "wer bin ich denn schon". Anastasia stellt sich selber als ungenügend und 'unwürdig' dar, nur weil sie keine teuren Klamotten trägt oder Wagen fährt. Sie ist nicht wie Christian auf mehr als nur eine Art und Weise. Generell stellte sich mir des öfteren die Frage, warum sie eigentlich immer weiter macht, da sie beinahe von Anfang an mit der ganzen Situation Unglück zu sein scheint. Es ist fast traurig mitanzusehen was Anastasia willig ist mitzumachen nur um mit Christian "zusammen" zu sein.
   Wenn wir schon bei dem Thema Christian Grey sind. SM hin oder her, jedem das seine heißt es ja so schön, jedoch was mir ein noch viel größerer Dorn in Auge war, war die Kontrolle die er über Ana ausübte. Er musste immer wissen was sie macht, er sagte was sie machen werden, wann sie es machen werden, was sie tragen soll. Er legte ihr auch einen Vertrag vor, der so etwas wie eine Willenserklärung ist all die Dinge zu tun, die eine 'Unterworfene' tut, jedoch reichte dieser noch viel weiter in ihr Leben als nur in ihr sexuelles Zusammensein. Er verbot ihr bestimmte Dinge zu essen, Alkohol zu trinken, zu rauchen, falls sie dies den wollen würde, und noch so vieles mehr. Oft benahm er sich einfach wie ein Stalker, was definitiv nicht romantisch ist. Sicher, er gab ihr Geschenke, nahm sie auf einen Flug mit seinem Helikopter und Gleitflugzeug mit, jedoch war dies alles was er ihr gab. Sie durfte nicht einmal ein Bett mit ihm teilen.
   Die Schauspieler an sich gefielen mir auch nicht sonderlich gut. Jamie Dornan war meiner Meinung nach nicht das, was man sich vorstellte wenn man das Buch gelesen hat. Ihm fehlte ein gewisses etwas und das aussehen. Er mag nicht schlecht aussehen, aber eben auch nicht wie der atemberaubende Christian Grey der einem im Buch vorgestellt wird. Dakota Johnson spielte Anastasia Steele recht gut, wobei dies keine wirklich große Herausforderung war, da Anastasia die meiste Zeit über beschämt aussah. Sie sieht mehr oder weniger genauso aus wie das "graue Mäuschen" welches man, oder zumindest ich, mir beim Lesen vorgestellt habe.

   Der Film folgt jedoch, soweit ich mich daran erinnere, der Geschichte des Buches recht treu und so lassen sich auch hier und da ein paar dialogstellen aus dem Buch wiederfinden, zumindest in der englischen Version die ich gesehen und gelesen habe. Jedoch hat der Film, zumindest die ersten ca. 45% davon, mehr Humor als das Buch, welche das Publikum zum Lachen gebracht haben. Am interessantesten war jedoch die Tatsache das so ziemlich der gesamte Kinosaal in tosendes Gelächter ausgebrochen ist als die Credits kamen, und somit der Film vorbei war. Dies mag an dem gesamten Film, oder an dem (zwar dem Buch treuen) ende gelegen haben, dass abrupt und unnötig überspitzt und dramatisch war.

   Das einzige womit der Film bei mir punkten konnte ist, nicht wie erwartet Christian Grey oder eher gesagt Jamie Dornan und sein aussehen, sondern der grandiose Soundtrack den dieser Film hat. Der Soundtrack enthält unter anderem zwei geniale Songs von Beyoncé, The Weeknd und auch Ellie Goulding. Die Songs passen wirklich gut zu den Szenen in denen sie gespielt wurden.

   Alles in allem hat Fifty Shades of Grey ein paar, sehr wenige, Moment die ganz gut sind dadurch wie sie gefilmt worden sind oder weil jemand etwas lustiges gesagt hat, jedoch ist der Großteil des Films einfach nur langweilig. Fifty Shades of Grey fehlt einfach das gewisse etwas und dieses gewisse funken zwischen den Hauptdarstellern welches ihre 'Beziehung' glaubhafter machen würde. Meiner Meinung nach wurde dieser Film fiel zu sehr gehypt wodurch man viel zu hohe Erwartungen an den Film hat, welche er einfach nicht erfüllen kann.

Ich gebe Fifty Shades of Grey 2 von 5 Sternen.

Review: Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara

Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara
Published: December 3rd 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Number of Pages: 342 Pages (Paperback)
Series: No
Buy it: Book Depository
~ Free worldwide shipping ~

   Wren Wells is trying to outrun the accident that killed her boyfriend and wrecked her plants to live a normal life. Instead of going to college, she retreats to her father's isolated art studio. There, in the remote northern woods of Maine, she meets Cal Owen, a boy who wears his own hurt like a badge. But when their connection threatens Wren's hardwon isolation, she has to choose: open up her broken heart or join the ghosts who haunt her.

“So this is life. Love. We spend all this time reaching for each other and 

mostly we end up hurting each other until it's over.”

   If you are looking for an action packed, dramatic/melodramatic or romance-based novel, keep on looking because this one probably isn't what you are looking for.
   Lovely, Dark and Deep is exactly like the title. This book is really dark, due to the fact that it deals with grief and the struggle of trying to survive even in times when you think you can't do it anymore. This book is deep because of the topics discussed, the characters, especially Wren who is just such a deep and layered character it's breathtaking. And this book is lovely, but not in a necessarily delightful way, but rather because of the feeling of reality one gets from it.
   I've read a lot of books which dealt with loss and grief but many of them failed to capture the actual mindset of someone who is amidst grief and pain and facing the darkness that is life after someone you loved is dead and gone. Lovely, Dark and Deep caught that feeling and mirrored it on point. While reading I really felt like it was me who was going through what Wren was going through. All the things she felt seemed real and realistic. Nothing was overdramatized for sheer dramatic purposes. Everything that happened seemed not like fiction, not like something someone just made up, but rather like the actual thoughts and emotions of a real person grieving.

“If you slip far enough out of your life, time picks up. 

Passes in waves instead of notches. One month rolling by, then another.”

   As mentioned before, the characters in Lovely, Dark and Deep are perfect. They all seem very real, not flat at all, even those who only show up for a scene or two.
   Wren is a fantastic narrator in the sense that she tells you exactly how she feels. She doesn't try to sugarcoat any of her emotions. She feels real, fragile and raw with a beautiful poetic touch and a love for Phillip Larkin. Her personality is beautifully undefined because she herself isn't even sure anymore who she is. You can feel her panic, her confusion and just how lost she is sometimes.
   Cal was great. Despite his sickness he was there for Wren. He didn't run away when he saw that she isn't in a good place right now. He stayed no matter what and it was beautiful.
   It was beautiful to see how their relationship started to build very slowly and subtly over the course of the book, which was another thing that just made this book feel so realistic. Everything was happening very slowly, at its own pace which was appropriate for the state Wren was in at the begging and the end of the book.

“I came here because it's pine-dark and the ocean is wild. The kind of 

quiet-noise you need when there's too much going on in your head. Like 

the water and the woods are doing all the feeling, and I can hang out, quiet 

as a headstone, in a between place. A blank I can bear.”

   All in all Lovely, Dark and Deep is a book which focuses in big parts on an inner process going on inside of Wren, it focuses on her trying to deal with life and loss. It's a very poetic and raw book which captures feelings and throughts truthfully. This is easily one of my favorite books of all time and I'm sure I will return to Wren's story more than once in the future.

   I give Lovely, Dark and Deep by Amy McNamara 5 out of 5 Stars.

5 Songs I've been loving lately

   Hey guys!
   Today I want to talk about five songs I've been obsessing over lately. These are completely random songs but, I don't know if it's because of the shitty weather outside or the season itself, most of them have a sad/melancholic tone to them. 
   But, let's just get to the songs now so you'll see what I mean.


#1 - The Courage or The Fall by Civil Twilight
Album: /
Year: 2014

    I really like Civil Twilight. Their music is great so it came as no big surprise to me that I fell in love with this song. I love the tragic feel that this song has to it, and let's face it, it's a great song to write to if you are amidst a dramatic scene.

 

#2 - Break the Rules by Charli XCX
Album: Sucker
Year: 2014

    I discovered Charli XCX through The Fault in Our Stars and its amazing soundtrack. But, I admit, I didn't really dive further into her music until I heard Break the Rules on the radio and fell in love with the energy that this song has. The song immediately makes me want to jump around, break stuff and just have a good time. It's a great song to listen to when you have a not that awesome day. It'll make you feel much better really fast.

 
 
#3 - England Skies by Shake Shake Go
Album: /
Year: 2014

    The melody of England Skies is really beautiful, alongside the lyrics and the voice of the singer. It's a peaceful, evening type of song which always makes me think of happy things somehow. I stumbled upon this one while listening to a playlist on spotify, one that of course wasn't created by me, and I ended up playing it on a repeat for a while because I immediately liked this song.
 

#4 - Kommando Untergang by Anna Depenbusch
Album: Die Mathematik der Anna Depenbusch
Year: 2011

    This one is quite the surprise I'd say. I'm not a big fan or music in German, simply because I dislike the way songs sung in German sound like and the fact that I immediately understand what the lyrics mean. I know, sounds weird considering that I also understand English songs immediately but, it's just hard to explain what exactly bothers me. But, with this song it's different. I enjoy listening to it a lot and I love the lyrics and the story they tell. I love the pain filled passages and the singers voice.

 
#5 - B a noBody by SOAK
Album: /
Year: 2014

Another very nice, soft and slightly melancholic song. It reminds me of a peaceful sundown on the beach or near a lake with a soft breeze and small, soft waves. I think this would be a nice song to listen to during a summer evening.

 

   And that is it. Those are the five songs I am currently listening to almost on repeat whenever I get the chance to listen to music. If you want to, tell me which songs you are currently loving down in the comments or tweet me about it (@Alice_Reeds).

    Cheerio!