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

Author: Gayle Forman
Series: If I Stay #2
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Format: Audiobook
Source: Personal copy via Audible


It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life.

And three years he's spent wondering why.

When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night.

Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?

GOODREADS

Review:

What a great way to reread this book. I loved the narrators voice, it matched what I thought Adam would sound like. For once, an audiobook actually sounded like I'm listening to a character talk instead of being read a story.

Where She Went is a long time favourite of mine and despite not having revisited the story in years, many of the lines were still fresh in the back of my mind. It's just that memorable a read. I'm not the biggest fan of If I Stay, though I enjoyed it. For me it was always Adam who stole the show and a story of his own in this book is what I like.

I think it's an understatement to say this book deals with a lot of issues. Every character has problems and they are very real. There aren't many authors who tackle depressed characters like Gayle Forman. Adam was so sad, so angry and so alone. My heart went out to him as he struggled to face the person who had dealt him the biggest blow of his life.

As much as I want to be sympathetic to Mia and the pain she went through, I was actually very angry with her in this novel. I, like Adam don't agree with her method of doing things. Still this fault in Mia is probably what I like about her. She is realistic. She makes big, stupid mistakes and ends up hurting the people she loves most because she is selfish. Who isn't selfish?

As for the format, audiobook, I have only listened to a handful of them over the past couple of years and never really appreciated one as much as I did this one. There are many reasons as to why this particular audiobook stood out so well for me. A big part was the narrators, Dan Bittner. Bittner not only had a very Adam-esque voice but he was in character. He read as if he was Adam and not as if he was my father reading me a story.

I also loved being able to listen on the go. I downloaded this book via audible onto my phone and so I listed while I walked, ate, bussed, waited for class, you name it. It was an overall great experience, I enjoyed every moment and am sure to check out Bittner's other audiobook works.

Mari's 2011 review of actual book.

-MARI

When you're a Canadian reader or even an international reader, you know that you're probably not going to recognize the settings of most books. At least not the way you would recognize your home town. New York? Wow! L.A? Nice. But, how about Ottawa? Toronto? Montreal? 

To me this means that every time I go to the US, my eyes are instantly drawn to the little towns we pass on our way to the bigger cities. I pinpoint restaurants, thinking them similar to places my favourite characters visited or worked at.

Misquamicut beach in Rhode Island is almost a replica of the beach in Jenny Han’s Summer series or so it is in my head. It’s a small beach town that I can see Belly having a little cottage in and wearing her bikini trying to get the guys' attention. 

I'm cheating a bit. This picture is one I took of the beach in Atlantic City but it looks similar to Misquamicut.

On the side of the highway in New York State, we passed by a STX Auto Shop. It wasn’t in the bad part of town or anything just a small little auto shop and all I could think of was Alex Fuentes working on some car there. (Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles)

Time Square

This went on throughout my trip. When I reached New York City, the number of books that could be related to the places I was visiting were flying off the handle. Still my largest connection with NYC is Where She Went by Gayle Froman. Adam and Mia's midnight adventures around New York. Walking by the vibrant city life on Time Square and finding little gardens tucked in hidden corners of the massive cement city. Eventually, reaching the ocean and watching as their one night ended with the sunrise.

South Street Sea Port

Despite the similarities between the two nations, Canada and USA, I’ve never connected in a bookish way to a Canadian landmark. But the USA is close to me in that sense. I see it as the setting of the books I read. Most of the books I read are actually set in the US and the authors are mostly American as well. Hence, the country has become my mental retreat.  It’s where I travel to escape from life.

Have You Had Made Connections With Places You Visit and the Books You Read?

-MARI