Nina vs. ARGH: I Am Number Four Book vs. Film Version

Have you read the book, I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore?  Have you watched the film adaptation too?  Which did you like best?  ARGH and I had trouble agreeing with this one, and so we ask you, fellow bloggers/readers/authors/AWESOME PEOPLE:  Which version did you enjoy more, I Am Number Four the book, or I Am Number Four the movie?

I liked the MOVIE version better because:

1. Since I Am Number Four is an action-packed story, this translated well into film since we will be able to visualize every move, every moment, every nuance within the story, and the special effects will help us understand more than if we are just reading about it and letting our brain do the imagining which is sometimes just not enough.
2. I was not very confident about the premise of this story and paying for a movie ticket costs less than paying for the book itself that I might end up not enjoying.
3. I do not like reading series books because if it had a cliffhanger ending, it might drive me crazy; whereas in films, the ending is almost always clearer even if the movie has a sequel coming up, or is part of a series.
4. Alex Pettyfer.

On the other hand, ARGH likes the book version because:

1. "The film version's action scenes mostly transpired in the dark and I do not have very good night vision."
2. "The book is way better because I can just go open it and read it whenever I feel like it."
3. "I do not need a big screen to dictate to me what I should imagine when I am reading about the action scenes in this story.  I have my very vivid imagination for that, thank you very much."
4. "We all know that movie adaptations always differ from the real version, so at least the book is a perfectly reliable source."
5. "I think Alex Pettyfer's all-too-chiseled facial features are scary.  He looks more like a sculpture than a real person."

ARGH's views typed verbatim, hence the quotation marks.

So with whom do you agree more?  

How Do You Deal With Bad Book Recommendations?

Have you ever experienced when someone (maybe a friend, a fellow blogger, a teacher, or someone else you know) talked you into reading a book - maybe through a book review or direct suggestion - because it's supposed to be really good, so you hurry and pick up a copy and then, reading through the pages, you find that the book is not any good at all?

You were so excited at the thought of enjoying a book that your friend loved so much but it's not working for you and only leaves you cold.  And then here comes the friend asking you what you thought of the story, expecting you to give a really excited and favorable reply.  What do you do?

Do you:

a.  Tell your friend that the book is bad.

b.  Suck it up and say it's really great (even if you shudder inside)

I'm asking you this because I have encountered situations like this and I'm always at a loss as to what to actually do.  Especially if that person is really close to me.  There was this one time when a really good friend from college and I were looking around in a bookstore and she picked up a particular book and told me to read it.  Trusting that her book taste is really good I bought it and read it that same day.  However, I was totally bummed about the whole story - it was too slow, self-righteous, and disorganized.  I had to put the book down after several attempts to get into it.  The next time that my friend and I met, she asked me what I thought about the book and not wanting to hurt her  feelings, I was unable to tell her the truth and just said that it was really great and then changed the subject.  It felt uncomfortable for a short while but I was too chicken to tell her what I really thought anyway so I just had to swallow the guilt.

I am also asking you for the sake of opening a potentially interesting conversation.  Because most of us are book bloggers, we more or less affect other reader's/blogger's decision to read a certain book.  And many are saying that bloggers don't really sell books but from what I am seeing, it appears otherwise.  So if bloggers actually sell books, did you - as a buyer - ever encounter getting a book that turned out to be mediocre through a blogger or someone else's urging?

Did You Belong to Any Clique in High School?

So I chanced upon this post from The Contemps:  Disco or Preppy - What Group Are/Were You In? and instead of just commenting with my answer, I thought I could share this on my blog as well as I thought this would make for a good discussion post.  In that post, the people from The Contemps asked this:  

"If you are in high school, is the group you hang out with labelled?  Do you think this affects the way you’re treated by other students or teachers?  Can people cross from one group to the other?  Or do labels not really matter much?

Does what you see in books correspond with real life? For example, in my daughter's old school, the cheerleaders are not very popular, and she never felt books showing everyone sucking up to cheerleaders were accurate.  

If you are out of high school, was the group you hung out with then labeled? Did this affect the way you were treated by other students and teachers? Do you feel that your high school label affected your life once you graduated?"

Actually when I was in high school, I did not really belong in a particular group.  I was a nerd but in our school, that's a good thing because you get to enjoy better privileges like getting away with serious offenses (copying your parents' signature for every paper that needed to be signed because you're too busy watching TV when you get home; cutting classes - the reason?  I was working on other homework for other subjects) since the discipline committee's eyes are fixed on the usual suspects.  But in spite of that, I hung out with different groups - the rock band dudes, the athletes, the pretty girls, etc. and my own group of friends were not given any label because we have a wide range of personalities and roles.  And the teachers and other students did not judge me because of my friends - they treated me according to the way I treated them.  And yes, crossing over to different groups is not impossible but as I said, in the school where I came from, labels did not matter much.  You hung out with pretty much anyone you liked.

And yes, there are some books that seem to exaggerate the different cliques in school.  We did not really care too much about the cheerleaders, especially the bitchy ones because they don't really rule the school.  Actually there was not a particular person or group that ruled the school so we didn't really care one way or another about labels.  We all thought we were cool and I guess that's what matters.  In books, the protagonist especially, always feel that he/she is so far down the school food chain and had to suck up to the cool kids.  While that may be true in some cases, in our school, you just do your thing and if you're friendly enough, friends would come to you in no time.

So there.  I would like to know your answers to the questions posed above, and if you have/had the same situation in your high school and how did you feel about it? 

Nina vs. ARGH: Hardcover or Paperback?

So I was going to work a few days ago and I wanted to bring my current read with me.  However, my hardcover copy of Her Fearful Symmetry is a bit on the big and heavy size and it occupied a bigger space in my bag - and I even had to fit in a water bottle, my mini-first aid kit, and other stuff you'd be surprised to see in my bag.

I've always been excited about having hardcover copies of a book that I like, which is actually what made me get Her Fearful Symmetry in the first place:  It's hardcover and it's from the used bookshop which made it cost about less than 80 percent its original price.  I also have other hardbacks and I like the aesthetics but once you get down to convenience, paperbacks rule.

Discussing my dilemma with ARGH, he was very much in favor of hardcover books.  And his solution to my bag problem?  Get a bigger bag - a suitcase, perhaps?

                                          Paperback                    vs.                  Hardcover

I think I prefer paperbacks because:

1. They save more room in my bookshelf - more space for other books!
2. Which also helps me save more room in basically everywhere else that I stash them, especially in my bag.
3. They are easier to lug around since they are more lightweight.
4. They are easier to cover (see New Book Ritual).
5. They are cheaper.
6. They are cheaper.
7. They are cheaper.

I think I could go on and on and all my reasons would all translate to 'They are cheaper.'

On the other hand, ARGH is willing to get me a bigger bag just so I would get more hardcover books because:

1. Because hardcover books are more expensive, they are also worth more than paperback.
2. Authors and publishers alike make more money from hardbacks than paperbacks.
3. Hardcover books have more durable book covers.  And their spines do not crack.
4. Most books usually debut in hardbound versions.
5. Hardcover books have better quality pages and the dust jackets look amazing.
6. Aesthetically speaking, they look better than their paper counterparts.

And the discussion begins!  Which side are you on?  Are you pro-paperback or hardcover fanatic?

Nina vs. ARGH: First-Person Narration vs. Third Person Narration

We love to read.  We read young adult fiction, thrillers, murder mysteries, love stories, etc. etc., but apart from the genre do you still have any factor that influences your book preference?  Like the point of view, perhaps?  I have always preferred reading books written through the character's point of view.  Some examples are Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, Boy Meets Boy, and The Catcher In the Rye.  I have always liked that feeling that I am getting inside a character's head and understanding the story through his/her eyes.  

ARGH, on the other hand, favors third-person narratives.  According to him, he appreciates the objectivity of such narratives because he is able to understand by himself what happens in stories.  Some books he likes are The Pelican Brief, Hannibal, and Pride and Prejudice (of course!  He's named after the author). 

So we'd like to ask you, do you prefer a story written in the first person or third person?

 

                                                   First Person          vs.        Third person

I like first-person narratives because:

1. I see a more genuine account of a character's personality, feelings, and perspective,
2. Hence, I can easily connect with a character.
3. I am more of an 'introspective person' which makes me prefer subjective points of view in stories.
4. I appreciate a story that 'shows' more than 'tells' you what is happening.  If you are reading a third-person account, the storytelling would more likely eclipse the visual that the story would like you to see.
5. Characters are more well-developed and defined in order to provide an authentic perspective.  

On the other hand, ARGH likes third-person narratives because:

1. First-person accounts are very egocentric - what do they know about what the other person is thinking/feeling/talking about?
2. Third-person narratives can provide better perspective on the story because it gives an omniscient view of everything that happens.  
3. Helps understand more people involved in the story, not just the main characters whom a first-person narration would tend to focus on.
4. Narrators in the third person have a more flexible way of storytelling.  They can show you events from the past and the future, and other things that involved characters may not be aware of.
5. It is more objective, therefore the reader can actually think for themselves and form their own opinions and use their own imagination.

How about you?  Which do you prefer? 

Does This Ever Happen To You?

I've been to the mall earlier today and of course, I made a beeline to the bookstore.  Looking through books, I decided I was going to buy ONLY ONE book as I still have a lot of book to be read.  So I came across a copy of Room by Emma Donoghue (that I kinda want to read) and Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (that sort of interested me), and I was torn between them!  So I walked another hour around the bookstore, looking for a clincher but finding nothing, I decided to just let it go and see other shops while I decide.

 Room or Revolution?  Hmmm... both starts with an R!

So I went to the secondhand book shop and lo and behold!  I find a used copy of Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenneger priced at less than 89 percent!  And it's hardcover too so really awesome!

From Php 1,134 it's just Php 125!  Awesome awesome awesome‼

I may not have bought Room or Revolution, but I got a great find on a potentially great book.

Does this ever happen to you, a) Being torn between two books and instead finding a perfect third one; b) Being torn between two books and when you've finally decided on one, you find that it's actually the last one and another customer has already bought it; c) Being torn between two books and deciding on one, only to realize it's a terrible book?

Nina vs. ARGH: Printed Books vs. Ebooks

I am currently reading Me, Dead Dad & Alcatraz by Chris Lynch (print) and Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwen Cready (digital) and as far as I know, I'm making more progress - although still dismal - reading the first book than the second.  It's not that Seducing Mr. Darcy is not good, I think it's all right, but I've been doing a lot of things that's been preventing me from getting near my reader.  On the other hand, ARGH says I don't make much progress because I mostly forget to bring my reader with me and continue to lug heavy books around, and because I favor printed books, which he thinks is so 1999.

Which results to a new argument discussion between me and ARGH:

                           Printed books      vs.              Ebooks

I prefer printed books because:

1. The story feels more tangible to me when I have its printed book in my hands as I read it.  
2. I love the cover designs and the different colors.  Ebooks also have cover designs but I love seeing a particular book cover whenever I want to without having to start a gadget or whatever hassle just to look at it.
3. It's easier to pace myself when reading words on paper.  With digital books, I get dizzy sometimes and my eyes hurt from prolonged reading.
4. It's easy to purchase - just go to the bookstore and there you go!  Ebooks aren't sold much in the Philippines.
5. I can go back and forth different pages easily.
6. My library looks impressive because of the number of books I have :D
7. I don't have to lug around a laptop/my reader just so I can read.  Print books do not need power to function - just a well-lighted, comfy spot.
8. I can smell them - can't do that with digital books!
9. The urge to do my book ritual is satisfied - I can't cover Ebooks with plastic cover.
10. A printed book helps me concentrate more on what I'm reading, unlike Ebooks which I automatically associate with digital articles which I have a little difficulty focusing my attention on.

But ARGH thinks Ebooks are cooler because:

1. It saves trees from getting slaughtered and turned into books.  You can't recycle a bad book - you think you can turn it into a flower vase once you got tired of it or thought it was hideous?
2. You do not have to carry a heavier bag just for the sheer amount of books you packed in it.
3. It saves space - especially in the bedroom so he has more space for himself.
4. Ebook readers are compact but contains multiple ebooks so whether you got bored reading one book, you can switch to another.
5. You can easily take notes and bookmark a page - unlike printed books that get ruined pages when you fold them as bookmark, and the notes stay on the page forever.
6. ARGH also points out that my eyes got ruined at a young age because I loved to read - even in dark places.  Ebooks are read using a reader and it has its own light source.
7. Ebooks never get damaged from fires, water, or sticky substances - not to mention the destructive reading habits of other people who borrow your perfectly-kept print book and return it like it's practically dying.

Do you agree with ARGH or with me?  We can't settle this by ourselves so if you could help us, that would be great:  Do you prefer the printed book or a digital copy would suffice? 

'New Book' Ritual

Today I woke up with this nagging feeling that I need to go to the bookstore and buy a book.  So I went to the secondhand bookshop in the mall and got four books.  It did not cause a dent in my budget so it was okay (just a bit worried that the books might not be that good, crossing my fingers!).  The books are:

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear
A Dangerous Dress by Julia Holden
Back in the Game by Holly Chamberlin
Fat Hoochie Prom Queen by Nico Medina - I remembered this from Dash and Lily's Book of Dares but I thought this was just a made up title.  So when I found this in one of the shelves, I let out a chuckle and grabbed it. :D

When I got home, I do the first thing I always do for my new books:  

1. Wrap the cover in plastic, for hardbound books with jackets, I use a double-sided adhesive to tape the jacket to the cover then wrap it in plastic.  
2. Put my name in the front page and the year I bought the book.  
3. Open the book in the middle, smell it (I am addicted to the smell of new books), open other pages again and smell them too, then run my thumb through the pages.  
4. Turn the pages as fast as I can, checking the page numbers to make sure there are no missing pages, blank pages, or any other inconsistencies.

I've been doing this since I was in high school, and even did it for my school books.  So how about you?  What's the first thing you do when you get a new book?  Any practical or quirky ritual you'd love to share? 

Do You Have A Background Music?

I was looking for new Christmas songs that I could listen to without getting a thousand different versions of Let It Snow when I came across Owl City's Christmas Song.  When I listened to it, I found myself recalling lines, images, and pages from Dash and Lily's Book of Dares involuntarily.  I always said that reading a Levithan work (even a collaboration) makes me play a background music in my head, and I used to hear December 2 Chapter VII while reading Dash and Lily.  But when I heard this Christmas song, I felt that it was even more perfect because yes, the story of Dash and Lily happen during the holidays and Lily loves Christmas, Dash hates it, all the more making this song appropriate. 

Listen to it, to see what I mean:

I did not want a video with visuals, might interfere with the images from the book that come rushing in my head.

But even if I'm not reading a Levithan book, I still hear music while reading a book sometimes, especially if it's really good and really gets into me.  While reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead I heard Polite Dance Song by The Bird and the Bee.  When I was reading Wintergirls, I was hearing What It Feels Like for a Girl by Madonna.  As for what I'm currently reading, for Delirium I hear The Time by the Black Eyed Peas.  Okay, so it's not that appropriate, especially with the "dirty bit" thingy interrupting my thoughts every now and then, but that's what my brain plays and I can't do anything about it, unless I could get brain surgery, and I wouldn't want that.

How about you?  Do you associate any book with a particular music?  If you do, what song do you play in your head for what you're reading now?

The Pull of the Book Cover

How many of you grabbed a book just because you loved the cover design so much?

I have always been a fan of cover design. Most times, I get intrigued by either a book's title or design cover and they're mostly the deciding factor when I buy books. That's why when I learned from the blog hop that this week's question is "What is your favorite book cover?", I quickly ran through my mind all my favorites, and came up with the book, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead:

(Photo taken from Goodreads)

I like the simple and clean but creative concept. I'm a really big fan of drawings, and next to reading books, I also love to draw, which a lot of friends tell me look really weird:





So it comes as no surprise that I really love Ruben Toledo's revamping of some of the classics, particularly his take on the cover of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice:

(Photo taken from Coco Chanel Puffs)

However, a great title/cover design does not a great book make. Sometimes, the really dull-looking books offer the best reads. I'm not going to cite examples though, since appearances are relative, but I bet you've had moments when you got a really cool-looking book and minutes after reading, you just wanted to throw it away. Or there were those times when you couldn't care less about the cover but found a real treasure of a story inside.

On the whole, I'm sure you're thinking that this is just an excuse to get my drawings out there - well maybe it is, but just so you know, I only draw for fun. But I am very interested in books, as well as the psychology that the cover design evokes.

So are you influenced by cover design and/or titles when you pick a book?