November 2015 ~ Love YA Books

Yet again, I will be participating in Megan's reading challenge, dubbed the Semi-Charmed Winter 2015 Book Challenge. Megan hosts a challenge every season, and while I have yet to fully complete one, I always end up reading some great books that I wouldn't have picked up if it weren't for this challenge (which is sort of like a bookish scavenger hunt, as you have to find and read books that fit under the given categories - one book can only count towards one category).

This post is basically where I track what books I am able to read during the challenge, but feel free to check out the categories below and see if this challenge is something you'd like to participate in. It runs from Nov. 1st - January 31st, so you can still sign up if you'd like to give it a try - it's fun! Here are the categories for this season's challenge:

5 points: Read a book that has between 100 and 200 pages.

10 points: Read a debut book by any author. (The book does not have to be a 2015 debut.)

10 points: Read a book that does not take place in your current country of residence.

10 points: Read a book (200+ pages) that someone else has already used for the challenge.

The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew (Read by Tara)
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers (Read by Kathie)

15 points: Read a book published under a pseudonym.

Trapped by Jack Kilborn (a pseudonym for J.A. Konrath)

15 points: Read a book with “boy,” “girl,” “man” or “woman” in the title (or the plural of these).

~~Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell~~ (464 pages; 5 stars)

15 points: Read a book with a one-word title (e.g. Attachments, Americanah, Uglies, Wild, etc.).

20 points: Read a book with a person's first and last name in the title .

~~The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden by Emma Trevayne~~ (247 pages; 3 stars)

20 points: Read a food-themed book.

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

20 points: Read a book with a verb in the title.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

30 points: Read two books with the same title (by different authors).

Relic by Renee Collins
Relic by Douglass Preston & Lincoln Child

Trapped by Jack Kilborn
Trapped by Michael Northrop

Sold by Patricia McCormick
Sold by Zana Muhsen, with Andrew Crofts

30 points: Read a nonfiction book and a fiction book about the same subject.

Two books about depression & mental illness:

~~Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson~~ (non-fiction)
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (fiction)

POINTS SO FAR: 35

A Meme By The Broke and the Bookish

Normally, I'm very picky when it comes to Book-To-Movie adaptations - I tend to get let down easily, despite the fact that the film trailers may have seemed promising. Nonetheless, I've decided to participate in this week's Top Ten Tuesday, as there have been some really good trailers released lately, and honestly, you just never know. Some of these may tank, but some may be real gems! Here are ten adaptations that I'm hoping will be worth watching:

*Click on the film title to view the book on Goodreads*

The Martian (2015)

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm not gonna lie - since I heard beforehand that Matt Damon would be playing Mark Watney, I ended up picturing him as the character while reading it. I thought he was a perfect fit, so I hope I still feel the same way when I finally see the film! I've heard good things about this one so far.

Victor Frankenstein (2015)

I know this looks like it will be NOTHING like the book (especially since there's no Igor in the original novel), but I still want to see it. I love James McAvoy, and I'll give anything he's in a try, but perhaps more-so to this since it is (very loosely) based on one of my favorite novels. Besides, it's not as if Frankenstein hasn't been butchered enough already, lol.

The Danish Girl (2015)

Wow. This trailer looks amazing! I haven't read the novel yet, but it's based on a true story, and I've added it to my ever-growing TBR. I can't wait to see this one!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)

Okay, so I admit that I haven't read the book, and am unsure if I will ever get around to reading it, but this trailer looks totally awesome. As an avid fan of zombie flicks, I will definitely be checking this one out.

Deadpool (2016)

I am so excited for this movie! Ryan Reynolds has been great in every sneak peek and promo vid that I've seen so far, and he really gets into character (I even love how they poke fun at him for The Green Lantern movie!). I'm stoked to see this one! And don't worry, this is the only comic book adaptation that I will be listing in this post, otherwise all the upcoming Marvel & DC films would take over this list!

The Jungle Book (2016)

I don't even remember much about the animated Disney film (other than 'The Bare Necessities'), but this trailer looks pretty good - the animation seems top-notch, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them (2016)

No trailer for this one yet, but I don't even need to see one to know that I HAVE TO SEE THIS MOVIE IN THEATERS! I am so excited!!! J.K. Rowling is writing the script, and it's a Potterverse movie, so I know I won't be let down!!!

Looking For Alaska (2016)

I'm a little iffy on this one, as it is one of my favorite books OF ALL TIME, so I know I'll be super critical of any film version released, but I really enjoyed The Fault In Our Stars adaptation, so I know I'll have to give it a chance. I haven't seen Paper Towns yet, but I love the cast, and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy that one, so I'll try to stay positive! I have trust in the team that is putting it together.

The Circle (2016)

If you haven't read this book already, you really should! It's about a girl who goes to work for "The Circle" (a company that really sounds a lot like Google...) and all of the cult-like craziness that she gets swept up in while with the company. It looks like they've signed on Emma Watson to play the lead, as well as other big names like Tom Hanks, Karen Gillan, Patton Oswalt, & Bill Paxton! The cast has really gotten me excited, so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this one.

His Dark Materials (? - BBC Mini-Series)

I know this isn't a technically a movie, but how can I not list this?! Almost any series that's brought to life by the BBC is gold (e.g. Sherlock, Merlin, etc.), so I have total faith that this series will surpass all levels that the Hollywood film failed to reach.

So, what book-to-movie adaptations are you looking forward to seeing? Let me know in the comments if I'm missing anything so that I can add it to my mental "To Watch" list!