This book is not your type

I spend a lot of time in the library. I am really lucky that I pass by it on the way to and from work so I get to go around and grab myself some books on the way home and drop them off before going to work. 

Because libraries in my area share catalogues I now can order and collect books from different libraries. So most of the times I end up just going to a librarian and ask to collect the books I have reserved. I have to admit that I didn't think much of it at the time but one day when I went to collect a book I had reserved the librarian came back after a bit and the following conversation issued:

Librarian: I am sorry, there seems to have been a mistake with the book you reserved.

Me: It's ok. When will it arrive then?

Librarian: Well, a book has arrived but I believe it was sent by mistake.

Me: Oh. Which one did they send? I might want to read it as well.

Librarian: They sent an old children's classic called Milly-Molly-Mandy. God, I had completely forgot that book even existed!

Me: *blinks* That's the book I reserved.

Librarian: Excuse me?

Me: There was no mistake. That's the book I reserved.

Librarian: Oh! It's so different from what you usually get! I mean you usually order young adult I would not had said this was your type of book!

So now I am slightly terrified of my local librarians and the fact that they now what I usually read. 

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#On my shelf booktag 3

Este será o meu último post do desafio #onmyshelf que vimos no canal da Booktuber Ariel Bissett. Podem ler as partes um e dois aqui.

Regras:

1. Escolher uma combinação aleatória de dois números, o primeiro para prateleira, o segundo para o livro. Este passo foi realizado com a vossa ajuda na nossa página de Facebook!
2. Apresentar o livro.
3. Falar um pouco dele (se é dos favoritos, se ainda não o leram, porque foi comprado, etc)

4-36

O Oceano no Fim do Caminho de Neil Gaiman
Editado em Portugal pela Editorial Presença

Um dos meus livros favoritos de 2014. Podem ler a minha opinião aqui.







5-38

Mistletoe and Murder de Robin Stevens

Este é o último livro que saiu da saga A Murder Most Unladylike e o único que ainda não li. Estou super animada para o ler mas ao mesmo tempo o próximo livro da saga só sai em Janeiro de 2018. Percebem o meu problema?




8-30

Anna e o Beijo Françês de Stepanie Perkins
Editado em Portugal pela Quinta Essência

Um livro ao qual demos 4 estrelas e um dos nossos favoritos. Leiam as nossas opiniões a esta fofura aqui.





7-38

A Analfabeta Que Era Um Génio dos Números de Jonas Jonasson
Editado em Portugal pela Relógio d'Água

Este livro foi-me oferecido pela Cláudia. Ainda não o li mas parece ser divertido e espero um dia, quando a pilha de livros para ler diminuir (AHAHAHAH!) que o consiga ler.





5-20

The Last Hero de Terry Pratchett (ilustrado por Paul Kidby)

Este é um livro ilustrado passado no infame Discworld de Terry Pratchett. Sou fã da série e de momento faltam-me uns 5 livros para ter todos os volumes (que admito coleccionei em várias línguas, formatos e feitios!).
Está na minha lista de livros para ler este ano e espero chegar a ele em breve!

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#On my shelf booktag 2

Voltamos ao desafio #onmyshelf que vimos no canal da Booktuber Ariel Bissett para que continuem a conhecer melhor as nossas estantes.

Regras:

1. Escolher uma combinação aleatória de dois números, o primeiro para prateleira, o segundo para o livro. Este passo foi realizado com a vossa ajuda na nossa página de Facebook!
2. Apresentar o livro.
3. Falar um pouco dele (se é dos favoritos, se ainda não o leram, porque foi comprado, etc)

8-8

The Ask and the Answer (Chaos Walking, #2)de Patrick Ness

Este é o segundo volume da trilogia Chaos Walking . Esta trilogia tem reviews fantásticas e foi por isso que quando a vi na loja de caridade a comprei. Ainda não a li mas está na minha lista para breve.





6-45

The Ill-Made Mute (The Bitterbynde, #1) de Cecilia Dart-Thornto

Esta foi a saga que embruxou uma das minhas amigas na Universidade. Ela não falava de mais nada e releu a saga umas três vezes enquanto esperava que a autora acabasse de escrever a sua nova saga.

Comprei este livro numa feira porque me lembrou dela mas ainda não tenho o resto da saga por isso só o vou ler quando tiver comprado todos os volumes.




8-22

Rato Picado de David Walliams (Editado em Portugal pela Porto Editora)

Quem nos segue sabe que gosto bastante de literatura infanto-juvenil e David Walliams é de momento um dos escritores infantis mais engraçados e que melhor compreende as crianças.
Li este livro e achei bastante engraçado!
Aqui vos deixo o resumo:
Aviso! Este livro está infestado de ratos! A Zoe é uma rapariga infeliz. A madrasta dela é tão preguiçosa que tem de ser ela a limpar-lhe o nariz. O fanfarrão da escola está sempre a cuspir-lhe no cabelo. Mas o pior é que Burt, o vendedor de hambúrgueres cego, quer roubar-lhe o rato de estimação. Não te queremos revelar os planos dele, mas o título do livro é capaz de ajudar…

4-29

The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star de Jill Murphy

A saga de Mildred Hubble é uma das minhas favoritas. Fiquei super animada quando soube que Jill Murphy ia lançar um novo livro e a autora não desapontou. Mildred volta com peripécias que só podiam ser suas e transporta-nos para um mundo onde crianças ainda são crianças e aprendem com os seus erros.

3-42

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place de Julie Berry

Haverá algo melhor que policias passados em escolas vitorianas? Não para mim! Depois da saga A Murder Most Unladylike , esta irmandade é dos meus livros favoritos.
Confesso que a capa da imagem não é a que tenho, mas não é fantástica? O que me atraiu neste livro foi a premissa: a 'Irmandade' é no fundo um grupo de rapariga que estão a ser ensinadas a ser 'senhoras decentes' pela sua preceptora na casa desta, que é um colégio privado, mas um dia ao almoço a preceptora cai morta no chão. As raparigas, que não querem voltar para as suas respectivas casas pelos mais variados motivos, decidem juntar-se e levar à frente um plano. Não contar a ninguém que a sua preceptora morreu e continuarem a viver na casa/escola. Como as coisas nunca são fáceis vários problemas surgem e aí começa o nosso divertimento como leitores.
Este foi um dos livros que mais gostei de ler em 2016!

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#On my shelf tag

Olá, olá! 

Voltamos com mais um desafio e mais uma tag para que fiquem a conhecer melhor as nossas estantes. Desta feita aderimos ao desafio #onmyshelf que vimos no canal da Booktuber Ariel Bissett.

Aqui ficam as regras:

1. Escolher uma combinação aleatória de dois números, o primeiro para prateleira, o segundo para o livro. Este passo foi realizado com a vossa ajuda na nossa página de Facebook!
2. Apresentar o livro.
3. Falar um pouco dele (se é dos favoritos, se ainda não o leram, porque foi comprado, etc)

Tivemos mais de trinta pessoas a dar-nos coordenadas e fazer só um post seria muito grande por isso decidimos dividir em grupos de cinco livros e ir falando deles durante os próximos tempos. Aqui ficam os cinco primeiros!

Coordenada: 3 e 8
A Princesinha de Frances Hodgson Burnett editado em Portugal pela Oficina do Livro.

Este  meu exemplar tem uma história gira. Recebi-o por engano em audio book quando mandei vir um livro online. A livraria recebeu o audiobook de volta e mandou-me o livro que queria mas fiquei com uma pulga atrás da orelha. Encontrei-o mais tarde numa loja de caridade e não resisti a comprá-lo. Tenho duas edições, a da imagem e outra num livro de capa dura onde também tenho outro livro da autora, O Jardim Secreto.
Gostei bastante do livro e está na minha lista de clássicos favoritos. Apesar de todas as atribulações, a nossa princesinha não deixa cair a sua coroa e continua amável e dedicada.
Quando andei à procura da capa, descobri que faz parte do Plano Nacional de Leitura, o que me deixou muito satisfeita!

Coordenada: 5 e 45
The Crooked Sixpence [The Uncommoners #1], de Jessica Bell

Comprei este livro há pouco mais de um mês e infelizmente ainda não tive tempo para o ler. Comprei-o porque parece exactamente o tipo de livro infanto-juvenil que gosto (e para além disso tem uma capa bonita!).
Dois irmãos partem numa aventura depois da avó destes ter ido parar ao hospital descobrem que a casa dela foi virada do avesso por ladrões.
Imagino que magia e aventura se sucederão. A sequela desta saga já está no forno e chama-se The Smooking Hourglass. Esta saga não se encontra disponível (por enquanto) em português.

Coordenada: 3 e 39
O Medo do Homem Sábio [The Kingkiller Chronicle #2] de Patrick Rothfuss

Ainda não li nada de Patrick Rothfuss apesar de estar bastante curiosa. Comprei este livro numa loja de caridade exactamente porque estava a um preço bastante acessível e devido à minha curiosidade.

Editado em Portugal pela Edições Gailivro.






Coordenada: 7 e 14
O Dom [The Books of Pellinor #3], de Alison Croggon.

Os Livros de Pellinor é uma saga que está sempre a ser-me recomendada pelos sites onde compro livro e pelo Goodreads. É outra daquelas sagas que comprei e que aguarda pacientemente na estante a sua altura de ser lida.

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child after her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now she and her new teacher must survive a journey through a time and place where the forces they battle stem from the deepest recesses of otherworldly terror.

Esta saga está editada em Portugal pela Bertrand Editora.

Coordenada: 1 e 27
The Runaway Princess [The Runaway Princess #1], de Kate Coombs

Li este livro este ano e foi das minhas leituras favoritas. Quem nos segue sabe que gosto de contos de fadas e literatura infanto-juvenil este livro junta o melhor das duas. A nossa querida princesa Meg é posta numa torre pelos pais depois do Primeiro Ministro deles os convencer que só assim se conseguirá atrair príncipes que queiram casar com Meg e tragam uma fortuna para o reino.
Mas Meg tem 14 anos e a última coisa em que pensa é casar-se, o que ela quer mesmo é viver uma aventura. Por isso quando o pai propõe que o vencedor de 3 tarefas ganhe a sua mão em casamento, Meg faz algo do qual Merida teria orgulho: foge da sua torre e tenta completar as tarefas antes dos príncipes. Como seria de esperar isto não se revela uma tarefa fácil mas dá um livro extremamente divertido. Este livro não está disponível em português (ainda, pelo menos!).

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Opinião: Fangirl, de Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl

de Rainbow Rowell

Edição/reimpressão: 2013

Páginas: 433

Editor: St. Martin's Press 
Resumo:

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.
Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Rating: 3/5

Comentário: 

Confesso que depois de ter lido Eleanor & Park de Rainbow Rowell não estava muito curiosa em relação aos seus outros livros. O meu problema inicial não foi a escrita ou enredo, foi efectivamente ter achado o livro por si pesado e me ter obrigado a acabar o mesmo. Contudo quando o acabei achei que faltava alguma coisa, não achei que Rowell tivesse resolvido bem o conflito que era o centro da históroia. Quando vi que a autora tinha outro livro chamado Attachements soube imediatamente que este não iria para a minha lista do "a ler".
No entanto, quando encontrei o Fangirl pela primeira vez no GoodReads apercebi-me que o mesmo tinha uma premissa interessante e após, a conselho da Cláudia, me ter posto a seguir o Book Club do Tumblr (que decidiu que este seria o primeiro livro a ler e me bombardeou o dash com posts sobre ele)  tive de me dar por derrotada e ir em busca do mesmo para ler.

Citando um pouco a Stacey, a responsável do blogue Prettybooks, este é um livro "para a internet" e sobre a internet. Este é um livro que fala de pessoas que passam tanto tempo on-line que para elas não há diferença entre amigos virtuais e amigos reais, pessoas que são parte de fandoms e as abraçam ao máximo, através de fanfics, fanmixs e fanart.

E este é o motivo pelo qual me foi tão fácil identificar com a Cath. Além de partilharmos o nome, partilhamos também a nossa paixão pela fandom e por fazer parte da mesma. Apesar de ter escrito fanfiction aqui há uns anos atrás, tenho a dizer que nunca fui tão popular como a Cath. Mas mesmo assim, tendo feito parte do fanfiction.net compreendo perfeitamente a paixão dela por escrever e por "postar" as suas histórias on-line.
Este é também um livro que nos fala sobre a primeira vez que nos afastamos da nossa família, da ida para a faculdade e das pessoas que lá conhecemos. Uma vez li que as pessoas que conhecemos na faculdade se tornam nossas amigas para a vida, que são elas que efectivamente passam quatro anos cruciais da nossa vida connosco e que, como trabalharão na nossa área, são aquelas com as quais teremos mais em comum.
Cath, a nossa personagem principal, sempre foi muito fechada mas como tinha a gémea, Wren, para lhe fazer companhia nunca sentiu a solidão. Mas agora a Wren não quer ser mais gémea, quer ser uma rapariga independente e seguir com a sua vida e Cath sente-se traída.
Creio que Rowell conseguiu captar a vida universitária com os seus altos e baixos, as novas amizades, as amizades mais antigas e o distanciamento da família para que possamos crescer e nos encontrar. Gostei da maneira como a Cath se foi expandindo e das pessoas que ela encontrou.
O enredo foi interessante mas achei as partes sobre a fandom (que se nota bem foi baseada em Harry Potter e no ship Harry x Draco) muito mais interessantes e por isso achei bastante engraçado que a autora tenha decidido publicar a fic de Cath (Carry On) como um livro independente.
Para concluir gostaria de dizer que apesar de Fangirl ser um livro interessante ainda não me conseguiu converter como fã desta autora.

Ki
(Catarina)

Sobre a autora:

Bibliófila assumida e escritora de domingo. Gosta de livros e tudo o que esteja relacionado com eles, tem a mania que tem opiniões sobre coisas e gosta de as expor no seu blog conjunto Encruzilhadas Literárias, tem também uma conta no GoodReads e é das melhores coisas que já lhe aconteceu.

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How I grew my library

As a bookaholic moving countries was one of the most difficult things I ever did. Mainly because it meant leaving my whole library behind. I moved to England around four years ago leaving my country and my books behind. I moved not only because England was a country that fascinated me but also because I knew the language and I knew I had good changes of getting a job.
When you first move countries and are on a budget but still need to read, libraries are your best friend. It took me less than a week to enrol at my local library and to start checking books out. If you have been unemployed and have spent more than a week sending CV's every day you know how stressful it can be. You fill the same form over and over again, you keep applying thinking that this might be the job that guarantees you at least an interview. I think one of the worst that can happen when you are job hunting is when you really apply yourself in doing a decent cover letter and CV because you really want to get that job and then you get declined. When this happened to me there was nothing that made me fell better other than reading a book.
And so I would walk to my local library on Saturday and get myself some books to read. These books kept me going through good and bad times and because libraries in England tend to get the latest releases I was on top of the released books for the first time in a long time.
Time went by and I got a job, I got my own place (I was staying with family before) and then I got some spare money. Now this spare money was my "treat yourself" money and my first thought was to get myself some books for my very empty bookshelves.
This was when I found charity shops. In Portugal charity shops are not easily found and do not tend to have books in them, but in England you can find them at most town centres and they all tend to have a very neat book section. Neater are their prices which tend to go from £1 per book to £3.5 per book (with some exceptions if you want rare and collectable books). Unfortunately for me I found myself falling into their trap (cheap books) and I quickly over flowed my bookshelf.
In the beginning I didn't think much of it. I had been without my own books for so long that a couple of them on the floor was not a bother at all. I also always had been able to buy books quicker than I could read them so I didn't think much when my "to be read pile" went into the hundreds. However as time went by and I got more and more books (some new, some old, some given) I looked at my bookshelves (I couldn't cope with see my books on the floor forever!) and realised that although I had a library this library wasn't mine.
I will try to explain myself better, back in Portugal when I looked at my bookshelves I used to smile, even now when I go back I still do. Even though I haven't read all the book in those shelves they are mine. I know most of them, I know their stories and their characters. Some of these books are my friends and looking at them makes me remember the stories and the adventures we shared together.
My new bookshelves are full of strangers. I haven't read most of the books in them and even though they are strangers that I want to meet I find that I do not have as much time to get to know them as I wished. I also realised that I had bought books that had seemed appealing in the shop and that I though I could read but now I found that I really won't have the time or patience to do so; mostly because they are not in my favourite gender or because I have seen the movie/series and realised and I didn't really enjoy the premises. It was strange to look at my bookshelves and realise that I had bit more than I could chew and that it was time to raid them and decide once and for all what I was going to read and what I was not.
It was a difficult process. I bargained with myself a couple of times, I said things like 'oh no I will definitely get to this one' or 'I bought the whole saga' but I had to be strict and look around me. My bookshelves weren't making me happy. I had a "to be read pile" that I was never going to finish and I kept adding to it. In the end it was like taking weeds out of a garden. I wanted my bookshelves to be a reflection of me and to harbour old friends and future friends not books that I was never going to read. I gave some the books back to the charity shops and some to friends. I had to learn to control shopping urges and I learned to look at books and think am I really going to read this? Could I get the eBook if I am not sure?
It took me a while but I managed to learn that growing a library can be like growing a garden. You need to take care of it and be sure of what you want. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try new things however trying a new type of book is not the same as buying 10 to give it a go (also don't forget that libraries are our friends!)
Slowly and steady my bookshelves began to change and so did my library. Now when I look at my books I can smile again. I see old friends and new friends and friends to be. To make sure I read what I bought every January I go through my bookshelves and pick books I haven't read yet and put them in the "preferential readings" bookshelf. If after a bit I realise that I am not going to read that book I take it to a charity shop.
I am still not 100% satisfied with my library but I feel like I am getting there.

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Opinião. Rebel Belle, de Rachel Hawkins

Rebel Belle

de Rachel Hawkins

Edição/reimpressão: 2014

Páginas: 352

Editor: Putnam Juvenile

Resumo:

Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.

Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him--and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.
 

Rating: 3/5

Comentário:

Quem leu Hex Hall e gostou da escrita de Rachel Hawkins gostará de saber que a autora lançou outro livro no qual volta com uma personagem que lutará com Sophie pelo coração dos leitores.

Harper Price, uma típica Southern Belle nem imagina o que o destino lhe reserva quando no baile de finalistas se apercebe que se esqueceu do lip gloss e tem que ir à casa de banho aplicar o da sua melhor amiga. Numa reviravolta inesperada Harper vê-se a herdar poderes fantásticos com os quais terá de proteger David Stark, o rapaz que lhe faz a vida num inferno. O que só em si é receita para o desastre.
Tal como em Hex Hall a escrita de Rachel Hawkins é leve, divertida e cheia de detalhes contemporâneos que nos aproximam das personagens do livro. Sendo esta a segunda saga da escritora devo confessar que temi que Rebel Belle se revelasse uma cópia de Hex Hall, no qual as personagens apenas mudassem de nomes e aparências. E apesar de temer no início que Harper fosse muito parecida com Sophie, ou ao contrário muito apagada em comparação, a verdade é que a escritora soube alcançar um meio termo. Ou seja, Harper consegue ter a sua personalidade bem distinta de Sophie, na qual apesar de ser irónica é mais prática do que Sophie e mais cuidadosa também.
Feitas as contas achei Rebel Belle um livro digno de Rachel Hawkins. Divertido, com acção, paranormal e contemporâneo. No entanto não me cativou o suficiente para querer ler o resto da saga.

Ki
(Catarina)

Sobre a autora:

Bibliófila assumida e escritora de domingo. Gosta de livros e tudo o que esteja relacionado com eles, tem a mania que tem opiniões sobre coisas e gosta de as expor no seu blog conjunto Encruzilhadas Literárias, tem também uma conta no GoodReads e é das melhores coisas que já lhe aconteceu.

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Review: The Frog In The Tree by Paul Waters

The Frog in the Tree
by Paul Waters 
Edition: 2015
Pages: 34
Editor: First Edition Design Publishing
Summary:
Reminiscent of The Wind in the Willows, The Frog in the Tree is a journey of discovery for both a frog and a baby crow who help each other overcome their fears and doubts. It is a tale of friendship and bravery and finally a family’s love at the end. 

Beautifully illustrated, the lilting storyline will carry the reader from beginning to end in a joyous melody of sight and sound.

Rating: 4/5

Review:

Sweet and caring this story revolves around family and being lost while keeping a magical perceptive of live. Froggy has been living on the trees for the past 100 days because he believes his family just doesn't care about him, he knows frogs shouldn't live in trees but that doesn't seem to mind him. He's adapted into his new world until a young crow falls into the river and he goes to help knowing that she will drown if he doesn't intervene. 
Seeing himself through the eyes of his new friend will help him understand that now all is what it seems and that family is a strong a bond. The pictures are beautiful and I am just sad they aren't all in color, I think it would be a marvelous addiction if they were so. 
The verses are clean and easy to read and this book would be wonderful to read at bedtime for children.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer on every other weekend Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. Sometimes she has feelings and opinions about books and the world and she writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and The Nightingale 
by Katherine Arden
Edition: 2017
Pages: 480
Publisher: Random House UK, Ebury Publishing
Summary:

A young woman's family is threatened by forces both real and fantastical in this debut novel inspired by Russian fairy tales.

In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift - a precious jewel on a delicate chain,intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, the father hides the gift away and his daughter, Vasya, grows up a wild, willfull girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed only with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay. Atmospheric and enchanting, with an engrossing adventure at its core, 

The Bear and the Nightingale is perfect for readers of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, and Neil Gaiman.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Review:

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

If you only read a YA fantasy book in 2017 make it The Bear and the Nightingale. Why? Because this book has it all; for a start it’s a fairytale retelling (which gives it bonus points), it’s a Russian fairytale, it involves a “war” between church and pagan beliefs (triple points) and it’s whimsicaly written. 

So if this has captivated you already I am sure you will like Vasya’s story. A brief on-line search will tell you that the fairytale in question is commonly known as Vasilia the brave (or beautiful it depends) and that Catherynne M.Valente has already re-told it in her book Deathless (which is in my to-read pile). So when I first requested it I was unsure if I had made the right decision, I have read Valente’s work before and though that it might have been a better idea to just read her retelling. However I also wanted to try new authors and had read very good reviews of The Bear and the Nightingale so I though it was worth the risk. 

 I have to say that I was lucky and this book was so worth the risk. Wonderfully written and full of promise this is one of the few books I have ever read that lives up to expectation. As we follow Vasya from her birth to her adventurous teenage years we create a very close relationship with her that keeps the readers engaged in the story. Even though sometimes it seems like a slow burn I think the long look at Vasya’s formative years actually helps us understand better where she comes from and why she does/ reacts the way she does. 

 As I had never read the original fairytale I had no idea where the story was going or who the characters were. The author also choose to leave Russian words for the entities and places which helps set the mood and it was easy to find myself in the northern Russian forest. I think it also helped that I started to the read the book as the seasons where changing and autumn weather was becoming winter weather as the chill that was felt really help set the mood. 

 I used to read the book before going to bed but after part 3 I had to stop doing it as I was getting scared. The book takes a turn and becomes slightly darker with things roaming in the night and whispering in the shadows. Strange knocks on doors and blood splattered in the white snow. I have to admit I was not ready for it but it kept me engaged (even if with all my lights on). 

 The Bear and the Nightingale leaves the blog with a five star review and the certainty that it was one of the bets books I read in 2016.

You can get a copy of this book here.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: Pretending to Be Erica by Michelle Painchaud

Pretending to Be Erica
by Michelle Painchaud
Edição/reimpressão: 2015
Páginas: 272
Editor: Viking Books for Young Readers
Resumo:

We Were Liars meets Heist Society in a riveting debut!

Seventeen-year-old Violet’s entire life has revolved around one thing: becoming Erica Silverman, an heiress kidnapped at age five and never seen again.

Violet’s father, the best con man in Las Vegas, has a plan, chilling in its very specific precision. Violet shares a blood type with Erica; soon, thanks to surgery and blackmail, she has the same face, body, and DNA. She knows every detail of the Silvermans’ lives, as well as the PTSD she will have to fake around them. And then, when the time is right, she “reappears”—Erica Silverman, brought home by some kind of miracle. 

But she is also Violet, and she has a job: Stay long enough to steal the Silverman Painting, an Old Master legendary in the Vegas crime world. Walking a razor’s edge, calculating every decision, not sure sometimes who she is or what she is doing it for, Violet is an unforgettable heroine, and Pretending to be Erica is a killer debut.

Rating: 3.5/5

Review:

I will start by confessing that it was the comparison with Heist Society that drew me to this book, that and the fact that I like a good con books. (It's not by change that Leverage is one of my favorite TV shows ever!)

I read a lot of bad reviews about this book but I have to say that I enjoyed it and loved the way that the author keep Erica "present" throughout the book. I do understand why some people were disappointed as this isn't much of a con book as it could be but I think it was an interesting dive into the mind of a young con artist and what goes through a person's mind when she has to pretend to be someone she is not to everyone else; and how though that can be when you encounter people you truly connect with, people you never though you would ever meet. 

I loved the way the author kept giving you insights about how Violet was struggling with being Erica even though she had been trained her whole life to do so. After all Violet had been trained with very little and almost completely off the grid, so she had a very basic phone and almost no access to the internet or social media. So she is discovering herself as teenager not only as Violet but also as Erica.

Violet is a very interesting character and her relationships are also interesting as she tries to keep Erica group of friends but also finds a group of friends of her own.

For me this was a very interesting and sometimes intense book and the ending was unexpected and made the book linger which is always a plus. If the con bit had been better it would have reached easily the 4 star mark.

You can get a copy of this book here..

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue

Kissing the Witch 
by Emma Donoghue
Edição/reimpressão: 2013
Páginas: 288
Editor: Picador
Resumo:

Thirteen tales are unspun from the deeply familiar, and woven anew into a collection of fairy tales that wind back through time. Emma Donoghue reveals heroines young and old in unexpected alliances - sometimes treacherous, sometimes erotic, but always courageous. Told with luminous voices that shimmer with sensuality and truth, these age-old characters shed their antiquated cloaks to travel a seductive new landscape, radiantly transformed. Cinderella forsakes the handsome prince and runs off with the fairy godmother; Beauty discovers the Beast behind the mask is not so very different from the face she sees in the mirror; Snow White is awakened from slumber by the bittersweet fruit of an unnamed desire.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review:

As soon as I heard about this book I knew I had to get it! As you know I love fairytales and I love reading new takes on then, unfortunately most dark twists on fairytales tend to involve a lot of sex which is really not what I am looking for, however Emma Donoghue crafts an amazing chain of tales that are familiar and yet new.

The stories are linked because as each one finish one of the characters (usually the love interest) will then go on to tell their own backstory which then links to another story. This keeps the book flowing and better still gives you a new perspective on these late showing characters as suddenly they aren't just part of the main characters tale but have a tale of their own.

I really liked the way the tales linked together and the stories picked were both known and unknown specially the last one which I think is an original as I don't recall ever reading a fairytale remotely similar to it (this was also one of my favorites!).

I loved the way Emma Donoghue writes and will keep myself in the loop of her future fairytale related books, as I tend to do with authors I love. Emma Donoghue is mostly known for her book Room that was recently turned into a movie.

Kissing the Witch is also a LGBT friendly book and we get a lot of lady love (which is really not surprising I mean it's in the title).
This is a book I would recommend for fairytale lovers without a second though. I give it 4 stars in GoodReads but it's a 4.5 stars book at heart!

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Review: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

Serafina and the Black Cloak
de Robert Beatty
Edição/reimpressão: 2015
Páginas: 293
Editor:  Disney•Hyperion
Resumo:

"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul."

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity . . . before all of the children vanish one by one.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Review:

I would like to start this review by saying that I got a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,

Serafina and the Black Cloak was one of the most anticipated Disney titles from last year. it was everywhere in the Disney Books media and it promised adventure and mystery so it obviously got my attention. In May of this year I applied to read the book as it was hitting the shelves in the UK and I was lucky enough to get a copy. I read Serafina quite swiftly as it is a book that pulls you in quite easily and keeps you hooked to try and find out more.

Dear Serafina lives in the basement of a great mansion and has been told that she can never be seen. In itself this is quite curious because it makes you wonder what is so wrong with Serafina or with her being in the mansion that her existence has to be a secret. However as we get to know Serafina it starts to become obvious that there's something different about her, not only physical but also about the way she thinks and acts.

The book takes us through the house and we get a gist of the life in the manor (a bit Downton Abbey style, but funnily enough Biltmore actually exists and the author used the house because they grew up near it), specially the life of Braeden Vanderbilt, nephew of the Biltmore’s owners as he is more or less Serafina's age and she finds that interesting as he is the one with more potential to be her friend.

The mystery of the cloak keeps the readers interested and it was a very bold move of the author to make sure it made an appearance on the first few pages. The reader is pulled into the action as soon as the story starts and then we taken through the house and it's inhabitants from Serafina's point of view as she has to unravel who is the owner of the cloak.

I have to admit that it was easy to me to find that part out but I do realize the book is for younger readers who might not be so quick to guess. However I was taken by surprise about Serafina's backstory which ends up opening way for book 2 in the series, Serafina and the twisted staff.

All in all a fund adventure and an interesting world that I am curious to go back to.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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Desafio: Pokémon Go Book Tag

O Pokémon Go chegou e não planeia partir tão cedo, ou pelo menos é isso que a blogger de Read At Midnight pensa visto ter decidido criar a Pokémon Go Book Tag.

Apesar de não sermos muito de desafios decidi fazer esta tag porque a achei engraçada e porque, me confesso, jogo o jogo. (Já apanhei 50!)

 Os livros que mais li e reli quando era nova foram a colecção das Gémeas no Colégio de Santa Clara e o Colégio das 4 Torres de Enid Blyton. Aliás, a minha mãe tinha uma série de livros da Enid Blyton de quando era nova que me deu para ler. O cheiro a livros velhos e as letras "batidas à máquina" cativaram o meu interesse. Também me lembro de gostar dos livros Rosa, minha irmã Rosa e Lote 12, 2º Frente de Alice Veira.

Provavelmente os livros de Harry Potter. Sou bastante fã de livros infanto-juvenis e clássicos como Milly-Molly-Mandy e Xuxu Invejosa estarão sempre entre os meus favoritos.

Crónica de uma serva de Margaret Atwood. Tive pesadelos durante semanas,

Não tenho um OTP que valorise acima dos outros. Normalmente o meu OTP é o do livro que estou a ler no momento. Mas o Ron e a Hermione tem um lugar muito especial no meu coração.

Poison Study de Maria V. Snyder. Qualquer livro dela é fast-paced!

Até Curced Child ter saído diria a série de Harry Potter. Sem ser essa não sei que outra série escolher.

A Study in Charlotte de Brittany Cavallaro.

Robin Stevens, autora da série A Murder Most Unladylike.

A Court of Thorns and Roses e Throne of Glass de Sarah J. Maas. 

Aerie de Maria Dahvana Headley e o quarto volume da série Abarat!

A série Percy Jackson foi uma óptima surpesa porque achei que seria parecido com Harry Potter mas acabou por se revelar algo completamente diferente.

Todos os clássicos infantis em capa dura! Como por exemplo a colecção da Folio Society.

A saga Instrumentos Mortais, porque nunca mais acaba!

 Não me lembro de nenhum em expecifico mas YA tem tendência a repetir tropes, e é dos meus géneros favoritos.

Os livros de Patrick Rothfuss.

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Review: Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford

Time Travelling with a Hamster
by Ross Welford
Edition: 2016
Pages: 335
Editor: HarperCollins Publishers UK
Summary:
“My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty nine and again four years later when he was twelve. The first time had nothing to do with me. The second time definitely did, but I would never even have been there if it hadn’t been for his ‘time machine’…”
When Al Chaudhury discovers his late dad’s time machine, he finds that going back to the 1980s requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, burglary, and setting his school on fire. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…

Rating: 5/5

Review:
I received an ARC copy from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

Hands down one of the best book of 2016! It's funny, it's witty and it's heartbreaking and heart warming at the same.
Even though I got very weird looks out of people when they asked me what I was reading I have to admit that the title captured people's attention and imagination and when they asked about the premises their interest grew.
Our hero Al Chaudlhury grandfather is Indian and his grandmother is white British, this accounts for an interesting background story and a mix of traditions and customs. This also makes him a POC hero which is always needed in YA/Children's books, Al is also funny and has his heart up his sleeve. He is living with his mother and stepfather after his father died at 39. However in a twist of fate Al is given an amazing opportunity when he discovers that his father invented a time traveling machine. Of course no adventure is complete without a loyal sidekick, which in Al's case is his hamster Alan Shearer.
Traveling through time has its pro and cons as Al rapidly discovers and the following is a mix of adventures and misadventures as Al finds his father and tries to save him from an untimely death. I really enjoyed the way Ross Welford presented the time traveling issue and specially human relationships. Sometimes authors keep things simple or make their characters a bit hollow, however in this case I could really connect with Al and I could understand his pain and suffering. As he time travels and interacts with his father it's really heart warming to see them bond with one another.
Al is also very protective of animals and this is an aspect of his personality that comes up multiple times and it's a great message to send out to young readers. There also theme like bullying and family and doing what's right even if it's not what you want to do.
As in every time traveling tale there as twists and dead ends and Al has a very complex adventure layered out in front of him. I wish I could say more but I am afraid I would reveal the plot.
It stands as one of the best books of the year and I easily give it 5 stars.

 Cat / Ki

Known bookaholic and writer at weekends. Cat loves books and everything that's related to them. From time to time she has very strong feelings and opinions about books and the world and she likes writes about them (mostly in her blog Encruzilhadas Literárias). She also has a personal GoodReads account and she believes the world is a better place for it (AKA no more repeated books from relatives as gifts). She lives in the UK and can often be found either in Waterstones or the Charity Shops.

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