AUTHOR LINDSAY DETWILER
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • READ FREE!
  • The Dark Side
Contemporary Romance Author

Movie Review: Miss Peregrine's Missed the Boat

10/1/2016

24 Comments

 
Movie Review Picture
After reading Ransom Riggs' amazing debut novel this summer, I was thrilled to go see the movie adaptation. With my 3-D glasses and super sized soda, I was ready for some thrills, some magical moments, and the depth I got from the book.

At the beginning, I was thrilled about the adaptation. While I gave the book a 4 out of 5 star because it moved too slowly at the beginning, the movie jumped right in. Some changes were made, but I was okay with them because I enjoyed getting to Miss Peregrine's Home sooner.

The first half of the movie was pure magic. I loved the actress who played Emma and thought she had good chemistry with Jake. I also loved Miss Peregrine's portrayal in the movie as it stuck to the book for the most part. Burton managed to give us the magic of the home while also showing some of the horrors, some of the negatives. It had a thoroughly creepy feel mixed with magic, a difficult feat to pull off.

The last portion of the movie, however, ruined everything for me. Suddenly there were strange, killing skeletons that were more cheesy than creepy. The suspense Burton had been building collapsed in a semi-goofy, odd scene that really lost the wonderful, creepy feel we had up until this point. I think Burton would have been better off to stick to Riggs' initial vision for the story line; although the book's ending was less dramatic perhaps than the version in the movie, I think it stayed true to the characters and the plot. The last twenty minutes of the movie made me want toss my terrible 3D glasses early and head out the door with my popcorn. 

Typically, a movie has a hard time living up to my expectation after a book. I understand things have to be adapted, I do. If the ending hadn't become so oddly corny, I would have been okay with the other changes. However, I think whoever approved the ending of this movie lost sight of the initial mood and feel of both the book and movie.

Overall, I would rate the movie a 3 out of 5 star watch. If there is a sequel produced, I'm honestly not sure I'd be running to see it at this point. 
24 Comments

The Legend of Tarzan Review: Why Romance Lovers and Skarsgard Lovers Will Cheer

7/4/2016

1 Comment

 
When my husband first said we should see Tarzan, all I pictured was a weird monkey-like man swinging in the trees with that godawful yell. I said no.

Then I saw the trailer... and realized Alexander Skarsgard was Tarzan. I quickly amended my response. A fan of Tru Blood, I am also a fan of Alexander Skarsgard (and his crystal blue eyes and lovely rock-hard abs). That man could star in a movie about the DMV and I would go see it.

Alexander's good looks aside--or not--this movie was amazing! As an avid romance movie lover, I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the love story in this movie. Jane and Tarzan's love was portrayed in such an "awe" worthy way. Their connection, their relationship, and the lengths Tarzan was willing to go to in order to save the woman he loved--beautiful. The love story was actually a central focus to the movie, which made me happy.

Alexander was also a perfect choice for Tarzan because of his brooding, serious nature in his works. His portrayal of Tarzan matched his portrayal of Eric Northman. He was serious, mysterious, brooding, and a bit intimidating. However, both characters have a serious soft spot for the women they love. Alexander does such a good job at playing the stoic man with a big heart. 

I also loved the use of flashbacks. It kept the story on the conflict the directors focused on. This movie didn't just go over the Tarzan legend we all know; it seriously expanded upon the typical Tarzan focus, using flashbacks to fill in the gaps. The overall plot was exciting, and the fighting scenes kept my husband interested in the movie as well. 

We saw it in 3D, which was just gorgeous. The landscapes, the action scenes, Alexander's abs in 3D... it was perfect ;)

In all seriousness, both my husband and I gave this a ten out of ten stars. It is truly the perfect couple's movie because it appeals to both genders. The directors did an amazing job at taking a legend we all know and making it something we can all love.

Did you see The Legend of Tarzan? What did you think?
1 Comment

Wentworth: Orange Is the New Black Lovers' New Binge Watch

6/5/2016

0 Comments

 
There's nothing worse than finishing your favorite show on Netflix. Seriously.

You aimlessly browse show after show, looking for another to make you laugh, cry, to suck you in. You look for that binge-worthy show.

If you're like me, it's hard to find that replacement. I will start twenty different series, discounting it in the first five minutes because it's just not the same.

This is what happened after I finished all my favorites. Jane the Virgin, Reign, Once Upon a Time, Orange is the New Black: after waaayyyy too many hours of binging, I was caught up.

Then my friend Christie mentioned Wentworth.

At first, it was just okay. I liked it, but it wasn't Orange is the New Black. I could stop after just one episode.

And then, around episode eight... I couldn't. I'd found my new binge-watch just in time for summer.

Wentworth Vs. Orange is the New Black

Wentworth is an Australian drama set in a women's prison. Like Orange is the New Black, it gives us a cringeworthy, dramatic look inside prison life. You start to root for the characters, you see the connections develop. You see relationships on the outside fall apart. There's a whole lot of lying, cheating, stealing, killing, crying, and drama. I love that the prison staff isn't immune to all of these things, either.

The only thing hard to get used to is the lack of humor. This IS a DRAMA. It was weird because I kept waiting for the punchline, for the crazy Susan moments. They don't come. There aren't any laugh out loud moments. 

But... there are a whole lot of good things.

The main character, Bea, is very likable. Unlike Piper, she really is much easier to feel sorry for. Bea finds herself in a very difficult position, one we can empathize with. I really feel for her throughout the drama.

In my book, Australian accents are awesome, so there's that going, too.

I feel like the atmosphere in Wentworth is a bit more realistic since it is a drama and not a comedy.

The verdict? I'm still an #OITNB fan all the way. It's still my favorite.

But if you find yourself in a "show hole" (Kristin, are you smiling? :) ), Wentworth is a good watch for in-between seasons. 

So now... I'm off to watch more of season 2. Happy binging!

Lindsay Detwiler

P.S: If you're feeling like reading instead, check out the book Orange is the New Black. It's very different from the series, but I found myself "binge reading" it. It's rivoting. Here's my video review on Youtube to check out.
0 Comments

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2: Movie Review

3/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Sequels never live up to the original. I know that, we all know that.

But in this case, I was pleasantly surprised that the sequel to the beloved My Big Fat Greek Wedding did, in fact, live up to the first.

The story picks up years later, when Toula has a high school age daughter. I love how at the beginning of the movie, Toula’s kind of returned to frump girl. Motherhood and life’s business have sort of shattered her dreams again. She even has to put back on the old glasses when hers break.

The movie covers a range of real-life issues: losing your identity as a mother, dealing with aging parents, keeping the spark alive in marriage, and letting go of those you love. I liked the depth in the theme and plot. There were a lot of “real” moments.

Of course, there was also the signature humor. There were a lot of scenes that made me laugh, even if they were sometimes predictable or cheesy. Just like the first movie, this one made me wish I was Greek and had a huge, crazy family like Tula.

This movie was a perfect balance of cute, funny, and dramatic. I really recommend this to women of any age, since there are characters every woman can relate to.

If you’re a fan of the first My Big Fat Greek wedding, definitely go see My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. I also adore that the entire cast came back together for this, which really helped make it just as great as the first.

0 Comments

Jeannine Colette: Reckless Abandon Review

1/31/2016

0 Comments

 
Reckless AbandonReckless Abandon by Jeannine Colette
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Our lips entwine, melding together like branches of a hundred year old tree and my entire body melts into his embrace.”

Reckless Abandon is a perfect mix of emotion, romance, drama, and spice. I read Colette’s Pure Abandon and really liked it. However, I have to say Reckless Abandon was even better!

Emma Paige has experienced a lot of tragic loss in her life. While on vacation with her sister in Capri, however, things seem to turn around for her. She meets Alexander Asher, and the two connect on an emotional and physical level. A few major events lead to the destruction of their connection, however, and Emma decides to leave Asher in her past. Thanks to fate and some relentless assistants, Emma and Asher re-enter each others’ lives in New York City. As the two try to overcome emotional hurdles and issues, they come together. There are plenty of twists and surprises, however, in the plot. Just when I thought everything was going to wrap up neatly, there was always another surprise. This kept me wanting to read more, and I really enjoyed the plot. Sometimes in this genre, plot takes a backseat to character development. Colette, however, expertly crafted both character development and plot to create a story that will resonate with you long after you close the book.

I liked Alexander Asher’s character in Pure Abandon, but I wasn’t absolutely obsessed with him. He had a Christian Grey, alpha male feel, which isn’t really my thing. In this book, however, I got to see a much softer side of him. I really, truly liked him better in Reckless Abandon. He still felt like the same character from Pure Abandon, but just more mature and likable. I would like to think that is because Emma Paige brings out better qualities in him. There are still “selfish,” alpha tendencies to him at times, but I found them much more forgivable in this book.

I also loved Colette’s writing style again. She has a very descriptive, emotional style that pulls you in from page one. She has a lot of relatable references and always gives her characters just enough quirkiness to make them memorable. I also liked how there were some spicy scenes, but they were still tastefully done. I felt like they perfectly complemented the development of the storyline and relationship. Emma and Asher’s relationship, thus, was a perfect balance of emotion and passion. It never felt out of balance.

Overall, I really enjoyed Reckless Abandon. It had so many great things about it. The setting, the storyline, the characters—they were all memorable and enjoyable. I will definitely be looking for more work by this talented author!


View all my reviews
0 Comments

    Banners for Best Romance Book Blogs
    Author Lindsay Detwiler
    Picture
    *As an Amazon Affiliate, I get a small fee for any books purchased through the links below.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Then Comes Love
    Who We Were Romantic Comedy
    Where Love Went
    Where Love Went Free Read Holiday
    To Say Goodbye
    Picture
    Remember When Lindsay Detwiler

    Archives

    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    Aging
    Am Reading
    Animal
    Animals
    Animal Testing
    Author
    Author Chat
    Authors
    Bark Box
    Beach
    Beauty
    Beauty Blog
    Beauty Box
    Beauty Review
    Body Image
    Book
    Book Blog
    Book Review
    Books
    Book Sale
    Bookworm
    Box
    Caregiving
    Cat
    Chick Books
    Chick Lit
    Childfree
    Childless
    Children
    Classics
    Clothes
    Contemporary Romance
    Contest
    Cook
    Cosmetics
    Creative
    Creative Writing
    Cruelty Free
    Dad
    Dating
    Divorce
    Dog
    Dogs
    Dream
    Dreams
    Empowerment
    Facebook Live
    Family
    Fashion
    Father's Day
    Fear
    Female Writers
    Fiction
    Free
    Free Book
    Free Reads
    Friendship
    Fulfillment
    Funny
    Gaming
    Giveaway
    Good Books
    Graduation
    Growing Up
    Hair
    Holocaust
    Inspire
    Keith Urban
    Kindness
    Life
    Literary
    Literature
    Live Show
    Love
    Lularoe
    Makeup
    Maplewood
    Marriage
    Mastiff
    Modern Love
    Mom
    Mood Boosters
    Mother
    Mothering
    Mother's Day
    Movie
    Movie Review
    Must Read
    Netflix
    New Author
    New Release
    Organization
    Parents
    Pets
    Phobia
    Pieces Of My Heart
    Poet
    Poetry
    Prize
    Prizes
    Reading
    Refresh
    Relationships
    Review
    Reviews
    Romance
    Romantic Comedy
    Sale
    Self Care
    September 11th
    Show
    Simple Living
    Simply Love
    Stitch Fix
    Story
    Style
    Summer
    Sweet
    Sweet Romance
    Tattoo
    Teacher
    Teaching
    Tech
    Teenagers
    Television
    Thankful
    Thirty
    Tidying
    Valentine's Day
    Vegan
    Wedding
    Win
    Winter Blahs
    Woman
    Women
    Women's Fiction
    Writer
    Writing
    Young Adult

    RSS Feed

Lindsay Detwiler

  About
Contact
Hot Tree Publishing

Disclosure: 
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

This site is also a part of the Intellinfluence Program, where we receive free products and payment for posting about certain products.

We are also a participant in the Stitch Fix Influencer program, in which we receive fees when you click on the Stitch Fix advertisement. I am also a part of the Jane.com Affiliate program through ShareASale and earn fees when you purchase using the affiliate links.



​**This website uses Google Analytics to improve user experiences. We also use Adsense to create revenue and Amazon Affiliates.

Privacy Policy
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • READ FREE!
  • The Dark Side