Attention! Attention!!

Attention All Book Lovers!!

One of my favorite authors Shelly Crane is having her book series Significance (sound familiar/kinda familiar/really familiar!!) turned into a major motion picture!! I recently went to Florida to meet some to the cast, producers/director, and the author herself to premier the teaser trailer they were going to show the investors. Everyone was amazing and the crew they had made an awesome teaser trailer. 

They've added a few more (soon to be announced to the public) additions to the cast and grown considerably in the past month. Though, a big production like this needs a few up front costs to pay actors when they sign and have a solid amount of money to seal in the investors air tight LOL. The ONLY way that we can make this film possible is by sharing, tweeting, tumblr-ing, wordpress-ing and anything else to get this as much attention as possible!! It's a great book and deserves all the attention it can get. (Maybe donate a dollar or two to get this production really kick started? Did I mention there are a few cool prizes?)

Here are some links:

For the link to the KickStart for the Significance movie, go here!

The original teaser trailer (shot and edited in about a week, awesome!)

Emily Gossett is the wonderful director & CEO of Panoramik Productions. Check out her IMDB here!

Candace Charee' is the Exectutive Producer of Significance and CEO of Frame 7 Productions (also producing Of Light and Darkness) Visit her IMDB 

here!

Come see Cara Calderaio as the star, Maggie Masters here/here!!!

They've also announced Ian Whyte as Sikes (antagonist). You may know him from Prometheus as the engineer! Visit his IMDB here!

They've signed a band as well!!

U jelly?

-M

P.S. If you can't donate, SHARE PLEASE!!!!

Musing Monday #2: Lila!!! (Jan 28th)

Musing Monday #2

Musing Monday is a weekly conversation thing hosted by Should Be Reading where you talk about one of three prompts. I also decided that I would do a cool vlog thing!! It was really fun to film (I usually prefer scripts though). 
Enjoy!

"Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren't) enjoying it."

Lila!!! (January 28th)

In which I rave about all things Lila Felix. Well, mostly Love & Skate.........

-M

P.S. Check out Love & Skate here!

Review: Catalyst (Collide #3) by Shelly Crane

Catalyst (Collide #3) by Shelly Crane

"In the third installment of the Collide series, we start off with Sherry, taken prisoner in the enforcement facility. The little bunker family must now decide whether it's worth the risk to try to save her or if it would bring doom to them all. Lily has started showing signs of her gift progressing, which may not be a desirable thing. 
As Marissa starts to act strangely, Jeff must come to terms that there may be more to her illness that meets the eye.Daniel, the Lighter who shocked Lillian with his human emotions will reappear, but for what purpose? Will Sherry be rescued before it's too late? Will Daniel prove to be a genuine miracle? Will Cain be able to fully get over his love for Sherry and move on with Lillian? 

And how much more trouble can the new Taker cause for the rebels? 
Some will make it and some won't as the story continues..."

Thoughts:

I wasn't expecting anything that happened in this book...

Once again I have read a great and awesome book by the lovely Shelly Crane. Catalyst was a very emotional book for me than the other books in the Collide series. This book deals a lot with getting into relationships, and also keeping them. I really loved all the new relationships, realizations, and growth in this book. The story overall has gotten to the beginning of the overall climax of the story, and you can see that in the interactions and altercations which were taken to the next level. The tetra-POVs (well, penta-POVs) were a great joy to read and had me even more emotionally invested and hooked on the story and characters.

The book starts off with Sherry in a holding camp run by the Lighters. I knew right away that the Lighter issue would be worse in this book immediately because of all the upfront action. The book from beginning to end has a lot more action and suspense than the previous two books, which is a pleasurable change. The reader can tell that the bunker family is getting more and more in danger, even if they don't realize it themselves. The normal people are still brainwashed, cautious, and angry from the lies that Malachi is spreading. Along with that, people are staring to hunt the "rebels", which makes it basically impossible to get food. I really like how they handled the struggles. They were all on edge, but were all there for each other  Shelly Crane writes really well with big groups that have a strong connection with each other, and it makes you feel like you're one of the group.

I really loved Cain in this book. He changed a great deal as he comes to some realizations that really alter his life. He is more determined to get away from the love he has for Sherry and he is working harder than ever to improve and grow his relationship with Lillian. As this is happening Lillian has to deal with the fact that Daniel is claiming to be in love with her. One of the things I like about her is that she is so committed to Cain and the whole bunker family that she refuses to let anything get in the way of their health and well-being. 

As Lillian and Cain's relationship grow and Sherry and Merrick have to deal with their relationship, new characters are introduced. Daniel takes a more prominent role in the book as his "transformation" of sorts takes effect and he changes. Oh, and there's that thing about him claiming to love Lillian. Yeah, as you could expect I wasn't a too big fan of that. But I digress. Along with Daniel, Ellie is introduced and I'm very curious to learn more about her gifts and Ellie's relationship with Ryan. We also have the reappearance of the pastor and another character named Rylee of whom I loved right away. He spunk is very appealing, but there is obviously more to the picture than that and I'm excited to read about it.

This is definitely my favorite out of the three books so far because of all the awesome characters and the action is taken up ten notches. Really loved where this book series has gone and practically hyperventilating to get the next one! Another great book by Shelly Crane; but come on, it's not like I'm surprised. 

5 out of 5 stars

-M

P.S. I think the perfect song for this book is a cover of Skyfall by Roomie & Jonas Frisk. 

Link to Catalyst and rest of the series on Goodreads here.

(Did you notice I changed to Helvetica font? DID YOU?!?!)

Just a Quick Announcement

I Have A Few Announcements!

Lots of good things are happening for The Alternative Kryptonite! I am very excited to (hopefully) be able to do some really cool things in the near future! I have a few interesting things almost lined up that will be very cool. Hopefully (I've applied) some of them will work out great and you'll get to see some awesome things!!!

I am also changing my not-so-official, official font. I'm choosing between:

Verdana

Helvetica

Trebuchet

or keeping Georgia (the current)

Very tough stuff.....

I also finished my CBA that I've been talking about on Twitter (@maggie_a_t)

Link here

Overall very excited for (hopefully) some more cool (and interesting) things!!!

-M 

Review: Perchance by Lila Felix

Perchance by Lila Felix

(received by author for an honest review)

"Remi Harris has a plan. Graduate high school, go to college, become a history teacher, be self-sufficient unlike her mother who is a struggling single mom. And the word ‘boy’ has no place in her plan.

Cooper Neal has been sent to his estranged father’s house to spend his Senior year getting to know him. And maybe, just maybe, there will be some cute girls in the small town.

Cooper sees Remi and he falls hard. Remi sees Cooper and wonders if she can do both. The question is; will he ruin her plans, or will she let him be a part of them?"

Thoughts:

Well, that just happened.....

Perchance by Lila Felix left me speechless, and that's about the only thing I know. I am extremely conflicted about this book. I know that I loved it, but I also have some problems with it. The problem with the said problems are confusing because I can't actually decide if they're problems or if it's another thing I love. I think the difference between this book and Emerge for me is that I knew that I loved Emerge, but Perchance baffles me. It was so horrendously beautiful that I just...can't.. GAH! The FEEEEELS!!!

The story starts off with Remi who has been told by her mother that you should never depend on men to take care of you. Remi has taken that to heart. As she moves into her new house she lightens up a bit and throughout the romance she gets more playful, awesome, and you get to see more of her sweet side. A problem I found in general with her is that she has a tenancy to almost assume what others are feeling and act accordingly. Her inability to communicate was a major problem. I think the reason I have a love-hate relationship with Remi because I see a lot of myself in her. She is sarcastic, sweet (you can be the judge of that for me), likes to joke, and tends to "think for people and act accordingly". This led to a point when I got mad at her for not doing what I would do (I know, it's horrible). Anyway, great main character who definitely isn't childish and juvenile.

I don't think there's much to say about Cooper (in the context of problems). He is my "Lila-Felix-Caleb" per say. He was a lot like Remi in ways. He was extremely sweet and caring, but was also joking and tended to think for other people as well as Remi did. He was devastated when she rejected the promise ring and that couple of chapters was when you really got the deepness of his feelings. I don't think I've ever read a character with glasses either (that I remember). Gotta love the glasses!

The story definitely wasn't cute and light. The whole book was extremely heavy, but that isn't a bad thing. The characters and events were thought provoking and made me emotionally invest in the story even more. The other characters were prominent just enough that hey seemed important, but not as important as Cooper and Remi. What I really love about Lila Felix's books is the fact that he can make it with less steamy parts, but it still seems epic, profound, and amazing. Her stories focus so much on the development of the characters, and make the reader reflect. What really had me tied up was the last third of the book which was completely depressing. Yes, I found some of the things Remi did a bit extreme, but the story would not have been the same. She needed to understand what she did and realize that the destruction of the relationship was not men and Cooper chaining her in, but the absence of Cooper brought more destruction.  

I would say the only thing that has been pestering my mind is why she chose to come back like that. I found it really annoying that she had to make sure Cooper wanted her back. It's all her personality though, so I can understand to an extent. Overall, a different and yet wonderful book by Lila Felix. I once again am exhausted from the emotional roller coaster that she has masterfully created. Definitely a book (I think) that would be perfect to be read in schools with the dual-POVs and discussion opportunities.

5 out of 5 stars

-M

P.S. THAT is why the book was so hard to review, Mrs. Felix!!

Link to Perchance on Goodreads here.

 Be sure to check out my 1st Monday Musing!!

Musing Monday #1: Curiosity (Jan 21st)

Musing Monday #1

Musing Monday is a weekly conversation thing hosted by Should Be Reading where you talk about one of three prompts. I also decided that I would do a cool vlog thing!! It was really fun to film (I usually prefer scripts though). Enjoy!

"Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it."

Curiosity (January 21st)

In which I talk about one of my reading habits.......

Link to "mikefalzone" here.

-M

P.S. Make sure to leave comments and tell me what you think!

Review: Middle Ground (Awaken #2) by Katie Kacvinsky

Middle Ground (Awaken #2) by Katie Kacvinsky

Note: This is just to tide you over so I can finish reading a few books. :-)

"For four weeks Maddie has been living in Los Angeles, trying to be good. 

But no matter how hard she tries, something inside her won't be sated. 

She can't live a life of half-truths and false pretenses. 

So one night, she says how she really feels.

That's all it takes. One night. One bad decision, and Maddie is 
thrown into a detention center where she's forced to undergo 
secretive treatment meant to squash her rebellious streak. 
The powers that be call it rehabilitation. Maddie calls it torture.

Alone, Maddie will not survive. But if she can find something to hold 
on to - an image of Justin, their love - maybe she can fight. And if she's 
really lucky, maybe she'll even win."

Thoughts:

And then I was like......

Katie Kacvinsky is an artist with words. The whole story is truly beautiful, and has just about as much imaginative language as you can get with any book. The story was beautifully crafted, and the character growth in this book was amazing.

I started off knowing that she was going to be taken to the LADC (Los Angeles Detention Center). It was the timing of this book that really had me off my rocker. When she goes to the DC, the time she takes in the place is just so unexpected. The plot was compelling, and the way Kacvinsky describes Maddie's whole journey is just AWESOME!

Maddie is just about one of the most strong-willed characters I have ever read. She chooses to stay at the DC, but along the way you are cheering her on. Kacvinsky is amazing at writing pain, torture, and suffering (emotional and physical) without making the reader feel like Maddie is weak or pitiful. I loved how she kept her strength through the whole way, and through that experience she learned and discovered herself. I also loved how Justin grew as a person. The way their relationship developed was great, and I was not expecting any of it (that's what I loved about it!).

I think one of my favorite parts of this book was the moral and philosophical subjects this book discusses. I love how there is a big contrast between the DC and Digital School. At times I felt it was a little extreme, and Maddie got a little too heated at times, but I can sympathize with that. 

I have an idea about what she chooses at the end, but you aren't expecting what I'm expecting. She is very loyal to her friends, and I think that will contribute greatly to the next book. I think it is a trilogy, and what I'm thinking might be a little hard to squeeze into only one more book. 
Either way, if you haven't read Awaken, then you need to get it now so you can read Middle Ground!

5 out of 5 stars

-M
P.S. One of my favorite lines:
"'Romeo was a pussy' Justin grabbed his coffee cup....."

Link to the first book Awaken here.

And Middle Ground here.

A BIG Thank You

Yay!

I recently reached 1000 page views on The Alt Kryptonite and I thought that was a really awesome milestone for the blog! I am really happy with how it's turned out over the past month and there have been a lot of supportive and just awesome people who have helped me on this crazy thing called having a blog. I wanted to thank some people specifically for being super nice and optimistic:

Jesi Lea Ryan

I'd like to think you're my first author-friend because you were the first to give feedback and stuff. I'm sure you won't forget to be awesome. DFTBA!

Bethany Wiggins, Shelly Crane, and Lila Felix

My other author-friends who have shown me great positivity and given me enthusiasm in the blog. You guys are wonderful to talk to!

Teresa Mary Rose (Readers Live 1000 Lives) & Gloria (Globug and Hootie Need a Book)

Along with my author-friends, you guys (I consider) are my blogger-friends. I've talked to you guys and shared connections that bring inspiration and joy.

Family/Dad

Family has brought the most support (not excluding the gift cards) and has just been super supportive. Dad, thanks for the "talking to people" advice when I was super stuck on what to say. Also, you're the best supporter and Minecraft buddy!!! :-)

Everyone Who's Just Talked to Me

I love tweeting people and talking to them. Super awesome (Katelyn Bandy)!

I recently watched (live-streamed) the "Event of Awesome" hosted by John and Hank Green (the Vlogbrothers/Nerdfighters) at Carnegie Hall. John Green gave a talk about his life and how that led up to The Fault in Our Stars. He said:

"If I had been alone in the abyss of myself, parts if TFIOS would have never existed.......I just want to say at the outset: thank you, because this collaboration..."

The point I got from his whole speech was that without other people (collaborations), nothing can be truly successful. My version of successful is not the same as writing a book, selling it, etc. but sharing, interacting, and connecting with other people. You guys are the people I am collaborating with, and I intend to continue to do so.

So thank you.

In honor of you guys AND the 1 month "Blogoversary", I've linked something I wrote below (It's a comedy) and a GIF that my friend made of me.....(thanks Zoe, I appreciate it)

GIF

Need for the Nuggets

Enjoy! *hands you a slice of cake*

-M

 

It Has Been Decided

I've Been Thinking......

Readers Live 1000 Lives posts a weekly thing called "Teaser Tuesday" that's hosted by Should Be Reading. I checked out her blog, and I saw that she also does a thing called "Musing Mondays". I have been debating which one I wanted to do for a couple of days and I've decided that I'm going to do the "Musing Mondays". 

This WILL NOT just be normal typing-sitting-at-my-computer-repetitiveness that I know it will get after a while. I've added a new twist to it. I got the inspiration from a guy on YouTube and I'm really excited to try it out!

You'll have to wait until Monday to see though, so stay tuned.... ;-)

-M

P.S. Stay warm! <3

The List

"We Want You...To Be Part of "The List"

Calling all bloggers!

Calling all bloggers!

Entangled needs you! *points at you*

Be part of The List.

Here's what you need to know:

One of my awesome publicists at Entangled is compiling a list of bloggers.

Here are the requirements:

Do you have a blog?

Do you love to review books?

Do you want access to books before they release?

If your answers to these questions is a resounding "YES" then you're the right blogger for the job.

We want you! Now's a great time to join The List.

If you want to be a part of The List, here's what you have to do:

1. Add Til Death to your Goodreads TBR pile: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16129271-til-death

and

2. Leave the following in the comments section:

a. Your Name

b. Your Blog URL

c. Your Goodreads Name

d. Your Email Address
Additional Option: URL to your blog post about this call for bloggers.

Priority will be given to those who help spread the word by creating a post on this call for bloggers on their blog. *smiles*

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments section and I'll reply right away.

Don't miss this exciting opportunity.

Be part of The List today."

This was originally posted by Kate's Blog, check it out here:

Link Here!

Review: Emerge by Lila Felix

Emerge by Lila Felix

"Jenna has spent too long being complacent and accepting. 

Her mother and step-father constantly belittle and berate 

her for simply being alive. She passes through life keeping 

everyone and everything at arm’s length because it’s just not worth 

the questions or the pity party. She takes what they dish out and 

just tries to survive.

She has thought up a million different ways to get away from them, 

but lacked the motivation and the sheer will. Like a fast moving tornado, 

her motivation comes in the form of a boy who cares for her as none other 

has and who shows her a glimpse of hope, a glimpse into a life she never 

thought she could have.
But is her new motivation enough to get her out…"

Thoughts:

Back from my hiatus, and pleasantly unsurprised......

I found out about this book from Shelly Crane's top book list of 2012, and of course I had to read it. I purposefully waited for Christmas to buy this one because I knew I could only get it from Amazon Kindle or order it. In the mean time I read the excerpt and absolutely fell in love with it. Jenna grabbed my attention with her dry humor, but had a very serious and tormented side. This is one of those books that you can't put down until you have finished because you are so emotionally invested in the characters.

In the the book, Jenna (the main character) is abused and hated by her mother and step-father. The thing that I most like about her is the fact that in normal books, the main character would complain and complain and complain..... well, you get the point. Jenna is able to cope with it and is one of the most strong females I've read. Just because she is "damaged" she is so strong to the point at which it's admirable. Along with the strong and caring disposition that Jenna has, she has a smart mouth and is wonderfully hilarious. She made me laugh out loud and Jenna's thoughts on her home life got me fuming at times. (I almost threw the book 1 or 2 times, not something that I'd like to admit.) Jenna is amazing, I'll leave it at that.

Carlos.....sigh. Can it get any better than that heartwarming man? The love interest in this book was to die for. He was sweet, charming, protective, and dedicated (which as all fangirls know is the best combination). As Jenna and Carlos's relationship grow and things get rough, he is able to help Jenna along with keeping his emotions intact. Carlos is fiercely protective if her, and he brings out a side of her that no one else gets to see. If Carlos is a tornado, together the they are a hurricane.

Along with all the good, I got a little whiplash or something with him wanting to marry her so fast. I've never really read anything like that before (that didn't involve Aces) so it caught me off guard. Moreover, Lila Felix is a wonderful author that weaved humor with determination and will. This book (so close to literally it's palpable) takes you on a emotional roller coaster of rage, hatred, love, desperation, and ultimately joy. The story and characters suck you in from the very first to last page. This is one of those books that boggles my mind as to why they aren't more popular, because this book deserves all the attention it can get.

5 out of 5 stars 

-M

P.S. I think I might have imprinted on this book. 

P.P.S Note to Lila Felix: Listened to Howl by F & TM. Can't believe how perfect that song was!

View this amazing book here.

Delays...

Sorry for the delay on the reviews, will have one up this Sunday then probably the Tuesday or Wednesday after that!

Promise :-)

-M