Where Have I Been?

Yes, it's true that I haven't been posting in the last four months. I am currently closed to reviews (and seriously, check my status before sending a request). I have a backlog of books to review. I'm not currently reading YA lit because I really can't keep adding to the backlog.

What has kept me from posting?

I got a new job, in a library! I am in another medical library, though I also staff the patient library, and this is my favourite location because I get to help patients find oncology information.

Yay!

But I moved to a new city, by myself.

Boo.

So I've been navigating starting a new job, ending an old job (which was an experience all of its own!), living in a new (not-so-awesome city), and getting an apartment...and getting another apartment because of a long list of reasons. I also got some fantastic input from an agent about my book, so I'm trying to work on that.

I knocked out two posts today, but I still have a few, including:

The Book of Ivy (audio book);
The Lonely;
The Ocean at the End of the Lane; and
The Chaos Walking Trilogy.

One could say, "Maybe if you didn't binge watch the entire series to date of Game of Thrones, or the third season of Vikings, or the entire series of Sons of Anarchy, you'd have more time to review."

Maybe. I might even say that is true.

Insurgent Film Review

The Divergent Trilogy Reviews

Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant

The Divergent Film Reviews

Divergent, Insurgent

Way back in March when Insurgent was in theatres, I went with a teen and another adult to see it. We didn't see it in 3D, and I don't mind, as I hate putting 3D glasses over my regular glasses (and I don't see very far with my contacts). Though there were a few scenes that would have been very cool in 3D, I don't think I missed much. This "review" is more some of my quick notes that I made when I saw the film .

Spoilers Ahead!

The Not So Good or Changes

• Marcus fell off the face of the film. He was important in the book, and the film was just like, nope.
• Johanna fell off the face of the film. She was involved throughout the book, but she just stays home, I guess.
• Amity isn't so strict on wearing their faction colours (according to the internet anyway), but they don't even try. 
• Where is the drug bread?!
• Four mom is not supposed to be white (according to Roth, she's a "POC"). The film lost a huge aspect that could have enriched the film.

Four's mom is really pretty, though.

• The hard drive from Insurgent has been replaced…with a box that has to be unlocked via simulations. This makes the film much more like a video game. I do have to say that with the previous film, that she could manipulate the simulations, there is a natural progression between the films.

The magic box.

• The one who delivers the final message to the society…is not named. Of course, the next book is being split between two films, so they have lots of time to "discover" the identity. 
• Jeanine is killed by someone different. In the film, to me, it makes more sense. In the book, yeah, it's satisfying, but considering all that Jeanine has done, the film did it right. It will have huge implications for the next two films.
• Still no Edward (but see my note at the end of this review).
• In the book, she cuts her hair shoulder length, by herself. In the film, she gives herself a perfect close cut using her reflection in a window. The other adult we went with is a male, and he was like, wow, she did the back really well. 

Got a window? That's all you need!

Who needs hairdressers? I like the front btw, just not...anything
else from it.

The Good

•   The picnic table!

I wish I had a better picture of this!

• The film had a lot of action, which the book didn't have much of. 
• Tris got a few more tattoos. In Divergent, she got more than the bird tattoos. However, when did she get these? It’s doubtful that Amity has tattoo shacks in between the vegetable gardens and the stables.

That's all I got for Insurgent. BUT I want to mention that a complaint I had with the Divergent film was that the butter knife scene was absent. The scene was filmed and didn't make the final cut. I put a link in my original film, but I'll also post it here: