Book | Reached by Ally Condie

Reached by Ally Condie
Series: Matched #3
Published By: Penguin
Published On: November 30, 2012
Genre: Dystopian, Romance
Pages: 532
Format: eBook
Rating: 4

After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.

Ally Condie’s Matched trilogy comes to a conclusion in the third book of the series, Reached. In Matched we see Cassia matched with both Xander and Ky. In Crossed we follow Cassia’s adventures in her search for Ky and the Rising. Crossed follows the journey of the Rising as they attempt to destroy the Society. After a plague has been introduced into the Society, it is up to the Rising, the only people with a cure, to step in and take over. However, things don’t quite go according to plan.

In general, I really liked this book. I love the details about the Society and the way these people are living. I love the history of both the Rising and the Society itself. These details are what make you realise that a society like that could exist in the future.

I feel for all the characters. I feel the pain and emotion of every one of the characters in Reached. I love all three of the main characters – Cassia, Ky and Xander – and I really enjoyed the introduction of some new characters in Reached, such as Lei, Anna and Oker. Unlike in the second instalment, Crossed, these new additions were developed more, as were those who had been introduced in Crossed, and added to the book. I also have to add, I love Bram!

I loved having the story told from Xander’s point of view. This was always something that I felt had been missing from the first two books so I was so glad to see Xander finally had a voice. I felt that it really added to the story to see things from his point of view as well as Cassia’s and Ky’s.

While much of the medical talk both confused and bored me slightly, the development of the Plague and the problems that arose in regards to it were quite interesting to read. These problems also meant that the story was not at all slow. In fact, I began to wonder what was happening as what appeared to be the main event of the book began very early on.

I was glad to see a lot of the lose ends were tied up in this book. Things that had previously seemed irrelevant in the first two books were proven to be essential to the story. The one disappointment for me, however, was the ending. While most questions had been answered and it appeared as though the ending would round off the trilogy nicely, the ending was abrupt and a little unclear, as if leaving opportunity for another book.

I did thoroughly enjoy Reached, and the trilogy as a whole, but do feel as though the last chapter of the book was missing, as if it needed just that little bit more. However, the last instalment of the trilogy did do a generally good job of answering the questions and ending things relatively nicely.

Movie | Rumor Has It

Rumor Has It...
Distributed By: Warner Bros.
Released On: December 25, 2005 (USA)
DVD Release: May 9, 2006 (USA)
Rated: 12
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Format: DVD
Rating: 3

Jennifer Aniston stars in this romantic comedy from director Rob Reiner. Aniston plays Sarah Huttinger, a young woman who travels back to visit her family in California and is shocked to learn that they were supposedly the model for the classic book and film 'The Graduate', and that her youthful grandmother Katharine (Shirley MacLaine) could be the real-life Mrs Robinson. In which case, Sarah begins to suspect that wealthy family friend Beau Burroughs (Kevin Costner) could have been the young man who had tumultuous affairs with both her mother and grandmother.

Based around the novel, and accompanying film, The Graduate, Rumor Has It is a typical, feel-good romantic comedy. Sarah Huttinger (Jennifer Anniston) has always felt like an outsider in her family. After a revelation by her grandmother, and stories from her mother’s high school best friend, Sarah discovers that the book and film, The Graduate, were based on her family. Her fiancé Jeff’s mathematical skills also lead Sarah to believe that she may be the outcome of the affair, the child of Beau Burroughs, the man who inspired the character Benjamin Braddock. In order to find the truth, Sarah goes in search of the man himself.

It might not be the most exciting film and the story may be a little predictable but generally it is not an awful film. If you’re not in to girly romantic comedies then I would definitely avoid this film but for those who enjoy a bit of trashy, feel-good entertainment then there are a lot worse films out there.

The acting is decently average with a reasonably high standard cast, such as Kevin Costner and Shirley MacLaine. The story, although predictable, was a good idea and did not let the film down. What did let the film down was the depth. By the end I felt as though the story was skimmed over rather than dived into and it would have been much more enjoyable had characters and events been expanded upon.

Generally, this film is not great but I would happily watch it when looking for something lightweight with a bit of good hearted humour and some decent, not to mention attractive, cast members.

Movie | Sex And The City 2

Sex And The City 2
Sequel To: Sex And The City: The Movie
Distributed By: Warner Bros. Pictures
Released On: May 27, 2010 (USA)
DVD Release: October 26, 2010 (USA)
Rated: 15
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Format: DVD
Rating: 4

Big budget sequel following the lives of four fashion-obsessed Manhattan girlfriends as they navigate the uncharted waters of marriage and motherhood. Although for Carrie Sarah Jessica Parker, Samantha Kim Cattrall, Charlotte Kristin Davis and Miranda Cynthia Nixon domesticity is turning out to be all they'd wished for, its not long before the girls are yearning for something/anything to break the routine. Luckily for them, a little spice, this time in the form of a glamorously exotic adventure, proves to be just what the girls need to recharge their batteries.

When the first Sex and the City movie was released, I admit I was sceptical. When the second was released, I was convinced the creators were pushing their luck. As a long running and much loved TV series, many believed that it should be left as just that, and let the past be the past. However, in my opinion, the first of the Sex and the City movies lived up to the expectations set by the series but I didn’t expect the second movie to.

Sex and the City 2 follows the four girls – Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda – on an all expenses paid trip to Abu Dhabi. For Carrie, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a break from her marriage which is seeing some issues. For Miranda, who has just quit her job, there is no better time for a trip away. Charlotte, although not wanting to admit it, could use a break from a child in the terrible twos, and Samantha has a work opportunity of a lifetime. What could possibly go wrong in a place so far from New York, in both distance and morals?

Although the second movie did not live up to the expectations set by the first instalment, it was much better than I had anticipated. Seeing the four girls so far away from their comfort zone in New York was slightly strange though highly amusing and made for an enjoyable story. Samantha and her struggles with menopause only added to the humour and I often found myself having a giggle at her expense. The added twist of an ex-boyfriend appearing was not what I expected but I enjoyed the reappearance of another character from the show and it resulted in a good plot twist. All in all, the general story was enjoyable and not entirely predictable.

With a cast like that of Sex and the City, there was never going to be any problems with the acting in this movie. All characters were portrayed well, as expected since the cast members have been playing them for so long. Kim Cattrall’s portrayal of Samantha is to be applauded as always, in my opinion, as she once again gave an entertaining performance and continually had me giggling.

Generally, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Although it is not on par with the previous movie or the original TV series, it was not the disaster it could have been. It was an enjoyable and amusing story with a talented cast portraying great characters.

Book | Crossed by Allie Condie

Crossed by Allie Condie
Series: Matched #2
Published by: Penguin
Published on: November 24, 2011
Genres: Dystopian, Romance
Pages: 367
Format: eBook
Rating: 3

The Society chooses everything. The books you read. The music you listen to. The person you love. Yet for Cassia the rules have changed. Ky has been taken and she will sacrifice everything to find him. And when Cassia discovers Ky has escaped to the wild frontiers beyond the Society there is hope. But on the edge of society nothing is as it seems... A rebellion is rising. And a tangled web of lies and double-crosses could destroy everything.



Ally Condie’s Crossed is the second book in the Matched Trilogy. The trilogy features the main character, Cassia, who lives in a society in which teenagers are provided with their perfect match based on data gathered by the society. After her Match Banquet, Cassia discovers she has been matched to two people, Xander and Ky.

In the second book in the trilogy, Cassia leaves the comfort of her normal life and family in search of Ky. It follows her journey through work camps, deserts and canyons on her search for Ky and for the Rising.

Although not as good as the first book, Crossed is still an enjoyable read. However, it is missing a lot of the things I enjoyed about Matched. I found the details about the society, and their control over everyday life, very interesting when reading the first book. These details are very few in the second book as Cassia is no longer in her hometown and controlled by the society to the same extent. Even with the lack of these details, the story itself was quite good and I did enjoy the book in general.

I found in the first book that the characters were developed well and it was not difficult, at least for me, to connect with the characters. I didn’t feel as though the characters were developed quite as well in this book and I did not find myself establishing any connection with the new characters introduced. 

Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the ending of the book. I know the book is part of a trilogy but I really hate when a book ends very abruptly. I understand that the idea is to end the book on a cliff-hanger to make the reader want to read the next book in the series, but I feel that this was done badly, just as it was in the first book. On finishing a book, I expect to be left wanting more. Instead, it ended so abruptly that I felt as though the last part of the book was missing.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and will be reading the third book in the trilogy. It does not live up to the standard of Matched but I would recommend reading it if you have read the first book.

(PS Another old review, the better ones will come)