Movie Review: Catching Fire

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Apologies for the delay, but I’m finally recovering after suffering a cold for the past couple days. But I’m back and ready to share my thoughts on November’s biggest film!

I may anger a lot of fans by beginning my post this way, but here it goes: I know that The Hunger Games gets compared to Twilight simply for being blockbuster series with teenage love triangles, but a part of me now understands the comparison.

Point taken, but I still went there!

Hear me out!

The similarity has mostly to do with my opinion of each story’s ending rather than anything serious, like female autonomy and benevolent sexism. It’s just that at this stage in my life, I’m watching these movies just to go through the motions because I’m dreading how it all will conclude.

Those who have been reading Book Club Babe know how much I despised Mockingjay, so it makes sense that I was only moderately excited about seeing “Catching Fire.” (If you want to see me ecstatic, join me at the “The Desolation of Smaug” premiere!)

One more week until the gratuitous inclusion of Legolas! #SorryNotSorry

But just like “Breaking Dawn” was so horrendous that I haven’t even gotten around to finishing the final film, I’m feeling lukewarm about this dystopia. To me, the genre needs a well-deserved break because this bandwagon feels two years old.

(Speaking of outdated, here’s another inflammatory opinion: “Divergent” sounds like a cheap knockoff riding the dystopian wave, and watching the trailer before “Catching Fire” only reinforced my belief that I’m so ready for something new).

That being said, I’m not here to judge a movie based on its inevitable sequel. I actually have little negative to say about “Catching Fire,” like so many other viewers.

All the actors in the film did a great job, from Jennifer Lawrence suffering nightmares as Katniss to Stanley Tucci as the sickeningly sycophantic Caesar Flickerman. I was simultaneously admiring and scorning the Capitol’s display of weath, with their flamboyant costumes and ostentatious parties.

In fact, it was interesting to watch this movie with both my parents this time, since my dad and I are the only ones in my immediate family who have read the book. My mom hadn’t even seen “The Hunger Games,” so all she knew was the quick explanation we gave her on the way to the theater.

Ever filled with kindness, my mom found it difficult to stomach the story, and I don’t blame her. The unnecessary violence and disparity in socioeconomic power is disgusting and infuriating. I can only hope that people desire the same change in our own society as they want for Panem.

They didn’t call it “panem et circenses” for nothing!

All in all, watching “Catching Fire” was timely during Thanksgiving, reminding me to grateful for all that I have. And even though this whole splitting the finale into two films is another trend that won’t die, I’m just thankful that such a disappointing ending will be recreated by an amazing cast and crew.

Now move over dystopias, and make way for the hobbits!

The End of NaNoWriMo!

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Happy December everybody! It feels great to be back!

It’s been a crazy busy November, with a lot more at stake than the vast number of men who decided to only grow out their facial hair. On top of all the stress that comes with preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday, this month I spent a week traveling for work, dedicating most of my time to the largest supercomputing conference of the year.

Two years ago, and I wouldn’t have understood this joke either. Crayons, for the win!

Unfortunately, that meant that I couldn’t devote more time to National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). But after doing the math, I realized that I clocked in 30,000 words for only 17 days worth of writing! If I had every day at my disposal, I would have met the 50,000 quota without a hitch.

Of course, “would have” doesn’t mean anything. But to summarize the 30-day journey I took, here’s some insights I realized along the way:

  1. You should be proud of your accomplishments, no matter how small. NaNoWriMo was that push I needed to make writing a habit, not just a hobby. 30,000 words is a heck of a lot more than the zero I would have written without the challenge. Setting weekly or monthly writing goals will encourage me to stay on track throughout the year.
  2. Pay yourself first. Obviously, in order of priority (not over work, for example), but if you have a passion, make time for it before the rest of your life takes over. Just like I learned that I should treat saving money as another mandatory bill, I learned to respect writing as a more important use of my spare time than checking Facebook.
  3. Don’t get in your own way. With a 50,000 word goal, you can’t afford to wait for inspiration to come to you. It was difficult to turn off my inner critic, but I couldn’t let my urge to edit and erase keep me from putting words to paper. First, get it written; then, get it right.
  4. Support is more vital than you think. Writing can often be a lonely, solitary activity, but it doesn’t have to be. Meeting my fellow Wrimos in my regional group made the endeavor much more exciting and fulfilling. It was fun to surround myself with other people who loved writing as much as I do, and I hope to continue attending write-ins in the future. Not to mention, I would never have achieved as much as I did if I didn’t have my loved ones cheering me on. If people mock you for your goal, whatever it may be, eliminate them from your life, pronto!

Amen to that!

So whether you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, training for a marathon, learning a new language, or trying to lose weight, just keep on keeping on! No matter what happens, you’ll thank yourself for it!

So if you were a Wrimo this year, how did you do? What did you learn? Let’s share success stories! Also check back soon for my “Catching Fire” review!

A Special Book Club Babe Announcement!

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Hi everyone! Before I make my special announcement, I would just like to say thank you to all of my readers. You make blogging worth the time and effort, and I’ve had a blast sharing my book reviews and news with you.

But it’s now time for me to take a break from blogging–at least temporarily. The reason for my short hiatus, as some of you can probably guess, is….*drum roll please*…

NaNoWriMo!!!

That’s right, Book Club Babe is taking the plunge! For those of you who are unfamiliar, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which has taken place every year since 1999.

The challenge is to write 50,000 words (approx. 200 double-spaced pages) in the month of November. This calculates to about 1,700 words (or 6-7 double-spaced pages) a day. If you started hyperventilating just reading that information, imagine how terrified I am about attempting it!

I’ve always loved the idea of competing in NaNoWriMo since I heard about it in college, but I made up every excuse in the book to avoid participating. But writing a novel has been my life-long dream–why should I spend my whole life putting it off?

A couple days ago, I met with the East Bay writing group and met some fun people with some interesting writing ideas. Finding the community has motivated me to make my best effort.

However, my best effort will have to include pausing all Book Club Babe activity for this month. Although I’m trying not to pressure myself into writing all 50,000 words, if I’m going to give it my best shot, I need to focus all my attention on my goal.

That means re-evaluating my reading quota as well. I think that switching from reading 20 books this year to 15 books plus NaNoWrimo is more than a fair trade, don’t you think?

So during this hiatus, feel free to add my user bookclubbabe as a writing buddy if you’re also a Wrimo this year. Also check out my latest review of my 14th book of 2013, Awaken by Meg Cabot, if you haven’t already. And come back in December where I will be sure to review “The Hobbit” sequel, post my final book review of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker, and reminisce over what a fantastic year this has been.

I’m off to write my heart out! Wish me luck!!!

Book Review: Awaken

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Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Cover via Goodreads

Yet again author Meg Cabot gets me to drop whatever book I was reading and read her latest release instead. Awaken is the final novel in her trilogy which adapts the ancient Greek myth of Persephone and Hades to a high school setting.

I’ve already reviewed the previous novels in the series, Abandon and Underworld. In Awaken, teenager Pierce Oliviera is navigating her unconventional relationship with John Hayden, Lord of the Underworld.

But it’s not like they can get lots of quality time together, not when the Fates have mysteriously abandoned the universe, prohibiting recently deceased souls from entering their final resting place.

Since the Fates have disappeared, Pierce, John, and their friends must battle the evil Furies to restore peace both on Earth and underneath it. And with so many people stuck in limbo, what does it mean when the worst happens to someone who isn’t technically alive?

This series will obviously garner comparisons with Twilight, given that both female protagonists have brooding, supernatural boyfriends. Whether you’re a vampire or consort to Hades, you’re required to sacrifice a normal life with family and friends.

At least Pierce has more of a personality than her counterpart Bella. She throws herself into dangerous situations, wielding a whip and Fury-annihilating diamond necklace, so you certainly can’t call herself a passive bystander.

However, it’s a shame that her identity is still defined by John’s existence. Not to mention, even though she took responsibility for her sex life in book two, she throws safety to the wind and becomes surprisingly nonchalant about possibly getting knocked up (Bella much?).

Should have listened to Coach Carr!

So, yes, I’m still waiting for much-needed feminist young-adult novels. It would be nice to see a girl kick ass the entire time and not give into stereotypical gender norms by becoming the equivalent of a Stepford wife in the end (This applies to Katniss too, by the way. I stand by my argument).

But as much as I complain about weak female characters, Meg Cabot still does a good job writing an entertaining mythological adaptation. Sure, the jokes can be corny and the obstacles are resolved with little effort, but let’s face it, I’m a sucker for Greek gods.

If you’re also a classics nerd, then don’t worry, because there are better books out there. I highly recommend Gods Behaving Badly (you’ll literally laugh out loud) and The Song of Achilles (bust out the Kleenex for this romantic tragedy).

Hope everyone has a happy Halloween! Be sure to check out my blog tomorrow because I will have a special announcement. Stay tuned!

Because you can never get enough bookshelf porn!

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So over at the Daily Mail is a wonderful story titled, “Shhh! World’s most stunning libraries captured in new book that will leave you lost for words,” but as much as I like that headline, what the article boils down to is what I call bookshelf porn. I’ve covered the topic before, and even have a Pinterest board dedicated to it, but the idea is simple: Sometimes you just want to ogle big, beautiful…bookshelves.

Dr. James Campbell of Cambridge University traveled for three years to over 80 libraries in 20 countries for his new book, The Library, the first of its kind to be published.

He discusses how he wants more people to appreciate the cultural significance of libraries, which are often threatened by a lack of interest and funding. He notes that in this technological age, public libraries are in fact more democratic, since you don’t need to have the privileges of a computer and Internet connection to experience them.

I think that his research promotes awareness of a crucial issue around the globe, and it reminds me to respect the beauty and power of the written word.

Most of all, I’m jealous of this amazing journey that he was able to take! But since we can’t make the same trek ourselves, I’ll share these exquisite photos. Ogle away, bookshelf porn addicts!

The Mafra Palace Library, in Mafra, Portugal

Biblioteca Joanina, in Coimbra, Portugal

The George Peabody Library, Baltimore

The library at Admont Abbey in Austria

UPDATE 10/24/13 9:37 a.m. PST: Apparently, I’m a terrible book blogger for not yet discovering bookshelfporn.com, which has been around since 2009! I begrudgingly thank Buzzfeed for informing me of this site, and will now fuel my addiction by obsessively scrolling and pinning these beauties!

Belated Book-Related News

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Another week has gone by, and now it’s finally starting to feel like fall here in California. I know that I’m spoiled living in the Golden State, so I won’t complain too much, but I always get so upset when I have to put away the shorts and bring out the sweaters.

Autumn and I don’t get along very well. Even though it doesn’t snow where I live, I absolutely loathe being cold. Especially when I have to get out of my cozy, warm bed! I hate layering clothes, dealing with dry skin, and smelling or tasting anything pumpkin-flavored.

You can keep your stupid lattes, Starbucks!

Thus, I’m trying to remind myself of what I do enjoy about this time of year: drinking hot cocoa, dressing up for Halloween parties, eating so much delicious food at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and having extra time to spend with family and friends during the holidays.

That, and awesome movies based on books! We’ve got tons to choose from, so here’s a list to remind you:

  • Romeo and Juliet, Oct. 11 – Ed Westwick as Tybalt? I am so there!
  • Kill Your Darlings, Oct. 18 – Daniel Radcliffe plays Beat poet Allen Ginsberg–yet another British actor who pulls off an American accent!
  • Ender’s Game, Nov. 1 – Despite all the controversy surrounding author Orson Scott Card’s homophobia, I hope this movie is just as great as the book.
  • The Book Thief, Nov. 8 – Didn’t read this bestseller, but so many readers are looking forward to seeing this WWII tale on screen.
  • Great Expectations, Nov. 8 – If anyone could get me to enjoy this story, it’s Helena Bonham Carter as Miss Havisham.
  • The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Nov. 22 –  You already know about how I feel about the end of this trilogy, and now we’re just one movie closer to it. Sigh.
  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,  Dec.13 – People may wonder why another trilogy was warranted for this book, but I’m just ecstatic for even more time in Middle Earth!

What else is going on this fall? Well, by now you’ve probably heard that Canadian short story writer Alice Munro won the Nobel Prize in Literature! As an 82-year-old who was first published at 37, she’s an inspiration to writers everywhere!

And I’d say she’s lived a pretty full life so far! Congrats!

I would love to read more of her work in the future (Alison over at Hardcovers and Heroines found a great list of short stories of Munro’s which you can read for free!), and I highly recommend “How I Met My Husband,” which is part of her collection Something I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You.

And speaking of reading (which is pretty much all I speak of on this blog!), The Huffington Post conducted a survey of 1,000 American adults and found that 41% had not read a single book of fiction this past year! How utterly sad!

To combat this, HuffPo released a list yesterday of some of the benefits of reading: it decreases stress, keeps your brain sharp, helps you sleep, and eases depression! Good, because it looks like I need to read to overcome my depression after reading those poll results!

I’m currently 100 pages into my 14th book of the year, Awaken by Meg Cabot, so be on the lookout for my review in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Book Review: I Can Barely Take Care of Myself

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Cover via Goodreads

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“The way most people feel about loving being a parent is exactly how I feel about not being a parent. I love it. And I can’t imagine my life any other way.”

Don’t pity Jen Kirkman for her childfree lifestyle. The author is also a stand-up comedian and writer/guest panelist for Chelsea Handler’s talk show. She’s traveling the world and living her dream of making people laugh.

And while she just so happens to not have kids, she finds that most people can’t accept that fact. In her memoir, I Can Barely Take of Myself: Tales From a Happy Life Without Kids, Kirkman releases her frustration from having to constantly justify her life choices.

Covering all the popular responses, including, “You’ll change your mind,” “You’re selfish,” and “Who’s going to take care of you when you’re old?” she refutes all the ignorance with humorous self-deprecation.

While I always enjoy hearing from fellow childfree folk, especially when mainstream media incites so-called ‘mommy wars’ and obsesses over celebrities like  Kim Kardashian and Kate Middleton simply for their reproductive abilities, I felt that this memoir could have had more fun.

I bought Kirkman’s book because I liked Chelsea Handler’s Are You There, Vodka? and I was expecting similarly crazy, crass stories. Unfortunately, after noticing that I’ve rated both memoirs the same, perhaps Handler deserved an extra half-point. Even if Handler’s tales seemed more tall than true, at least they were entertaining.

Definitely something Chelsea Handler would say!

It’s not to say that Kirkman isn’t entertaining (Handler herself played a prank by emailing Kirkman’s sister that her writer was pregnant. Awkward conversations ensued!). It’s just that oftentimes the author sneaked a bit of sadness in her stories.

It’s clear that Kirkman is successful, but I’m not too sure about well-adjusted. The title, “I Can Barely Take Care of Myself,” implies being overwhelmed, but she wasn’t kidding. For much of her life, she was medicated for depression, anxiety, and childhood paranoia. She also recently suffered a divorce after only two years of marriage, something which she never fully explained in the book.

And I’m not saying that childfree people don’t have mental health issues or relationship trouble, but the uber-judgmental parents of the world don’t need any more ammunition when it comes to throwing the side eye at those without kids.

Put another way, Chelsea Handler is also childfree but her books are so full of fun that her status doesn’t even matter. No one has time to give her grief because she’s too busy downing cocktails and making smart-ass jokes.

If Kirkman wanted to prove that she has ‘a Happy Life Without Kids,’ maybe she should have included more life and less kids.

And more of Kirkman’s fav show, “The Golden Girls.” Hilarious!