In case you've missed out, there is an unspoken disagreement about Maggie Stiefvater on The Sirenic Codex. P.E. is an adamant fan of her work while I cannot understand the reason behind the existence of The Scorpio Races.

This story came to relevance somewhere around 10pm when I was struck by an epiphany. It's quite world changing really- It's not Maggie Stiefvater's Fault!

See I was an alright fan of Shiver. I liked it. Then The Scorpio Races happened and Ms. Stiefvater and I kind of broke up. Why: slow pacing, disengaging plot, uninteresting characters. But what all of this really sums up to is descriptions. The Scorpio Races is Maggie's hall of fame on details and descriptions. Something that I've come to realize isn't my forte.

My mind doesn't really bother to register excessive descriptions and skips right over them. As a result, books like The Scorpio Races have no appeal to me. Sentence after sentence of descriptions about the weather, the horses, the characters faces whizz by me. I can't see them as anything but wasted space.

This is where movies come in. I don't believe in reading the book before watching the movie. Call me a rebel, but I don't believe in any real set way of reading. And I've been known (because the whole world pays attention to me, of course) to watch the movie before reading the book, quite unapologetically. 

Watching the movie helps me visualize.

I remember as early as my Harry Potter, I would google images many of the characters or creatures in the books in order to get the visuals. Somehow I managed to ignore the fact that Malfoy had white blonde hair, Hermione has too-big front teeth and that Voldemort didn't have a nose. The last I don't mind.

Watching the movie, however, plants the images in my mind and actually improves my reading experience. I can now imagine a certain face smirking when the text says so. 

Many of my favourite books of all time have been books I picked up after getting my interest peaked by a movie or tv adaptation. I love the visuals, but I am not a visual reader.

-Mari

I am beyond wary of book to screen adaptations. I'm definitely excited, but the two mediums can be very different and my vision may differ from the film's makers' insert: Vampire Academy. I still tear up because of this one; why a comedy?

Top Ten (four) Books I'd Love To See As Movies/Tv Shows

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by the amazing people over at The Broke and the Bookish.

Isla and the Happily Ever After

All the locations and epic scenery that can be captured. I want that rom-com, rainy day, sappy but coming of age-y, epic tale. Now that I'm put it out there, I need this to be a thing.

Where She Went

I loved If I Stay the movie, but I god freaking ADORED Where She Went the book. If for no other reason, can we have this movie because Adam from the movie (aka the guy in the gif ) is gorgeous and totally deserves a breakthrough role? The answer is yes, yes we can.

Prisoner of Night and Fog

A movie of Prisoner of Night and Fog is what I envision to be the best world war two/realistic hitler/romance to be. I want it to be the next Titanic-like blockbuster minus "I won't let go Jack" and the sinking ship of course. All the drama, suspense, thrill, and psychopaths!!! 

Catching Jordan

Think Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf, take out the paranormal and add female varsity boys senior football captain. All the dating and cat fighting and football playing! Please, someone!

-MARI

I decided to bring back spotlights but revamp them a bit. Instead of focusing on one book, I'm going to do genre spotlights. I hope you enjoy.

This week were looking at Epic Historical Action. When I hear that phrase, I think of castles, spears, muscles and chariots.

Books:

Grave Mercy - Mistress of Rome

There are many, but these two are my favourite. Both are beastly in size and amazingness. They feature a strong cast of characters with independent female leads, lots of battles and a well researched history. I had no idea that Britanny was a place until I read Grave Mercy and now that I have I can see the small nation struggle as it is being overwelmed by larger and more powerful countries.

Movies:

300: Brave, heroic warriors awaits you in 300.
Pompeii: Untouchable but loveable gladiators in Pompeii.
Troy: Hector!

TV Shows: 

Spartacus

This one is more like what I want to watch. I've been ogling this show for too long. It's right up my ally. I'm not too into the sex and gore but if that's what I have to beer with in order to enjoy the shows magnificence then I shall endure. Gladiators!!!

Any Epic Historical Recommendations?

-MARI

A discussion with P.E. and Mari.

The amount of YA books becoming movies is insanity. It seems like Hollywood ran out of movie ideas or they aren't sure what works, so they go with books that already have fanbases  Why do you think there are so many books becoming movies these days?

Exactly, it's like a YA movie apocalypse  I'm on the fence with this one, I obviously love them when they are done well (i.e. Harry Potter, Hunger Games, hopefully Divergent), but a lot of the time the movie kills the book for me. For this to happen the movie doesn't have to suck, it is sometimes the never ending buzz the follows, it's almost like all anyone can think of is that movie. It happened with Twilight. I was 13 when I read the books, I enjoyed them and watched the first movie a couple times until I noticed it was nothing special and moved on but it seemed like the world was stuck in time. Every year with the next movie coming out everyone would go crazy, name their babies after characters etc. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if the movie is good then sure, but the fan following gets to me. How about you, have you ever felt this way?

I'm a renowned not movie person, which basically means I watch about a little more than a handful of movies a year. I'm not as excited about them as most people just because I've already experienced the story and I'm not always into seeing a visual representation of what I read. For the most part, movies are the exact same story so I don't understand what makes people go crazy over them. What movies do, that I appreciate, is highlight some of the best of YA. How many people got into reading after Twilight became a huge hit? Remember when everyone at our school was reading The Hunger Games? People get to see that cool stories come from books, and then maybe it can push them into reading more. However, I still enjoy TV shows based on books much more. 

That's definitely a plus side of movies based on books but how about when the movie doesn't do justice to the book. I'm not inclined to reading a book before watching the movie, and it works out fine when the movie is good. But movies that don't do a good job portraying the book kind of kill the book. Have you had that problem? This can apply even if you read the book before. It's partly what's kept me from watching the City of Bones while it was in the cinemas. I don't want to take that chance with one of my favourite series. Somethings are just better off being left the way they are, books are a great medium of entertainment and if done well their story can be a great movie but is it really necessary to make a movie? I can't answer that fully because I'm dying for the Divergent movie but I don't think I would've minded if the theory never caught my attention. You?

It's for this reason that I won't watch The Fault in Our Stars movie. I'm more emotionally connected to books than movies and that book wrecked me. I want to keep that between me and the book, and while the movie may be excellent, I don't want to give up my mental images of all the characters. Even if a movie is excellent it changes the way I view the characters when I read and sometimes I don't want that.

I think we both agree that movies are great. They bring more attention to books we love, they present them in another light and widen their reach. But there are risks associated with them, risks that sometimes we don't want to take. So while it's fun that all of these great books are being turned into movies, I think it's only fair that some hesitation is present as well. After all, movies can be hits or misses and as book lovers it hurts to see our favourite books fail on another stage. 

What do you think?