Nook Time

Earlier in the week I started reading the book that every housewife in America is probably reading (some reviews have dubbed the book "mommy porn."). I had heard about it a while ago in either People or Entertainment Weekly and had it downloaded to my Nook but just wasn't ready to start reading it. Nor did I realize it was part of a series. I noticed a couple of friends on FB had mentioned their book groups were reading it and Cosmo's cousin said she read it on a flight this week and felt like she was a member of the mile high club! So, I thought "I'd better start reading this book and see what it's all about!" I started reading it Monday night and didn't get very far, maybe 5 pages. I read more last night and I'm at the point where they've signed the contract and she then tells him she's never been intimate with anyone before.

The two main characters are kind of stiff but I guess that's all part of the build up. I'm not sure how I feel about the dialogue between the two of them. It's kind of stilted and formal (even though Ana is supposedly a college student and he's only 27). Kind of sterile maybe? The author is British so that may have something to do with it. I don't know. I'm just having a hard time with the interaction between them and I find it distracting.

Studios were fighting over the rights to the book and it looks like Universal has acquired the rights to all three books. So now the dream casting begins! Message boards are throwing around Ryan Gosling's name but I keep visualizing someone like Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl....suave, sophisticated. Although I hate the Twilight series, I do think they were well cast. I haven't seen the Hunger Games movie yet but Cosmo saw it and said he liked Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Cinna's characters (the one and only Lenny Kravitz!). And, he didn't read the book. I've read all the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" books and could NOT believe they cast Katherine Heigel in that role. Terrible!

One for the Money

One of my favorite series of books is the Stephanie Plum books from Janet Evanovich http://www.evanovich.com/

These books were suggested to me years ago by a friend at the pool one day. Since the books took place in NJ, she thought I'd like them. At the time, I think there were only a handful of books published, not the 18 books+ out today. They are a funny, light, easy read. The heroine is Stephanie Plum, an unemployed lingerie buyer, who applies for a filing job with her cousin Vinnie, a bail bondsman. The position has already been filled but Connie, Vinnie's assistant, talks Stephanie into becoming a bail bondsman. As the series progresses, several characters are introduced: Joe Morelli, vice cop and onetime sexual acquaintance of Stephanie, Lulu, a prostitute; Ranger, Grandma Mazur, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Plum

I am definately one of those people who read a book and automatically think who would portray each character in the film version. Having said that, I'm not really sure how I feel about Katherine Heigl in the Plum role (please pardon the pun!). I've read all 18 of these books and all the "in-between" books. I've definitely thought of Heigel as more of chick-movie, rom/com kind of actress. Not a tough cookie from Trenton, NJ.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598828/

However, I do like some of the other actors/actresses in the movie and think they are a good fit. The guy who plays Morelli looks like I imagined him. Good-looking, blue-collar, man's man (I always thought the guy who plays the plumber on Desperate Housewives would be a good Morelli -- the one who is married to Terri Hatcher's character Susan). The actor cast as Ranger looks good, too. Daniel Sunjata was one of my favorite actors in Rescue Me (I envisioned Benjamin Bratt in this role while reading the books). Sherri Shepherd plays street-smart Lula. I'm not a Sherri Shepherd fan but I think she'd be a sassy Lula. Debbie Reynolds plays Grandma Mazur. I always envisioned Estelle Geddy from Golden Girls as the Grandma (but I think she may be deceased???).

The next book-to-movie I'm looking forward to is The Hunger Games!