I know I don't always post reviews on the movies I watched, but I want to share my thoughts with you on these two movies which I saw lately. Let me begin with The Hill Have Eyes. I have to admit I am a total wimp when it comes to horror movies, yet I am fascinated with them. We watched this on MioTV, which is a subscribing channel but we got a free one-year subscription since we subscribed to a new Broadband plan which expired last year. Though there is a limited access to their programmes, at least we have four movies to look forward to each month.

Anyway, The Hill Have Eyes is a remake from the original which was first released in 1977. My husband and I had waited till our daughters have gone to bed before watching this because of the gore and the strong violence elements.

Onto a cheerier issue, we watched How to Train Your Dragon with our eldest daughter last evening. We totally enjoyed watching it and I think we all have something to learn from Hiccup, our young Viking hero of this movie. When I first watched this movie, I didn't know this was based on a children's novel by Cressida Cowell, and that this is the first instalment of her How To Train Your Dragon Series.

One would never expect Hiccup is the son of a Viking Chief, for Hiccup is quiet and he does not seem to have the viking blood as his father. However, all the young ones in the tribe are required to go through trainings in catching and taming the dragons, and Hiccup could not say no to this ordeal and has to grit his teeth no matter how much he dislike it.

During a mission when they are required to fetch a dragon for training, Hiccup caught a black scrawny dragon and named him Toothless. Toothless is not friendly towards him in the beginning, but they began to trust each other and a special bond is formed as the days go by. However, no one in the clan knew of Toothless existence and Hiccup has no intention to tell anyone about it. Through his experience with Toothless, he began to learn ways of soothing and taming dragons. Little does he know that his experience with Toothless will change his life thereafter and he will encounter a challenging task that not only will prove his courage but also allow the other tribe members to change their attitude towards the dragons.

For this movie, we chose to watch a 2D version because my husband had complained of giddiness when we first watched a 3D movie last year. I think it has got to do with the glasses issue as I could not imagine wearing a pair of 3D glasses over a regular pair of glasses (for this, I'm thankful for being a contact lens wearer and I only wear my glasses at home). Anyway, we totally enjoyed the movie experience! What I loved best about this movie is the humanity and the emotions portrayed in all aspects: loyalty, friendship and of course, love. I loved the part that shows the struggle between Hiccup and his father, and how their feelings towards each other changed and became stronger as the plot progress. The bond between Hiccup and Toothless is especially moving for me, and I was choked with emotions over a scene which I'd rather not tell. All in all, a great inspirational movie for the young audience and adults alike.

(My Rating: 4 out of 5)

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

You and me are in this together, and no one else can hear what our eyes are telling each other now. It felt brave and mad holding on to his gaze like that, neither of us looking away.

(Pg 9, The Worst of Me by Kate Le Vann)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about multitasking.

Do you – or are you even able – to do other things while you read? Do you knit, hold a conversation, keep an eye on the TV? Anything?

Unlike work, reading is not about being productive but is all about sheer pleasure and entertainment, thus I don't multi-task while I read. However, I do read a little when watching TV but that is only when the commercials come on.

While I could read while holding a conversation, I try not to do so because I find it inappropriate, not to mention rude.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers are to share the books that came into their house last week.

These are what I received last week:

1) The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting (bought from The Book Depository)

2) Read, Remember, Recommend by Rachelle Rogers Knight (review copy)

What books came into your house last week?

Ceri at Not in the Pink tagged me for this fun meme.

* Name a film that you have seen more than 10 times.
Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid and The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. My 6-year-old daughter never get tired of watching those, and the same goes to Barney & Friends. We have a few VCD collections of the latter.

* Name a film that you’ve seen multiple times in the cinema.
I only watch a film once in the cinema, no matter how much I like it. I would rather use that money to buy the DVD.

* Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a film.
John Cusack.

* Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a film.
Jim Carrey. (After I have typed my reply, it then struck me that Jim share the same initials as John, haha.)

* Name a film that you can and do quote from.
Oh no. I'm bad at memorising quotes.

* Name a film musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs.
I rarely watch film musicals so I can't think of any.

* Name a film that you would recommend everyone to see.
Spirited Away. I love this Japanese animation! Great plot and great imagination!

* Ever walked out of a film?
No, I always try to watch till the end. I hate not knowing what happened, even though if I don't like the film.

* Name a film that made you cry in the cinema.
I know this may sound corny, but watching Jack and Rose profess their love to each other while struggling to stay alive on a sinking ship made me teary-eyed. (Titanic)

* How often do you go to the cinema (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)?
Sadly, I rarely go to the cinemas nowadays (due to family obligations) but I do go once in a while if I want to watch the film badly. I watch more DVDs as compared to catching the films in cinemas as it is cheaper and convenient (not to mention more comfortable at home).

* What’s the last film you saw in the cinema?
Avatar in 2D.

* What’s your favourite/preferred genre of film?
I have no preference. I will watch anything as long as they piqued my interest.

* What’s the first film you remember seeing in the cinema?
Wow, that sounds like a long time to me, haha. Seriously, I have no memory of the first film I saw in the cinema.

* What film do you wish you had never seen?
Hmm...that's a hard one! Maybe My Bloody Valentine in 3D. Yikes!

* What is the scariest film you’ve seen?
Ring (Japanese version) and Shutter (Thai). Don't watch them when you are alone!

* If you could be any character portrayed in a movie, who would it be?
Ah... so many choices. I love reading butt-kicking heroines in books so maybe Lara Croft will be it.

* Last film you bought.
(500) Days of Summer. I loved this movie!

* Last film you watched.
Avatar in the cinema, and (500) Days of Summer in DVD.

* Five films that mean a lot to you.
~ Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs - Just because this is the very first movie my daughter watched in the cinema.

I have seen this book around when it was first released, but did not get it at that time, and looking back now I really regretted for not picking it up earlier!

Anyway, Shutter Island is a story about two US Marshals who are on a mission to investigate the disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solando in Shutter Island, where the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane is situated. Rachel is considered as one of the dangerous patients at the Ashecliffe Hospital, for she is a multiple murderess and not to mention very mentally disturbed. No one knows how she managed to escape barefooted from a locked cell, and what most puzzled is where could she go in the remote island? That is where Edward "Teddy" Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule come in, and they will have to find every means to uncover the missing person case.

However, it is definitely not easy to solve the case with the threatening hurricane but what is most challenging is getting the hospital staff to cooperate, and some cryptic clues which Rachel has left behind before her disappearance. To make things more complicated, Teddy is still deeply traumatised by the days during the Cold War when he was a soldier, but what most affected him is Andrew Laeddis, the man who set his house on fire that led to the death of his wife. He believes Andrew is in Ashecliffe Hospital and hence this is another reason why he is set to find all the answers in Shutter Island.

As Teddy and Chuck continue to track down clues, it began to dawn on them that things might not seem what it is at Ashecliffe Hospital, and they might not be able to leave the island in the end.

Shutter Island is one of the most intense psychological thriller I have read in a while. It is a suspenseful read, one filled with twists and turns and more questions are raised than answered. I totally enjoyed the reading journey as every page I turned, the anticipation kept on growing until I was totally blown away by the ending. The most thrilling part of this story is, you just could not know who to trust, considering the setting is at Ashecliffe Hospital where they kept the dangerous and mentally disturbed patients at bay. Anyone could be a threat or are lying, whether or not if they are sick in the mind or not, and to me that is the scariest part.

After reading this thriller, I am definitely going to look out the other releases by Dennis Lehane. And of course, I have to watch the film adaptation which is opening next month. I hope it will not disappoint.

(Click here to read what readers have said about this book.)

Do you take breaks while reading a book? Or read it straight through? (And, by breaks, I don’t mean sleeping, eating and going to work; I mean putting it aside for a time while you read something else.)

I rarely take breaks while reading a book. I don't like putting the book aside and pick it up again after a while. I find that I need time to adjust to the setting and to familiarise with the characters all over again if I do decide to take a break, and I would rather read it straight through to avoid all the hassle. However, if I find the story does not interest me anymore, I would give it up.

What about you?

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

I have read a lot of good reviews on this book, and with the movie opening here next month (I know this movie was released a while back in the U.S.), I want to read the book first before I catch it on screen. I hope the movie is as good as the book! It's so intense, and oh full of suspense!


Chuck came over. 'You find it?'

Teddy nodded, turned the notebook so that Chuck could see the page, the single word written there, tightly scrawled and already beginning to bleed in the rain:

run

(Pg 161, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about tbr books.

Where do you keep the books on the top of the tbr pile? Not the bunk of the mountain, but just the tip of the peak – the ‘almost up to’ books?

I wish I have enough space and bookshelves so I can put all my TBR books neatly without spending some time and efforts to rummage through the piles (which they are stacked haphazardly against the walls in our storeroom). All my latest acquisitions are always placed on the top of these piles. Since I am a moody reader, most of the times the books I choose to read are on the spur of the moment thing, thus there is no point for me to think of what book(s) to read next (unless I have made plans to do a buddy-read with bloggy friends or a review copy I have to post at a specific time).

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers are to share the books that came into their house last week.

These are what I received last week (bought from The Book Depository) :

1) The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

2) The Line by Teri Hall

3) Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn (have to get it after reading Ana's lovely review!)

4) The Clouds Roll Away by Sibella Giorello (review copy)

What books came into your house last week?

With a combination of mystery and character study, All Unquiet Things marked one of my most unforgettable reads this year. This story basically revolves around three teenagers; a murdered 16-year-old Carly, her ex-boyfriend, Neily and her cousin, Audrey.

Audrey's father is convicted of Carly's murder. But even after a year has passed, Audrey still believes her father is innocent and she hopes to find out the truth about everything, even if that means she has to approach Neily for assistance. Audrey has never been close with Neily right from the beginning, and on top of that Carly dumped Neily for another guy and she is not sure if Neily is still feeling bitter about everything. It turns out that Neily is still feeling guilty about not taking Carly's call before her death, and Audrey's request somewhat seems like a remedy thus they agreed to do an investigation of Carly's death.

However, in order to find out the truth, Neily and Audrey has to find out what secrets did Carly harbour, and what she was doing with the dangerous popular crowd before her death. Suddenly, everyone in that crowd becomes their suspect. But the most complex issue of all is, Neily and Audrey have to be honest and trust each other, including to their own self.

All Unquiet Things was a page-turner through and through, and I wished I had the time to read it all in one sitting. What makes this book such a gripping read (besides the premise, that is) is that it is told from Neily and Audrey's perspective in different sections. I find this pretty effective as the readers get to understand their thoughts and emotions through their respective narrative, besides their findings on Carly's murderer.

The dangerous crowd which Carly mixed with before her death is also another interesting read. Each character appears to be troubled and seems to have an agenda of their own, and I was glad that I was able to figure out the real murderer towards reading the half of the book. Anna Jarzab has done a great job in crafting this story, but I think it is her observations of the characters (their thoughts, emotions and behaviours) that really made this story stands out.

All Unquiet Things is a must read for any YA readers who love a good mystery. I will definitely keep a lookout for Anna Jarzab's new releases in the near future.

(Please click here to read what other readers have said about this book.)

Related post: Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire series #1)

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

* * * * *

For today's Cover Attraction post, I have posted two covers instead of one since the stories are interconnected. Both covers are lovely, but I have to say it is actually the second cover which has caught my attention in the first place.

Also, I am sad to say this will be my last CA post. Though I really enjoyed participating in this meme, and I always find joy in searching for more attractive covers, it bugs me to say I need some time to do that and at this moment I want to use those time for my reading and reviewing more books.

Nevertheless, I want to take this opportunity to thank Marcia, our lovely hostess for hosting this meme!

A Year on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball
ISBN-13: 9780425225875
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: March 2009

Synopsis (From B&N):

Their husbands were gone, their families were grown, and the future stretched out before them like an unfulfilled promise...

Tired of always dreaming and never doing, Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget make a life-altering decision. Uprooting themselves from their comfortable lives in the suburbs, the three friends buy a run-down mansion, nestled in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley. They christen their new home "Ladybug Farm," hoping that the name will bring them luck.

As the friends take on a home improvement challenge of epic proportions, they encounter disaster after disaster, from renegade sheep and garden thieves to a seemingly ghostly inhabitant. Over the course of a year, overwhelming obstacles make the three women question their decision, but they ultimately learn that sometimes the best things can happen when everything goes wrong...

Synopsis (From B&N):

From the award-winning author of A Year on Ladybug Farm comes the continuing story of three women who learn what it takes to turn a house into a home.

A year after taking the chance of a lifetime, Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget are still trying to make a home for themselves on the newly-renovated Ladybug Farm. Life in the Shenandoah Valley is picturesque, but filled with unexpected trials- such as the introduction of two young people into the ordered life the women have tried to build for themselves.

As the walls of the old house reveal their secrets and the lives of those who have gone before begin to unfold, the cobbled-together household starts to disintegrate into chaos. And when one of their members is threatened by a real crisis, they must all come together to fight for the roots they've laid down, the hopes they share, and the family they've become.

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

This was an early article, written before the police officially stated that they had a suspect in custody, before they arraigned and charged Audrey's father, before the town was invaded by a media circus and Carly's face was splashed all over the front page of every rag in the country.

I was the only person connected with the tragedy who didn't talk to a single reporter.

(Pg 17, All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab)

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about picture books.

Do you have a favourite picture book, either from your own childhood, or reading to you children?

I love picture books, not only because my six-year-old daughter love reading them but most of all, I marvel at the wonder and the power of illustrations that make a story come alive. Below are some of my favourite picture books which I have read with my daughter and reviewed on this blog (except Kiss Kiss):

Kiss Kiss by Selma Mandine

Miracle in Sumatra: The Story of Gutsy Gus by Jeanne McNaney

You're All My Favourites by

The Odd Egg by Emily Gravett

What about you? Do you have any favourite picture books?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers are to share the books that came into their house last week.

These are what I received last week (bought from The Book Depository) :

1) Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2) The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer

What books came into your house last week?

I love beautiful, and interesting, cover art so every Wednesday I post my 'Cover Attraction' for the week along with a synopsis of the book. Everyone is welcome to stop by and, if they'd like, post a link to their favorite weekly book cover.

* * * * *

Synopsis (From B&N):

A lyrical and romantic story of love, fate and family

In the high desert of the American southwest during the summer of 1982, the Finley family is awaiting the arrival of the baby boy they're due to adopt. Oliver, just seven, is eager for another playmate to join him and his sister in their idyll of swimming pools, climbing trees, and playing tag. But one hot afternoon, Dr. Finley dies suddenly and everything changes. Mrs. Finley, newly widowed, decides she cannot proceed with the adoption alone.

Twenty-one years later, Oliver believes he has finally found the brother his family was meant to adopt. Along the way, he also finds Miranda, an eccentric, charming photographer whose subjects are consenting strangers in their own homes after dark. Oliver and Miranda's love story collides with catastrophe when their worlds intersect in ways they could never have predicted.

A luminous, moving portrait of grief and atone­ment, romance and longing, Dear Strangers unearths the possibilities of hope and renewal in the unexpected bonds forged with family and strangers alike.

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

It has been a while since I have done a buddy-read with Alice, thus I am glad to read this book together with her. Living Dead in Dallas is the second instalment of Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris, and I can't wait to see what adventures (or troubles) are awaiting Sookie in this book (I look forward to reading more of her immortal lover, Bill too!).

After our bags had been put in the bedroom (big enough for the coffin and a bed), the silence in the little living room became uncomfortable. There was a little refrigerator well stocked with PureBlood, but this evening Bill would want the real thing.

(Pg 77, Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris)

I am happy and honoured to receive the following two awards last week:

Happy 101 Award (Thanks, Alice!)

The rule of the award is to list 10 things that make me happy and passing it on to 10 other bloggers.

1. My family
2. My lovely friends
3. Books (without a doubt!)
4. Green tea (a must to start off my day)
5. Subway Veggie Delite sandwich (with lots of honey mustard, yum!)
6. Blogging (mine as well as reading all my bloggy friends' bookblogs)
7. Music (it soothes my mind)
8. Mails (be it letters or packages, they always make me happy)
9. Shopping
10. Traveling
    

One Lovely Blog Award (Thanks, Alice & Sherrie!)

• Sherrie of Just Books (Back to you, Sherrie!)
• Jenny of Jenny's Books
• C.B. James of Ready When You Are
• Joanna of Wordy Candy
• Sarah of Confessions of the Un-published

Throughout my life I have tortured myself by watching certain films over and over again purely for the thrill of being terrified. The Amityville Horror, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Psycho, Carrie, The Exorcist, Halloween, and Poltergeist were all very dodgy films for a kid to be sat in front of, but films that every kid has sat in front of. There was always the distinct possibility that seeing these types of movies as a child could turn you into a person liable to break into little bits upon seeing a priest clutching a Bible or if you witnessed another child place their hands on a television screen. Certain films cause universal reactions no matter where in the world you were born or bred. If you have seen Jaws, you have done the bloody music while flailing around in the ocean. It's a 100 percent certainty. And if you're as stupid as I was, you have attacked your unsuspecting family members with the double whammy - the stupid music and your arm stuck vertically out of the water replicating the fin, cunningly disguised as an arm (and just as deadly). ~ Chapter Eleven, The Amityville Horror (1979), Pg 78

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about dust jackets.

Do you prefer books with a dust jacket? What do you do with your dust jacket while reading? Leave it on or take it off? (Question courtesy of Kim from Page after Page)

I love hardcovers; I think they make a great collection and not to mention their dust jackets are usually glossy and pretty to look at. The only issue I have with dust jackets is that they crinkle easily. And another thing is, the dust jacket does not really stay in place while reading so I always take it off and only put it back only after I have finished reading the book.

What about you?

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where readers are to share the books that came into their house last week.

These are what I received last week (all bought from The Book Depository) :

1) A Novel Idea by Aimee Friedman

2) Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

1) Gone by Mo Hayder

What books came into your house last week?