Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day, Warm Bodies and Silver Linings Playbook


It's February, romance is in the air, Hallmark and Godiva are making money hand over fist.  Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Whether you are celebrating the holiday with a loved one, are ignoring the holiday with a loved one (like moi) or are celebrating chocolate (which really could be every day), you can always pick a book to pair with the festivities. 

Recently I've read two books which center around romance and both happen to be movies out in the theaters today: Warm Bodies and The Silver Linings Playbook.

Warm Bodies

I've already read and reviewed Warm Bodies and last night I finally got to see the movie.  If you're not familiar with the book or movie, it's about zombie apocalypse and one unusual zombie, R, who starts to change and in the process, falls in love with a human (or non-dead), Julie.  This movie and book are endearingly, impossibly, adorably sweet.  It's how love should be...except without all the brain-eating.  So yeah, it's a touch on the gross side, but a super cute, super sweet love story.  So if you're not into reading a zombie book in one night, go see it. 

The Silver Linings Playbook

I read The Silver Linings Playbook after seeing the movie, and that is why I haven't written my review of the book.  The story is about a man, Pat, who is coming out of a mental facility and tries to get back into life with the help of his best friend, mom, dad, brother and best friend's sister-in-law, Tiffany. There were SO many changes in the movie and it made me mad because I didn't enjoy the book quite as much.  In this case, I'd almost say the movie is better, because it's sweeter and has that feel-good Hollywood ending.  The book is more about depression and one man attempting to heal (through watching the Eagles play football) and not as much about his relationship with Tiffany.  I mean, she's in there, definitely, but for a lot of the book she takes a back seat.  The book ends on a hopeful note instead of on a true Hollywood ending.  So with that being said, go see the movie and leave with a smile on your face.  It's a weird movie, but totally sweet.  Read the book if you're looking for a little more introspection.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Italy

Once again, I am joining Create With Joy's Wordless Wednesday.

Well, I just finished reading the latest in the Heroes of Olympus series, The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan.  I'll put up my review of that tomorrow, but reading about Rome (where it takes place) brought me back to my Italy trip of 04-05 (we were there over New Years).

We went to Bologna, Florence and Rome.  Florence was an amazingly fun place to spend NYE.  Everyone gets their own bottle of champagne.  You roam (rome? ha!) the streets and drink your bubbly and when you're done? Drop it on the ground.  All the roads were covered in an inch of glass.  It was surreal.
The view from our window in Florence

A younger hubs and me from the top of the Duomo in Florence


However, after NYE, we made our way down to Rome, which is amazing. The Roman Forum, the Pantheon, The Coliseum, Circus Maximus, Piazza Navonna.  Amazing!  And then the Vatican!  Most amazing church/building I've ever been in. After Rome, we hit up Pompeii.  It was just a quick train ride to Pompeii and it was by far the most beautiful, haunting place I've ever been.
This is a statue there.  I have NO idea who it's of, but the eye really does look like that.  Spooky!