I'm a slayer, ask me how.

Noyes, D. The Restless Dead
Candlewick Press, 2007. 256 pages.
$16.99 ISBN: 978-0-76362-906-9

Ghosts, ghouls, tell-tale hearts, and vampires.  This collection of short stories has something for everyone that is a fan of supernatural tales, all written by some very well known young adult authors. 

As I've heard other readers mention, the problem with short stories is that they either tend to feel formulaic, as the writer tries to craft a tale to fit a certain length (and in this case, genre) OR the other extreme - they are too short and you would rather sit down with the characters for a full length novel.

I found several of the stories in this collection hit or miss.  A few of them felt like the authors were just doing an assignment: write a short story that incorporates something supernatural.  But there were a few stand-outs for me.  Ones that went beyond the basic retelling of a classic eerie story and really tried to make it their own. 

If I hadn't been assigned to read this book for "Books for the Beast", I probably would have skipped over a few of the tales that I felt moved too slowly or were too predictable.  None of the stories are particularly keep-you-awake-at-night scary, but several of them have moments that will give you a chill. 

If you're craving some short stories to read while you gear up for Halloween, this might be a good place to start.  It's also a nice way to get a taste of several different writing styles.  I know I jotted down a couple of the authors' names so I could look into their full length works.  And there are a few I might avoid after reading this book as well. 

2.5 stars

Bachorz, P. Candor
Egmont, 2009. 249 pages.
$16.95 ISBN 978-1-60684-012-2

Respectful space in every place.
Academics are the key to success.
Never keep secrets from your parents.

These phrases sound like something the average teen would hear on a regular basis as adults try to influence their behavior.  While children may not immediately obey these words, they do listen.  But what if they had no choice but to listen?  What if these messages were not coming from their parents' mouths, but instead being delivered subliminally, every second of every day? 

In the town of Candor, that is exactly what life is like.  Well-to-do families move in, hoping that the messages will help mold their children into something "better".  It only takes a matter of days before the child starts to spout these phrases.  Once cherished items, like skateboards, art supplies, and M&Ms, are thrown in the garbage by their owners.  The town is quiet, safe, and seemingly perfect since all of its citizens must obey the Messages.

Oscar Banks is the son of Candor's creator.  As the Messages will tell you, he is a superior person.  He does well in school, participates in extracurricular activities, and even has a perfect girlfriend, Mandi.  But no one knows the real Oscar.  He was in Candor from the start, and he's managed to figure out how the Messages work.  He can't avoid them completely, but he has created a set of special messages just for himself, to help him remember who he really is.  He also creates messages for kids that are willing and able to pay his high fee to get out. He has managed to build his own little world inside right under his father's nose, and no one knows about it but him. 

Then one night, Oscar meets a mysterious girl.  She's clearly new in town, still wearing her dark clothes and a collection of earrings.  She's also snuck in a can of orange spray paint.  He is amazed by the spirit this girl possesses and is drawn to her.  He slips her a music CD, filled with special Messages to keep her from changing into a brainwashed Candor teen.  He doesn't tell her that, of course.  Who would believe that they were being controlled by subliminal Messages?  Plus, he hasn't quite figured out what he wants to do with her - should he smuggle her out of Candor and out of his life?  Or should he keep her in the town so they can be friends...or more? 

Pam Bachorz's Candor is a society that feels eerily plausible.  Oscar Banks narrates the story in a natural voice, explaining to the reader how the Messages and the town work as a whole.  Oscar starts out somewhat self-centered (as anyone in his situation might be, since he is the only teen not repeating the Messages) but as the story goes on, he begins to realize a bit more about himself, Candor, and the what the world outside must be like.  He starts to see how much of a personality can really be suppressed by the Messages, and how far his father will go to keep the town safe and sterile.

Candor would be a fitting book suggestion for a fan of Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series - the bubbly Pretties and the Candor teens have a lot in common.  But even if they are not familiar with that series, readers will enjoy this well-written, fast-paced (and other hyphenated words) story.

Earlier this year, I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I loved it.  I'm talking 5 out of 5 stars, must tell everyone I know about this book LOVED it.  It had everything I wanted in a story - action, adventure, kick-ass heroine, well-developed side characters, and a hint of relationship stuff (but not so much that I started to gag). 

Last month, the sequel was released - Catching Fire.

I am not going to post any spoilers because the thing that made reading Hunger Games and Catching Fire so great was how little I knew about them before I started.  But let's just say that Catching Fire has everything Hunger Games had, but kicked up a notch.  It picks up right where we left off... 

That being said, I give Catching Fire 4 out of 5 stars because of the usual reasons with middle books - this book is more about setting things up for the grand finale than anything else so the ending is a lot rougher than Hunger Games, which felt like the first Star Wars movie - yeah, there was more to do, but it had a satisfying ending for the biggest story. 

With Catching Fire, Suzanne Collins knows that she owns us, that we are invested in these characters, and that we'll be expecting that cliffhanger.  And she gives it to us.  I read the last page several times, trying to figure out exactly what it all meant because I know I have another year before I found out what happens. 

Seriously, why are you reading this post?  You should be reading Hunger Games or Catching Fire RIGHT NOW! 

In a summer filled with intergalactic adventure, giant fighting robots, and boy wizards, 500 Days of Summer is a nice break.  No, it's not the best movie evar but it does what it sets out to do well and at an hour and a half in length, it's perfect for a quiet summer evening. 

Tom is a hopeless romantic, waiting for his perfect girl, and he knows it will be love at first sight.  Summer is the opposite - a free spirit who tries to avoid getting into serious relationships as she finds them too messy.  And so the story begins...or middles...see, 500 Days of Summer is told in a non-linear style, taking the audience to random days in the 500 days of this relationship (starting from the day Tom first sees Summer until the day he officially moves on).

It's a really sweet movie and it's heart is in the right place.  Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt work really well together as this on screen couple.  Clearly, this movie is targeted toward my generation, or more like the one right before it, with references to Star Wars, Knight Rider, The Smiths, and many more random pop culture jokes. 

Oddly enough, it reminded me of 'How I Met Your Mother'.  Tom reminded me a lot of Ted - and not just because of the random narrator that follows them both around (a part of the movie I was never 100% comfortable with, but I guess it worked to get some of the gags out).  Their mission for their soul mate is about the same.  So if you're a fan of that show, you'll probably really enjoy this movie.

500 Days of Summer is a nice way to relax - there's are no villians or evil doers.  It's just a sweet store. I think the humor and writing will appeal to both men and women.  If you can find a theater close by playing it, I totally recommend grabbing some friends and heading over.  (Comedies are always better when you have someone to laugh along with).  If not, def. put it on your Netflix list.  It doesn't have any big budget special effects, so seeing it on the big screen isn't crucial. 

And yes, like every good summer indie flick should - it has an awesome soundtrack. 

Full Disclosure:  Gangster movies are like Roller Coasters for me.  I'm not a fan of roller coasters, but every time I go to a theme park and see people having fun, I think I should maybe try one again.  So, once a year I hop on a roller coaster, remember all the reasons I don't enjoy riding them, and go back to waiting at the exit to each ride, holding everyone's bags and eating ice cream. 

Gangster movies tend to work the same way - I just can't get into them.  But so many people were raving about this movie on their blogs, I felt I should give it a try.  Heck, it has Johnny Depp AND Christian Bale. 

Public Enemies covers the end of John Dillinger's career, the middle of Agent Melvin Purvis', and the start of J. Edgar Hoover's FBI.  Yeah, that's a lot to cover in a single movie, isn't it? 

To me, the movie felt like it was written backwards - like the screenwriter read about Dillinger's demise and was like "OMG that would be an awesome end to a movie!" and then worked from there.  So the start of the film is really slow and plodding, and you never really get to know the characters.  By the end of the movie, I was still more connected to the actors than the characters, but the action had picked up and the last bit was a lot more interesting (though it too could have moved faster). 

The best thing about the movie for me was Marion Cotillard who played Billie, Dillinger's "true love" (or, as gangsters tend to do, the woman he decided to obsess over after seeing her from across the room).  She has one of those amazing faces, like Depp, that make the character seem deeper than the writing ever did.  I was happy any time she was on screen. 

In the end, the movie was too long.  I think if the editing had been a bit tighter and if the writer/director could have just picked ONE theme or ONE story, it could have been a stronger film.  As it is, it's a mediocre movie that you can watch once but won't really stick with you beyond the initial viewing.

I'm gonna go get some ice cream.

"In Mary's world, there are three simple truths.  The Sisterhood always knows best.  The Guardians will protect and serve.  The Unconsecrated will never relent."

Mary grew up in the village, surrounded by the fence which separates them from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.  No one goes outside the fence because that is where the Unconsecrated roam.  The Unconsecrated are undead that stumble around with only one goal - to feed on human flesh.  They are zombies.

Mary had never really thought about her life, her fate, the rules that controlled her world, until a few months ago when her father went missing.  Everyone said that he was dead or had been turned into an Unconsecrated.  Her mother became obsessed with finding him and spends long hours searching for him in the crowds of zombies gathered around the fence.  Mary's brother Jed patrols the fence as one of the Guardians, so it is Mary's responsibility to watch their mother and make sure she does not stray close enough to the fence to be attacked. 

But today, Mary lingers to long by the river, when Harry approaches her and begins the ritual of courtship that will lead to a betrothal.  Realizing that her mother has been left alone, Mary rushes back home only to find that she is too late: her mother has been bitten and will turn into an Unconsecrated.  Mary watches her die and then Return, no longer human but a monster.  Jed refuses to let Mary come home, blaming her for their mother's death, so Mary has no where else to turn - she is forced to live in the Cathedral and train with the Sisterhood. 

At night in the Cathedral, Mary begins to hear things - discussion and secrets that she is not supposed to know.   One night she sees a young girl her own age brought into the Cathedral and hidden from everyone else...a young girl from outside the village.  Mary begins to realize that perhaps she should question their world, their way of life...

Carrie Ryan's tale is one parts zombie survival guide, one parts love triangle, and one parts M. Night's The Village.  It is an action packed read that will appeal to both teen and adult audiences alike.  Mary is strong-willed and perhaps a bit selfish (the way any young adult might be if they were torn between their first love, their dreams, and what society expects of them).  Ryan's writing is consistent and well-paced, sucking you into the story right away making the book a quick read even at 310 pages. 

The book has a sequel/companion slated for 2010 and the movie rights were just picked up so a feature film is on the way!

So, after seeing J.J. Abrams' reboot of the Star Trek franchise on the IMAX this afternoon, I understand why everyone has been so cryptic when they discuss it.  There's so much to say, but too much that you don't want to spoil.  Abrams manages to create a movie that works (convincing my yet again that he should only be allowed to make 2-hour films and not TV show...but that's a rant for another blog).

Just so you know where I am coming from, I'm not a hard-core Trek fan, but I grew up watching The Next Generation and have probably seen most of the original series, plus a handful of DS9, Voyager, and Enterprise.  I've seen most of the movies (Wrath of Khan and First Contact are my favorites, though this one might now beat out First Contact...maybe).  Anyway, I knew who all these characters were but I hadn't been immersed in the mythology of the series. 

But that didn't matter.  My knowledge was enough to help me get all the little throw away jokes (though Bones insulting Spock is funny whether you know their history-to-be or not) and the rest of the time the movie did it's own thing.  The writers created the perfect plot, one that would allow people just wanting to see some sci-fi fun to enjoy themselves but also not belittling the fans who have loved this series their whole lives. 

The actors manage to portray these characters in their own way, instead of just trying to impersonate the actors that came before.  Chris Pine's over-confident Kirk really works, Zachary Quinto uses the skills he honed as Sylar to play it cool as Spock.  Simon Pegg was clearly having more fun than he should have had.  Karl Urban managed to utter the phrase "DAMMIT!" in just the write tone that you knew he would one day grow up to be our cranky old Doc McCoy.  John Cho as Sulu worked better than I expcted, and who knew that Chekov was so adorable?  Zoe Saldana's Uhura is a hottie with brains and attitude.

It has action, adventure, really wild things, it's sexy, and includes a plot twist that makes everything work out just right.  This movie was made for summer and popcorn.  It's just FUN! 

I love Team Apatow.  This new brand of comedic film that blends honest (some times crude) humor but with a good heart at its center has made for some of the best laughs in a good while.  'I Love You, Man' is no exception. 

Pete (Paul Rudd) gets engaged to his girlfriend of eight months and slowly realizes that he has no close male friends.  Yeah, he knows lots of guys - the other real estate agent at the office, his fencing team...but none of them are really friends.  In an attempt to even things out, he goes in search of a friend.  But what he gets is a true Bromance.  Segel's Sydney is a free spirit who doesn't feel compelled to do what is expected of him while Rudd's Pete likes to please other people and has spent his whole life trying to be good enough.

Warning: you must love Paul Rudd and Jason Segel for this movie to work because it is all about the two of them.  The writers manage to walk a fine line between too much and not believable when it comes to the interactions.    What could easily have become a movie about Pete becoming a "real man", we find the "real men" (sport watchers, beer drinkers, hyper-competitive, muscle-bound) are portrayed as annoying (Jon Favreau is hilarious as the poker playing, beer drinking alpha male).  They are not evil people, but definitely not anything to aspire to.  And Syndey doesn't try to change Rudd, but does work to give him more confidence.  And Rudd plays Pete with just the right amount of naivete that you can go along with some of his mistakes - mistakes that must happen to move the plot along but if played incorrectly could have been unforgivable.  Instead, you just shake your head and laugh. 

This movie is a great date movie, for every kind of relationship.  It's nice to see a movie that portrays a friendship between two men without making them seem weak or that something is wrong with them.  They share their thoughts and feelings, and while it pokes fun at the conventions of the romantic comedy, it also shows that male relationships can have just as many layers as the more frequently portrayed female relationships. 

Go grab a friend or two, get some popcorn, and see this movie with a group so you can laugh out loud together.  At roughly 90 minutes, this movie gets everything right. 

(And while I have no desire to see a sequel, I do want to see more movies with Rudd and Segel teamed up together.  They compliment each other in more than just physical height).

See that box art to my left here?  Looks spooky, huh?  Scary even? 

Yeah, well, the movie you're imagining from the box art and the random images you saw online?  It doesn't exist.  Instead, you have this movie, the most arranging-matches Vampire movie ever. 

And it does not make me want to visit Sweden any time soon.  The children are pasty, it's always covered in snow, and the adults are just fugly.  And no one seems too shocked when a child jumps on someone and drinks their blood. 

I don't know, I was expecting a lot more from this movie.  The actress that played the vampire had a very unique face, but I kept waiting for more story, more plot, more vampires!  Especially when we saw her eyes changes in the light, and even her face change when feeding...but no, these teases did not lead anywhere and, in the end, the movie was a bit of a let down.  It felt like it wanted to have some deeper meaning about life, death, killing for survival vs hurting for fun...but I never felt like it all came together. 

I know the rumor is that an American film studio has picked this up.  Something tells me it will bear little resemblance to this quiet, awkward film.