Scene it Sunday #8: Nick is in an Asylum

The Great Gatsby
Source: Gifted
Release Date: May 10, 2013
Leads: Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan

A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor.

Nick is in an Asylum, Book Scene -

Nick lives in Chicago. The asylum thing was made up completely for the movie.

Nick is in an Asylum, Movie Scene -

The movie starts out with a panning view of the outside of an asylum. It zooms into show us Nick's shrink and his file - which was never in the book at all.

I really think that this idea sucks. I mean, making Nick have a disorder of the mind just... makes the entire story kind of meaningless, because there's not a reason that you should be trusting him at all. I don't like it, 'twas a poor choice. Especially because Nick... wasn't insane. Not even a bit. Caught up, yes. But not a speck insane.

Do You Actually Read Reviews?

Lately I've been seeing a strange trend from book bloggers - there have been lots and lots of statements lately - bold statements about book reviews.

"I don't read book reviews", or "I don't LIKE reading book reviews", or even "book reviews were never really my thing".

And I just think that's sad. If you're a book blogger, why do you not like reading book reviews? Can you tell me why? Because I'd really love to know your reasons. In all honesty, there are lots of book reviews that I skip, just for reasons. Like, say I don't like the certain review style, or sometimes it's just for a book that I have no interest in. But those are my only reasons ever.

But for y'all that don't like reviews... why not? You write them... right? How can you like to write something, but not to read them? Authors that focus on certain genres usually enjoy the genre that they write. Do they disinterest you? Do you find yourself rolling your eyes too often?

I obviously don't think to be a book blog that you have to write reviews, I mean there are lots of people that don't - that just blog about book art, or have bookish games, or even just post about books they're excited to read. But... if you write reviews, why don't you read them?

How can you just swear off ALL book reviews?

Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler

Love? Maybe by Heather Hepler
Series: N/A
Source: Bought
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: January 5, 2012

Just because Piper's birthday is on Valentine's Day does not mean she's a romantic. In fact, after watching her father and then her stepfather leave, she's pretty sure she doesn't believe in love at all. Then her friends concoct a plan to find them all Valentine's dates, and somehow Piper finds herself with the most popular guy in school. But true love never follows a plan, and a string of heartfelt gifts from a secret admirer has Piper wondering if she might be with the wrong guy.

In this heartwarming romance, true love is more than a maybe - and it might be closer than you think.

Love? Maybe was the perfect embodiment of what I've come to expect from Heather Hepler: fluff. She writes some of the fluffiest and cutest books, but I just can't really connect with her characters or her storylines. It was predictable as all get out, but ultimately forgettable.

I wanted Piper and Charlie to be together. I thought that they would be absolutely adorable together, and I was just waiting for that romance to happen - but I feel like I really didn't get real romance with this one. It was sweet, that's for sure; but I felt no chemistry between them.

Piper was an okay sort of character, but like I said before... I just can't connect with these characters. I did, however, like Charlie. He was a sweet guy, and truly lit up every scene that he was in, but he just wasn't in the book enough. Truly, I wanted to see more of him.

This book was completely full of predictability - and not really the good kind. The predictable that made me just want to have a long serious talk with Piper. She... she's just super dense. All in all, Love? Maybe was an okay read - I even enjoyed it, but it was ultimately forgettable.