Okay, I Lied

This isn't a pithy article like I promised.  It's another couple reviews.  Sorry.  The article will be here soon, I swear!  But I thought these deserved reviews, and in all seriousness, if you look at the title of the blog, that is what it was initially intended for.

Review #1: Carrie (2013 remake)

 (not mine)

 

I read Carrie when I was in 8th grade.  It was the first Stephen King book I read.  I was hooked.  Carrie's story is one that many can relate to, though perhaps not on an extreme scale.  However, everyone has felt bullied or hurt, and most have probably wished they could exact some form of revenge.

So, the movie.  I liked it a lot.  The cast was excellent.  Chloe Moretz was awesome as Carrie, although I do love Sissy Spacek in the original.  I thought that Julianne Moore was outstanding as Carrie's mother, somewhat better than Piper Laurie.

The plots of the two movies were essentially the same, with many scenes very closely mimicking scenes from the 1976 film.  The only difference is the advanced special effects in the remake.

Overall, I was pleased.

 

Bottom Line: 4/5 stars.

 

 

Review #2: If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

(not mine)

 

Wow.  This book left me gasping.  I read it in one day.  I picked it up at the book store a few weeks ago because it looked interesting, but I didn't expect it to hit me as hard as it did.

This book tells a beautiful love story between two best friends, showing the way they grow up together, grow apart, and fall in love.  The plot is flawless.  The ending somehow shocked me, even though it is pretty much explained on the back cover.

This book pulled my heart in so many directions.  The characters are wonderful.  They have flaws and strengths like real people, and I truly cared about all of them.  The narration is also great; it pulled me in immediately.

This one almost made me cry, guys.  It was outstanding.

 

Bottom Line: 4.99/5 stars.  (there are some grammatical errors that bothered me)