A BookLover's Diary

Battle School Logos from 'Ender's Game'

2013-02-21T13:11:00.000-08:00

via Geeks of Doom

The feature adaptation for Orson Scott Card's futuristic science fiction novel Ender's Game will hit theaters on November 1, 2013 and promotional stills, and the like, are slowly being released.

All that to say that a collection of team logos for the space station battle school have been revealed - I've rounded them up and embedded them below.

New Cover for 'Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone'

2013-02-13T14:35:00.000-08:00

Take a look at the first of seven new covers for the Harry Potter series from Scholastic.

Amulet graphic novel artist Kazu Kibuishi created the covers for the new U.S. trade paperback editions, which are expected to release in September.
Continue Reading »

Netflix Instant: The Raven

2013-02-06T20:52:00.000-08:00

The Raven, which is based on the works of Edgar Allen Poe and some real events surrounding the authors final days, is now available for instant streaming on Netflix.

After discovering that a string of baffling murders seems to be inspired by the macabre short stories of Edgar Allan Poe, Baltimore cop Emmett Fields turns to the brilliant-but-boozy author to help solve the crimes.

Cast: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson

Year: 2012

Length: 1 hr 50 min
MPAA Rating: R
Continue Reading »

New Additions to 'The Book Thief' Cast

2013-02-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Getty Images

For those of us looking forward to seeing how this story does on screen, here's some news about the latest additions to the cast.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson have joined Fox 2000's adaptation of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and will star as the title character's foster parents.
Continue Reading »

'Warm Bodies' and Why You Should Read It

2013-01-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

Guest post by Jason. Find out how you can become a guest blogger on A BookLover's Diary.

Okay, so I have to start out by telling you that I had no idea this book even existed before I saw the awesome movie trailer during The Hobbit. Warm Bodies is author Isaac Marion’s first book. And while I am not saying it is the best book I have ever read, it certainly impressed me. Why? Well, because of what the story line is all about.

The story line behind Warm Bodies is that a zombie living in an airport thinks about his life. Really, that by itself is enough to give you pause. The zombie is the hero of this book and the one you are rooting for the whole way through. Unusual enough. But then add to this a sort of existential crisis. The zombie can’t remember his name, something that starts with R, and has a best friend who communicates with him mainly through grunts, groans, and exasperated stares.

50 Must-Read Science Fiction Books?

2013-01-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

AbeBooks took on the task of listing the 50 MOST ESSENTIAL science fiction books of all time. Trying to list only one book per author and trying to show as many sub-genres in Science Fiction as possible can make the task even more of a challenge, but - alas - they managed to round out their top 50 must-read books in the popular genre.

Check out the list and see if you agree with the choices.
Continue Reading »

Political Cartoons from the Dr. Seuss Collection

2013-01-17T10:12:00.001-08:00

Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) remains one of the most beloved children’s book authors, with 46 children’s books published—including the bestselling Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to name a few.

Before those best-sellers, Dr. Seuss worked for the New York Newspaper PM for two years as the chief editorial cartoonist, drawing over 400 editorial cartoons.

I've embedded some of his political cartoons below.

The First Bookless Library Set to Open This Fall

2013-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

San Antonio intends to open the first bookless public library system in America this fall. For those of you wondering what that might look like, you can get a clear idea by walking into an Apple store, apparently. You can also view a mock up of the interior below.

It was while reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs that Bexar County Judge (and book lover), Nelson Wolff, got the idea of the Public Library "enhancement" - a library designed for the digital age, offering a collection of e-books and even e-readers that you can check out just like a library book.
Continue Reading »

Read the First Three Chapters of 'Fragments' (Partials #2) by Dan Wells

2013-01-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Fragments by Dan Wells, Book 2 in the Partials sequence, is expected for publication next month (February 26, 2013).

If you're getting impatient for the release, you can read the first 40 pages below.

Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence--it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races.

Read the full Synopsis here.

Read my review of Partials (Book 1)

Netflix Instant: Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

2013-01-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, based on the children's book of the same name, is now available for instant streaming on Netflix.

This animated adaptation of the incisive Dr. Seuss classic features the voice of Danny DeVito as the Lorax, a forest-dwelling creature who labors to prevent the short-sighted Once-ler from decimating the environment in order to turn a profit.

Cast: Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White, Ed Helms, Danny DeVito, Rob Riggle

Year: 2012

Length: 1 hr 26 min
MPAA Rating: PG

Continue Reading »

Adaptations Releasing in January

2013-01-09T09:29:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at the literary adaptations that are coming to theaters this month.

Horrid Henry

When Henry fails yet again to hand in his homework, he inadvertently sets off an unexpected and curious chain of events. He forms an unlikely alliance with Moody Margaret, the infuriating girl next door, outwits corrupt School Inspectors, topples an evil Headmaster, wins a talent contest, and stands up to his ultimate nemesis. With each antic crazier than the last, Henry finds himself inexplicably trying to save the very school which he has always professed to hate.

Release Date: January 11, 2013
Based on Book: The Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon
Studio: Phase 4 Films
Director: Nick Moore
Screenwriter: Lucinda Whiteley
Starring: Theo Stevenson, Richard E. Grant, Parminder Nagra, Kimberley Walsh, Matthew Horne
MPAA Rating: PG

Goodreads By the Numbers 2012 [Infographic]

2012-12-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Not only did Goodreads double in size this year (from 6.5 million members to more than 13 million), the site also surpassed 20 million user-submitted book reviews.

To celebrate, Goodreads created a handy infographic to display their growth, reveal the most reviewed book of 2012, and so on.
Continue Reading »

Cassandra Clare Releasing E-Book Series in 2013

2012-12-13T11:32:00.000-08:00

Fans of Magnus Bane in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series are probably beside themselves at the news of a new short-story e-series that will focus on the immortal warlock himself, chronicling his adventures through the ages.

Starting in February 2013, one story in The Bane Chronicles will be released every month in e-book format, leading up to the movie release of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (August 23). Cassandra Clare will be collaborating with YA authors Sarah Rees Brennan (Unspoken, The Demon's Lexicon) and Maureen Johnson (The Name of the Star, 13 Little Blue Envelopes) on this spin-off series.

For those of you who are maybe not fans of e-books, or just wish a bound copy was an option, you'll be pleased to know that they thought of this too and will be releasing a print edition of The Bane Chronicles in 2014.

'Hunger Games'-Style Reality Series Coming to CW

2012-12-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

The CW has ordered a survival reality TV show, entitled The Hunt, that bears a strong resemblance to The Hunger Games. You be the judge.

The Hunt is described as an intense wilderness competition taking place over one month, as 12 teams of two are provided no food, water, or shelter, but must compete in a game where they’ll rely on their physicality, survival skills, and hunting skills to endure their conditions, capture one another, and ultimately win a huge cash prize.

[Review] Radiant (Unearthly #2.5) by Cynthia Hand

2012-12-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

Radiant follows Angela and Clara as they spend the summer in Italy. Alternating between the two perspectives, we not only get an idea of how Clara is dealing with the grief, the heartbreak, her visions—basically everything that came to a head in Hallowed (Unearthly #2)—but also the secrets that Angela has withheld about her trips to Italy, namely the mystery man that she always refused to talk about.

The story is mostly about Angela and her mystery guy, which doesn't sound like much of a story in and of itself. However, if you’re familiar with the series, you might be as curious as I was about why Angela would be so secretive about this guy and what it might add to the story in the final installment. Basically, what I wanted out of this novella was insight and… maybe (totally!)… a little (a lot!)… to have a reason to jump back into the world that Cynthia Hand created.

A Charming Collection of Retro Library Posters

2012-12-10T11:20:00.000-08:00

"Your library has loads of information"

Take a step back in time with this roundup of retro library posters from the 1960s that encourage reading with fun, colorful illustrations and clever slogans.

Many of these gems, and more, were discovered by Flickr user, Enokson - a librarian in a Canadian junior high school. If these posters don't make you want to visit your local or school library then I don't know what will.

E-Books and Print Books Can Coexist [Infographic]

2012-12-07T12:38:00.000-08:00

With e-book sales on the rise and e-readers making it convenient for book lovers to read on the go, will e-readers destroy printed books as we know them?
Teachingdegree.org takes a look at both mediums and attempts to answer that question with a handy infographic -- which shows that both e-books and print books can coexist and remain useful in the years to come.
Check out the infographic below.Continue Reading »

[Review] UnWholly (Unwind Trilogy #2) by Neal Shusterman

2012-12-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

In Unwind (the first book in this series) Neal Shusterman created a futuristic world that is both horrific and compelling; where, after a long, bloody war between Pro-life and Pro-choice armies, a compromise was made stating that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively “abort” the child in a process called “unwinding.”

Unwind was written as a stand-alone novel, but the author, deciding that he just couldn’t leave it that way, turned Unwind into a trilogy. Five years after the release of the first book, UnWholly is born. I approached this sequel with much trepidation – hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. The result? UnWholly completely captured my attention, exceeded my expectations, and left me eagerly anticipating the third installment. I was quickly caught up once again in the story of AWOL Unwinds trying to survive and desperately fight a system that sees them only as parts to be harvested.
Continue Reading »

Adaptations Releasing in December

2012-12-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at the literary adaptations that are coming to theaters this month.

Lay the Favorite

Beth Raymer (Hall) leaves behind her life as a stripper in Florida and heads to Las Vegas to realize her dream: being a cocktail waitress in a glitzy casino. But, when her career goals don’t pan out, she falls in with Dink (Willis), a kind and idiosyncratic sports gambler.

Release Date: December 7, 2012
Based on Book: Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling by Beth Raymer
Studio: RADiUS-TWC
Director: Stephen Frears
Screenwriter: D.V. DeVincentis
Starring: Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rebecca Hall, Joshua Jackson
MPAA Rating: R

Top 50 Books For Teachers and Educators [Infographic]

2012-12-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

As rewarding as it may be, teaching a classroom full of students, of any age, isn't easy. That's why the folks at Best Education Degrees created a helpful infographic of the top 50 books about teaching that covers everything from lesson plans to teacher appreciation.
You can check out the infographic below. Continue Reading »

Rowling's 'The Casual Vacancy' to be Adapted for Television

2012-12-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults, is headed to the small screen. BBC One and BBC Drama have commissioned the adaptation with plans for the author to collaborate closely with the project.

J.K. Rowling had this to say about the news: “I’m thrilled that the BBC has commissioned The Casual Vacancy. I always felt that, if it were to be adapted, this novel was best suited to television and I think the BBC is the perfect home.”

The Casual Vacancy is set in Pagford, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils ... Pagford is not what it first seems.

The show is scheduled to air in 2014.

Netflix Instant: Hugo

2012-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hugo, based on Brian Selznick's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is now available for instant streaming on Netflix.

Hugo is a critically-acclaimed film, set in 1930's Paris, about an orphan (Asa Butterfield) who lives alone in the Gare Montparnasse railway station.

When his father dies, 12-year-old orphan Hugo takes up residence behind the walls of a Parisian train station. There, he meets Isabelle, the daughter of filmmaker Georges Méliès, who holds the key to Hugo's destiny.

Cast: Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz
Continue Reading »

[Review] Every Day by David Levithan

2012-11-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

“I wake up thinking of yesterday. The joy is in remembering; the pain is in knowing it was yesterday.”

Have you ever wished that you could live as someone else for a day? In Every Day, the main character does just that, except that it’s a daily occurrence that started at birth and he has no control over whose life he wakes up in. A. is a sixteen-year-old who wakes up every morning in a different body, borrowing someone’s life for 24 hours. A. has no parents, no gender, no body, and no name – nothing that isn't borrowed. There’s no rhyme or reason that A. can see for his lifestyle or any warning about who he’ll be when he wakes up, just that they’re all the same age as A. and in roughly the same geographical location.

A. has a set of rules to help him get through the day without making any lasting connection, which is fitting considering his unique circumstance. But when A. meets Rhiannon, he is willing to break all the rules to be with her.

Hollywood's 25 Most Powerful Authors

2012-11-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

The Hollywood Reporter selected the 25 most powerful authors.

"THR selected those living authors who have been most successful in shepherding their books from page to screen, balancing success in publishing (total output, sales, best-sellers) and in Hollywood (completed adaptations, projects in development, screenwriting and producing credits) while accounting for cultural influence. More power to them."

Interested in seeing who made the list? You can view the top 5 below. View the full list at the source.

The magazine also lists the up-and-coming authors in Authors To Look Out For - a smaller list that includes familiar names like Maggie Stiefvater and John Green.

Continue Reading »

A Flowchart to Help Hipsters Find Their Next Read

2012-11-28T13:24:00.000-08:00

Goodreads created an infographic to help hipsters find their next favorite read. Not a hipster? Neither am I. But I did find the list entertaining, hence the reblog, and found some interesting titles that I've never heard of or have on my bookshelf waiting to be acknowledged. Does the latter make me an almost-wannabe-hipster, or something?