Information about this new monthly blog feature: Every month, I will dare myself to read a book series that has been maligned by many, scorned by many, stigmatized by many, or it is a series that someone of my demographic (twenty-four year old male) would not be expected, as dictated by societal and cultural norms, to read.

This a fun challenge for me, as it continues my quest for my blog, which is to subversively promote “free” reading, and to elicit a conversation about how we select books to read, how we broaden our literary palate…Blagh..blagh…blagh..

Let’s get onto this month’s challenge

The Ultimate “Flowers in the Attic” Dare!!!

   My May Blog Challenge: I plan on reading both Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind  before May 26th to celebrate the release of the forthcoming tv movie adaptation of VC Andrew’s sequel to her highly popular novel- Flowers in the Attic.

My own experience with Flowers in the Attic is the many circulated rumors of the book being that “risque” novel that has that scandalous incest sequence, and that it is very creepy at heart. I’ve heard some people dismiss it as an inane, junk pulp novel.

I’ve never actually sat down and read the book itself. So, everything I know about the novel remains in the realm of other people’s opinions. And, no one should judge a book explicitly, until they actually sit down and experience the novel firsthand.

So, before May 26th, I will be reading both books, and sharing with all my readers of my blog my honest opinions of both books (while opening the discussion to allow you all to share your own experiences with the text and whether or you honestly felt the movies were poor adaptations).

Being an avid reader of Young-Adult fiction, I certainly cannot call myself a fan of YA without reading it for myself. So, I am daring myself to both read it,while throwing away all my preconceived notions about the book. These things can pose as barriers to reading something for ourselves, and that is the main objective of this new blog task- learning to read things first and foremost for ourselves. Learning to be honest in the fact that we might actually end up enjoying something, which many of our friends and peers might abhor.
Here is some information that Pocket Books kindly asked me to share, pertaining to the upcoming film adaptation of Petals on the Wind and the release of the new mass paperback version of the book!!

FICTION INTO FILM: Pick up Petals on the Wind May 20^th and watch the movie May 26^th!

WATCH The movie trailer, and tune in to Lifetime on  Monday, May 26^th, 9:00 pm ET to watch the World Premier of Petals on the Wind!

ENTER TO WIN: Go to the Pocket Books Facebook page beginning May 20^th to enter the sweepstakes for a prize pack of Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and the Flowers in the Attic DVD.  Visit right before tuning into Petals on the Wind late May for the sweepstakes giveaway (date to be announced)!

Petals on the Wind cast:

Heather Graham              as Corrine

Ellen Burstyn                      as Olivia

Dylan Bruce                        as Bart

Rose McIver                       as Young Cathy (played by Kiernan Shipka in Flowers in the Attic)

Wyatt Nash                        as Christopher (played by Mason Dye in Flowers in the Attic)

So, keep your eyes peeled for my joint review of both books before May 26th (the premier of the Lifetime Original movie-Petals on the Wind)