Tuesday 8 November 2016

10 quotes from "It Ends With Us"



Whoever has read my final review about "It Ends With Us" witten by Colleen Hoover already knows how this book made me feel and how fragilized I got when I finished it. I couldn't even choose one favorite quote because I loved the book so much and the writing is really delicious.

So, let's do this. I picked my 10 favorite quotes that made me teary-eyed and that were the reason why this book touched me so deeply.




1


“In the future... if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again... fall in love with me.”


2


“I feel like everyone fakes who they really are, when deep down we're all equal amounts of screwed up. Some of us are just better at hiding it than others.”


3


“I’ll keep pretending to swim, when really all I’m doing is floating. Barely keeping my head above water.”


4


“Sometimes even grown women need their mother’s comfort so we can just take a break from having to be strong all the time.”


5


“Maybe love isn’t something that comes full circle. It just ebbs and flows, in and out, just like the people in our lives.”


6


“That’s what fifteen minutes can do to a person. It can destroy them. It can save them.”


7


“But then this morning I had to tell him goodbye. And he held me and kissed me so much, I thought I might die if he let go.But I didn't die. Because he let go and here I am. Still living. Still breathing.Just barely.”


8


“Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”


9


“All humans make mistakes. What determines our character is whether we turn those mistakes into excuses or lessons.”


10


“It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us.”



And what about you, what's your favorite quotes from this book?

More about "It Ends With Us":
Final Review

Wednesday 2 November 2016

Me Thinks #9: It Ends With Us


Title: It Ends With Us
Author: Colleen Hoover
Pages / Year: 367 / 2016
Discription Here

First things first: I am still recovering from this book so expect a review filled with tears and rethorical questions and also a little bit of fangirling.

I chose It Ends With Us to read during my first week at my new job, especially because I've been spending 2 hours of my days in the subway (oh joy!) and I finished this one so quickly and I loved it so much. To be honest with you, I wanted to have written a post about my first impressions of the book but I always get home around 8pm and I also always want to read more and more so finally, on saturday, I saw down and I finished this baby.

And I cried so much!


('But, Cat, weren't you the one who didn't cry over books?'.... yes, honeys, but bare with me, this book left me very sensitive!).


I'll begin by praising this beautiful cover, it's so amazing and I love it so much that, in part, I feel like I might have started this book because of it considering I didn't know anything at all about the story at the start. Like you probably know, I have a hate-love relationship with Mrs. Colleen since I adored "Ugly Love" but hated "Slammed" with a passion.

I started reading this book slowly and careful, looking out for signs I hated on "Slammed" and as I went over I began wondering why the heck was this book called "It Ends With Us".... but what, what ends with us, Colleen??? And will you believe that I had no idea what the title meant until I got right to the end, when Lily basically explained it to all of us??? Oh my. I felt so in love and so blinded by how this book is (and yes, by some tears that made my vision blurry) that I didn't even associate the title with the stuff that was happening! Even now, as I recall that scene, I get goosebumps.

(I told you I was sensitive!!!)

This book tells us the history of Lily's parents but mostly of Lily, Ryle and Atlas and is one of the best, most subtle and sublime love triangles that I have ever seen in books. It's so intelligent and well written that only after you stop for a bit and think about it, you realize you are torn between Atlas and Ryle. Yes, I was torn between choosing Ryle or not because no matter what he does, I felt exactly like Lily: lost, confuse and thinking 'dammit, but you love each other so much!'.... and exactly like Luly I was also one of the people who always thought that the person who stayed, the victim, was the silly one. [I'm being a little vague about it because I don't want to spoil it!!!]


I feel like that was the main reason why this book touched me so much, because the message was so well transmitted and it was a book that hold our hands and walked with us through the story showing us what was happening instead of just telling us. I am so glad I was home alone, this saturday, when I finished this book because I was bawling!!!


Besides the story being really good, the writing is delicious with amazing passages (yes, I will have to make a post with my favorite quotes from this book because there were way too many to only choose one) and the characters were so real, they could be our friends, our family, our parents, even.

This is such an important book and I feel like it should be read by all the young girls and women, by people who suffer any kind of abuse and by people who, like I used to be, think situations are all black and white, that either things go our way or we walk. Please, please, read this book!!! Believe me, it's going to change your view of the things and relationships. 


I have so many favorite quotes, but I'll leave you with this one:
 "There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things."

Sunday 30 October 2016

Saturday 15 October 2016

Saturday 4 Show: Shows from our Childhood

.....or a nostalgic trip that will leave us all in a fragile state!

Yes, because I may only be 24 but I have a lot to miss from the days I didn't do anything but watch TV and eat Oreos without worrying about gaining weight; days in which I could sit on my couch in weird positions without getting back aches and in which I could go to school with unmatching pants and shirt. 

I remember the afternoons I'd watch TV with my sister while we waited for our friends so we could go out and play in the street, ride our bikes and play Game Boys. Oh those were the good days!

From all the soap operas, cartoons and shows  watch those days, these are the 4 that come to the top of my mind:

1. Dawson's Creek


I remember little from the plot of this series but I remember how much I loved Joey and Dawson together!
(Also, look at this video!!! It's soooo old but so cool!)


2. Baywatch


I feel like Baywatch was a part of everyone's life and that everyone has a different memory of this show. Since I was young and veryyyy innocent, I really vibrated with the drama in each episode even if the adults around me vibrated with something else (cough Pamela Anderson cough).

3. LOST


My friend described this show as "the show everyone started watching but no one finished" and it's so true! I remember watching this show on weekend's afternoon in RTP (our national tv station) instead of studying which was probably the reason I would catch an episode here and there. In truth, this list made me want to watch LOST and here I am, staring at 8 seasons and almost finishing the 1st one. 

4. Flashforward



Youtube claims this show is from 2010 but I refuse to believe it! It seems so much older!!!! This was one of my favorite series back in the back but unfortunetly, like many great shows, it was cancelled.

What about you guys? Have you watched any of these shows? Share it with me down below and get ready because next week we shall haveeee: 4 unknown shows everyone should know [because they are SO good].

Saturday 8 October 2016

Saturday 4 Show: Show I really REAAAAALLY want to watch

Hiii guys, remember this little challenge I created a few monthes ago? Yeah. Like a lot of things in life, I stopped doing it for lack of time or will or just...you know.

But Savannah reminded me of it!!!! So here I am, back with this one. I missed doing this because I love shows and since I am back to binge watching a lot of shows, I think it will be easier to do this challenge. Plus winter is around the corner, and we all know how cool it is towatch shows under the blankets.

This week, I bring you the 4 shows that I really, reaaaaaaally want to watch. I don't know why I haven't gotten to watch these babies, but I'm making a list so I will check the tasks and hopefully watch an epiode of each before the end of the year.

These are the 4 shows on my list:

1. Black Sails

(source)


Seriously, guys, I have been wanting to watch this show foreeeeeeeeeever. A lot of the people I follow on tumblr, reblog a lot of photosets and the actors are so pretty. I think this is about pirates???? or the sea????? or something like... Pirates of the Caribbean???? Maybe I'm wrong. But still, this is the #1 show I want to watch.

2. Stranger Things

This seems to be the show everyone is watching nowadays. Yeah.... everyone but me. I don't even know what it is about and I think it might be kind of Wayward Pines-ish??? Either ways, I really liked Wayward Pines and everyone is saying good things about Stranger Things so, it definitely goes on my list!

3. House of Cards

(source)

Okay so there was this boy at the office I worked at and we used to geek out about BBC Sherlock and one time he said "you NEED to watch House of Cards" and then I saw that everyone really likes that show and it sounds so good, so obviously....it goes on my list (even if I don't even work at that office anymore).

4. Night Manager

(source)

Does this even count as a tv show??? Miniseries?? I don't care. I just know that I want to watch this one sooooo bad because I really like Tom Hiddlestone. I can't even find a reason to not have watched it before because it's showing on tv for the 3rd time!!! I really need to get to it.

Okay, guys, share your shows you reaaaaaaally want to watch with me!
Next week we shall do: Shows from our childhood (aka those shows that were on tv when you were a kid [any age you want, as long as it's below, let's say, 18 y/o] that you remember fondly)

Monday 3 October 2016

Me Thinks #8: Girl Against The Universe

Title: Girl Against The Universe
Author: Paula Stokes
Pages / Year: 400 / 2016
Discription here

4/5

The title of this post was, up until a few hours ago, "First Thoughts" but then I lost myself in the book and I finished it so fast that suddenly my thoughts weren't the first aymore, they were the last. Final opinion, here we go.

This book is so delicious, so good, so beautiful, so...so...so.... (I know perfection does not exist but I honestly can't find anything bad in this book!)

I got this book solemnly for the cover (yes!! I am one of those people, oops) and because I completly adore tennis (as in, obsessed!) so obviously I didn't even think twice about starting this book when I had to travel into the city and I was automatically hooked! I honestly couldn't put it down while I didn't finish it and then I felt kinda glum because aww...  wanted more from Jordy and Maguire.


The book tells the story of Maguire, the unluckiest luckiest person that I have ever met (?? read about, more like it) who is always getting herself into accidents but always manages to get away without a scratch even if people around her, end up suffering in double. Maguire is in therapy so she can overcome a lot of the bad things that happened in her life. She is a 16 year old who has PTSD and who meets a young tennis player who feels lost about who he really is and they will develop a friendship (and obvi, something more) while helping each other with their therapy homework.

This story is mostly about Maguire's menthal health problems, always written with a loveable humour but also in such a profound way that we can't help but feel for the characters. This book is so easy and light to read but has such an important and subtle message and...okay, I confess, I kind of cried at the end????!

I adored Maguire and Jordy soooo much. I thought Maguire's rituals were so fun and how she always connected everything with luck and badluck to feel better! And what I loved the most was that Maguire's personality and rituals were never put aside and forgotten so the romance could shine, no! Maguire's problems were always front and centre and it was so refreshing.

I confess that when it was written how Jordy was feeling so tired all the time me, an hypocondriac, started to go into alert mode and being like "PLEASE DON'T YOU DIE!". Man, this book!! But I'll talk more about this down below in the spoilers!

And now off you go, to get this book and binge read it like I did! You'll love it so much and you'll really laugh out loud at some parts, promise!


As one of my favourite quotes, I choose:
"Sometimes terrible things happen and it's no one's fault. Sometimes we do the best we can but still have bad outcomes."

***************SPOILERS BELLOW***************

Saturday 24 September 2016

Thursday 22 September 2016

Me Thinks #7: The Summer Garden

Title: The Summer Garden
Author: Paullina Simons
Pages / Year: 746 / 2006
Description here


AHHHHH *insert a river made of tears* holy molly guacamole, what an amazing book!

To start this review off, let's all gather together in a minute of silence because I finished this trilogy. I did say I'd read all these books this year but I didn't expect to read them all so quickly especially when I wanted them to last forever (and since I read them all in english, I have already started my quest and going to the stores to search for the books in portuguese...tho this 3rd one isn't translated yet :( :( )


What to say about this book?? Simply fascinating. I am now suchhhh a huge fan of Paullina Simons and of her writing. And more than that, of Tatia and Shura *hearts* *hearts*

At the beginning, we read about the daily routines of Tatiana, Alexander and Anthony, the 3 of them in their own lives, living, growing, loving and travelling through the United States and at the start I even thought this would be 700 pages of sweetness and cuteness and lots of love and that we would get to the middle of the book with 40 kids and 300 discussions about banal stuff (all hail banal stuff, in the other books they'd go to the war and almost die!) and that kind of stuff. I thought this would be a book written simply because Paullina loved these two so much that she didn't want to let go of them and wanted to give us a book filled with piece and love.

HA HA HA HA, to me..


THIS BOOK!!!!! THIS BOOK!!!!! Oh my God.

So when in the middle of the book, Alexander starts having his existential crisis because Tatia is not like the wives of his buddies and works and is basically ahead of her own time, a person (as in, me) kinda gets upset with Alex and wants to hurt him because he is so unreasonable and unfair, and a lot of emotions arise in those moments. I mean, let's not forget that Shura is only alive because Tatia is Tatia and does everything in her Tatia way!

But then... THEN!!!! Then we forgive Alex for everything because...BECAUSE!!!! I'll tell you about it in the spoilers, yes? Because if you haven't read this baby yet, then you have to go and read it. And if you have read it, then let's debate the most stupid, idiotic and heart-wrenching decision ever taken, below the cut, yes?

I'll also tell you that I have a bunch of favorite quotes because the writing is so good but this one is my fav (it's possible that I'll make a top 10 fav quotes by Paullina Simons post sometime):

"I’m getting off the boat at Coconut Grove. It’s six and you’re not on the dock. I finish up, and start walking home, thinking you’re tied up making dinner, and then I see you and Ant hurrying down the promenade. He is running and you’re running after him. You’re wearing a yellow dress. He jumps on me, and you stop shyly, and I say to you, come on, tadpole, show me what you got, and you laugh and run and jump into my arms. Such a good memory.
I love you, babe."



Read everything I think about this trilogy: 
First thoughts on "The Bronze Horseman" [book 1]
Opinion on "The Bronze Horseman"
Favorite quotes from "The Bronze Horseman"
First thoughts on "Tatiana and Alexander" [book 2]
First thoughts on "The Summer Garden" [book 3]


****************** SPOILERS BELLOOOOOW****************** 

Wednesday 14 September 2016

First Lines #5: The Summer Garden



The day for which many of us (well, me) were waiting for has arrived: I have started to read the last book of "The Bronze orseman" series by Paullina Simons.

Yes, let's reflect on that and have a minute of silence for me.


Well, this baby is called  "The Summer Garden" and is a 'little' book with about 700 pages and to be honest with you all, I'm not even in the first lines anymore, I'm kind of in the middle of the book right now at page... 350?!


 And what I have to say so far is: I LOVE IT SO MUCH I WANNA MARRY IT.


"But Cat, what's new? You love all of these books!" That's true, my darlings, that's very much true. This book doesn't really bring anything new to the table (so far) but after the other two, filled with action and where my heart was ripped countless times, it's kinda good to read this one. You know when you're a writer and you just want to write sweet cheesy scenes because you love your characters so much? There. This is that book.

Lots of Alexander. Lots of Tatiana. Lots of Anthony.

Buttttt, I wouldn't be myself if I hadn't freaked out a thousand times with the possessive-agressive-sexist-uneeded-i-rule behaviour from Alexander (excuse you, Mr.Barrington-I-rule-the-world but would you even have gotten this far without Tatia? NO. No, you wouldn't have, you'd be dead in a ditch somewhere! AND NOBODY WOULD CARE) and this bothers me because Tatia has saved him so many times but he keeps thinking she is naïve and he wants to take all the decisions when, honestly, she is the smartest? For Christ's sakes... and then that boss of his!!!!


Sexist men, follow the way and get out of here, c'mon.

In the end, I' simply sorry for Tania who is such a strong woman, ahead of her time and with these monumental balls and she is sometimes misunderstood along the book. The exception being Anthony who worships her like she deserves!

Oh and there are these flashbacks with Pasha (knife in my heart) and with Dasha (knife in my heart) and with some other doutbful characters that you can totally skip but that I am meticulously reading because I am a masochist.

Alright, let's see how many more hairs I'm gonna pull off before this book is over!

Read everything I think about this series:
First thoughts on "The Bronze Horseman" [book 1]
Opinion on "The Bronze Horsemen"
Favorite quotes
First thoughts on "Tatiana and Alexander" [book 2]

Wednesday 17 August 2016

5 Favorite First Sentences

At wednesday we (wear pink) have the Top 5 Wednesday weeeee today the theme is "Our 5 avorite First Sentences".

And I mean, I love quotes, I find beauty in a lot of words but there are some first sentences that, man.... those are awesome. They make me freak out and run to get the book and devour it. 

These are my choices: 
(as usual Top 5 Wednesday is hosted by Sam and Lainey and you can find out everything about it here).



Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she’d been told that she would kill her true love.
The Raven Boys, MaggieStiefvater


Today I’m five. I was four last night going to sleep in Wardrobe, but when I wake up in Bed in the dark I’m changed to five, abracadabra. Before that I was three, then two, then one, then zero. “Was I minus numbers?”
Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue


Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta. 
Lolita by Vladimir Nobokov


A skydiver,
arrogant in his ability to navigate the heavens, rejects his fragile state
and calls himself a god of the sky. 

Skygods by Sarah Latchaw


I could have warned her when she arrived in Russia, this petty German princess from Zerbst, a town no bigger than St. Petersburg’s Summer Garden, this frail girl who would become Catherine. 

The Winter Palace by Eva Stachnia

Tuesday 16 August 2016

9 Books Spent in the Sports World



Today at Top Ten Tuesday we have an almost freebie theme: "10 Books that are spent in....."!
And okay, maybe I'm a littleeeee away from the theme but I love sports and the Olympic Games are on (I mean, has anyone just seen Simone Biles rocking the gymnastics???) so obviously I couldn't help but choose this: 9 Books About Sports!Hoje no Top Ten Tuesday temos um tema quase, quase livre: "10 Books que se passam em...."!


It's gonna be cool, I promise.

As usual, the Top Ten Tuesdays are hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Go ahead and check them out and join this party!

So, here we go, if you wanna read about sports, then:



Rafa Nadal: My Story (Rafael Nadal)
This book is an autobiography about the tennis player, Rafael Nadal, of whom I'm a huge fan of.

The Hooker and the Hermit (LH Cosway & Penny Reid)
In this book we are taken into the rugby world, with a lot of comedy going on.

The Player and the Pixie (LH Cosway & Penny Reid)
This is the also very funny, second book of the "Rugby" saga.

Pucked (Helena Hunting)
In this book, we may go inside the universe of ice hockey but the temperature sure rises.

You and Everything After (Ginger Scott)
This book joins sports with MS. It's very emotional and eye opening.

The Deal (Elle Kennedy)
This book (asfhajgfja) presents us Garret, a hockey player.

Open (André Agassi)
Another biography by another tennis player: André Agassi.

The Eight (Katherine Neville)
I have yet to read this book, but this story is all about....chess.

The Longest Ride (Nicholas Sparks)
In this book, the male character is a former champion bull rider. This one has even been made into a movie, check it out:

Thursday 11 August 2016

Me Thinks #6: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Year / Pages: 2015 /380
Discription Here



Today, I am here to tell you about this beautiful, amazing, spectacular and charming book!!! A book that brought back my spirits after the flop that was The Raven Boys and that made me soar.

I really, really, really liked this one.

I am talking about "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maasas you have probably seen by the image I put at the top. Look how cool the cover looks!

Guys, WHAT A BOOK!!!! Seriously. Just to tell you a little bit about this book without spoiling it too much, this is an adaptation of "The Beauty and the Beast", this greand classic and the majority of us grew up with. I confess I never really liked the Disney movie but this book...oh this book!


The story focus on Feyre, a mortal, and in her first degree meeting with a fantasy world, with a lot of faeries and other supernatural creatures, in particular: Tamlin. Feyre, unlike Belle, can't read to save her life but she is a good paintor and a great hunter, since she always had to take care of her family and feed them. Until she hunts a friend of Tamlin's. Yup. I suppose you can see in what kind of mess she got into, right?

I can tell you that I picked up this book because I was bored and I had the ebook on my phone and I even dropped it when I got home but then, on this particular day, I had some interviews and some problems to deal with and I knew I'd spend a lot of time in waiting rooms so of course, I devoured this book!!!! I even went by some bookstores to get the physical version, but unfortunetly this hasn't yet been released in Portugal :( 

I want to delve a little more into the characters and talk about them, Tamlin, Feyre, Lucien and Rhys but that would be soooooo spoilery for you guys that haven't yet read this book so, go, go ahead. Go buy it, go download it, just...read it. You won't regret it.

(This is coming from someone who never ever reads or likes fantasy!)

Below the cut, I'll write spoilers. So... don't say I didn't warn you ;)


My quote of the book:
"I was as unburdened as a piece of dandelion fluff, and he was the wind that stirred me about the world."

Tuesday 2 August 2016

Me Thinks #5: The Raven Boys

Title: The Raven Boys
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Year / Pages: 2012 / 409
Description aqui


According to my maths (or better yet, according to the date on my last post), I haven't posted a review since May (!!!) and I can't even explain why but maybe I haven't read good books and the ones I did read, I almost gave up on them (I'm talking about you, "Slammed" by Colleen Hoover, oh yes I am!) or maybe I was just lazy. But I'm baaaaaack! 


And I'm back with a bang. Or "The Raven Boys" by Maggie Stiefvater, to be more exact. Everyone and their mother seems to have read this book and everyone is talking about it and raving about it. Going into this book I knew it dealed with magic and supernatural and stuff like that, which I'm not very fond of, I got to be honest, but there was so much hype and so much "you gotta read this!!!!!" that there I went and got the book.

And...yeah, okay. I don't get the hype.


This book tells us the story of Blue Sargent, who lives with her mum and her aunts (or her mum's friends??? I didn't understand a lot of this book) and they are psychics. Blue is the only one who doesn't have the gift of seeing things although she does amplify them for everyone. Then there are these 4 boys, the Raven Boys, who want to find a ley line (some sort of energy source thingie) and obviously they are going to meet and cross paths!

But Cat, you may ask, what was your problem with this book? And I can't even really tell you. On one hand, I feel like it was so discriptive, there were sooooo many discriptions and I was kind of like 'yeah, okay, okay' and moving on from them (that I might have lost some important discriptions) and I love to read and I like a good amount of discriptive but it was too much. I have heard people saying that it gets better with time, but the beginning was honestly the part I liked the most.
Obviously, then you get into the plot and it's interesting and I read this book until the end but... I kind of felt that I knew everything ahead of time??? (cough Noah cough).

And then, what about Glendower? And who is Blue's father? And wasn't somebody supposed to die from a kiss?

There were so many questions and NO answers!!!

I did like the characters. I loved Blue and how she bickered with Gansey (Team Blue+Gansey... Glue?? Bansey???), I really liked Adam and I even liked the nutjob that is Ronan. I adored the girls at 300 Fox Way, but it just... I couldn't relate with anyone??? I wouldn't defend any of these characters to death.

Maybe I just had too many expectations about this book because of the hype (which reminds me why I never read anything when it's too hyped) or maybe it's not really my genre. However, I still want to read the next book and find if I like it more than the first. I'll let you know then.


(Also someone should turn The Raven Boys into a tv show because that would be super kickass, really!).

My quote of the book is:

"Blue tried not to look at Gansey's boat shoes; she felt better about him as a person if she pretended he wasn't wearing them."

Friday 29 July 2016

Look who's back, back again...


Vikings are back,
Tell a friend!

(or the whole world).

It's no secret that this is one of my favorites shows, so I am beyond excited for the return of Vikings this fall!!!

(I am not going to comment on my mum and dad's, Lagertha and Ragnar, kiss but I've already done a mini dance party weeee)

Tuesday 26 July 2016

Seven Things Books Made Me Want to Do or Learn



This week on Top Ten Tuesday we talk about things that books have encouraged us to do or learn. And I mean.... who hasn't picked up something or googled something because of a book?

Not me!

I am Mrs. Curious and Enthusiast and I take little to no encouragement to google new things and looking up curiousities. So, this is my kind of list!

(As usual, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish)

1. The Other Boleynn Girl by Philippa Gregory, made me want to learn everything there was to know about the Tudors. Because of this book, I ended up reading a lot of other books about the Tudors and about Anne Boleynn and Henry VIII so much that I feel like I can enter a discussion about the Tudors now, with all the facts (some of them useless) that I know.

2. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, made me want to learn more about the conditions in which people lived during the Soviet Revolution. While in school, the Soviet Revolution was one of my favorite subjects to study and the one that grabbed my interest the most, so this book only fueled that even more. (Read my Review on The Bronze Horseman here).

3. Nuts by Alice Clayton, made me want to learn how to cook. Yuuuuup. But only for like 0.05 seconds, because in reality, I hate to cook. And I have no interest in cooking. And also, I'm the worst ever in the kitchen.

4. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, made me want to become a nurse. Okay, obviously I'm not going to become a nurse because I'm in a completly different area but Claire kind of makes me want to help others and to learn some medicine.

5. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, made me want to write poetry. I know a lot of people don't enjoy this book but I did, and I loved the writing style. It made me want to write poetry or write beautiful things, it inspired me a lot to open a word doc and work on my own stories and writing. (Read my review on We Were Liars here)

6. Versailles, the tv show, made me want to read The Sun King by Nancy Mitford. Okay, this is backwards but honestly, I've always been curious about Louis XIV and after watching Versailles I only grew more curious about him and his aura, so I picked up this book to learn more.

7. The Hooker and the Hermit by LH Cosway and Penny Reid, made me want to pay more attention to my blog and bring new content. I think I'm doing okay.... for now, at least.

Thursday 21 July 2016

Weekend Song


I know it's only Thursday, but we can start singing this one for the weekend, eh?

Friday 1 July 2016

TAG: The Music TAG

Music is life and TAGs are great, so today I'm going to do a music TAG! Weee. No books, no reviews, (but a few quotes), only music for us to dance to when the sun is warm and we want to hibernate (me, me, me).

As a creature of winter, I cannot stand when termometers go above 30ºC and I want to punch everyone. So let's put on some music and have fun, shall we?

I saw this TAG at Wonderless Reviews and thought it was so cool and different. Here we goooo: 

The Rules:


  • List the first 10 songs that come on shuffle (no skipsies).
  • Then write your favorite lyric (or verse) from each song.
  • Tag/link others

The Girl 
City and Colour




"If you were to leave and  fulfill someone else's dreams,  I think I might totally be lost"


Satellites
James Blunt



"For all we know life's just to dream,  Who the hell knows what it means?  Stop the world and sing with me"


The One
Kodaline



"‘Cause you make my heart feel like it’s summer when the rain is pouring down."


 Lisboa Menina e Moça
Carlos do Carmo (ou a trupe da Comercial)



"Cidade a ponto luz bordada, toalha à beira-mar estendida, Lisboa menina e moça, amada, cidade mulher da minha vida."

 I Hate
Passenger 



"Yeah, I love and I live and I have love to give but sometimes all you can do is hate."


 Count on Me
Bruno Mars



"If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the sea , I'll sail the world to find you"

What's Love Got to Do With It
Tina Turner


  
"What's love got to do, got to do with it
 Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken"


 Get Out While You Can
James Bay 


"Long way to get away, play it like a grand slam, This is no encore, we have only just begun"


I Dreamed a Dream
Les Miserables - Lea Salonga


 
"I dreamed a dream in time gone by, when hope was high and life worth living"


(oh my god, ending this with Lea Salonga, queen os musicals, left me teary-eyed!) but okay, let's wrap this up and tag people. I'll tag 3 girls who loooooove music and who I think will have a ton of fun doing this:

Savannah @ The Book Prophet

Tuesday 28 June 2016

10 Books I Want To Read This Summer

It's summer, it's warm, the days are long, laziness becomes us.... and for those of you who, like me, melt when the termomethers go above 30ºC, it's the season of seeking shadow and hiding in cold places with a book and some music.

Oh, yes it is. (you're not seeing me, but I'm currently writing this from the inside of my fridge. cold, cold, cold).

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is a freebie so I chose 10 books I want to read this summer. Notice how I don't say I will read them, knowing me I'll get interested in another book mid-way and drop this TBR but still.... I really, really want to read these ten books this summer.

(Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish and it's a super cool thing we do on tuesdays, so if you're cool, get on board, if you're not cool then become cool and get on board too).


Everything I never Told You (Celeste NG)
Everytime I walk into a bookstore, I always grab this book and read a few lines because I'm just so in love with the cover. I really, really want to read this one... I feel like it will be a bit like We Were Liars and fuck me up a bit so... nothing a summer day can't fix!


The Raven Boys (Maggie Stiefvater)
Everyone is talking about this book and loving it. Everyone. Seriously. I have read the summary and it's not my style at all BUT since everyone is loving it, I'm going to give it a try!


The Deal (Elle Kennedy)
This book has been on my TBR forever and I have seen a lot of hype and love sorrouding this books and it's sequels, so I neeeeed to read it. I also want to read it, but the need is stronger. I think.

 The Winter Palace (Eva Stachniak)
My TBR wouldn't be complete without at least one historic romance. This book is about Catherine, The Great who is an Empress I am really curious about so yay. Also the cover... soooooo pretty!


A Court of Thorns and Roses (Sarah J Maas)
This is such a hyped book and I need to get on this train, seriously. Everyone seems to have read this book and everyone loves it so here I am, world, catching up with you.


The Summer Garden (Paullina Simons)
The last book of my favorite trilogy that I've read this year: The Bronze Horseman! Ahhhh. I want to dive right into this one... and I will, but I need to make it last a little bit longer!

Tim (Colleen McCullough)
I don't even know much about this book but on one of my lunch hours, I walked into a bookstore and this book was there and I really liked the cover so...TBR it is.

 
Voyager (Diana Gabaldon)
To be honest, I have started this book but it's on my plans to finish it this summer. After all, next year we have season 3 of Outlander based on this book. Yiiiiipe!!! (even though I feel like the 2nd season has some scenes from this one... might be just confused).


The Shadow of The Wind (Carlos Ruiz Záfon)
My friend L. offered me this book last Christmas, she said that this was her favorite book by Ruiz Záfon so it's on my TBR!


Truth or Beard (Penny Reid) 
I just love Penny Reid, and summer asks for something light and fun and full of laughs. I also love the cover. 

Tuesday 21 June 2016

Eight Book Releases we've loved in 2016

 
Hiiiii.

It had been awhile since I last did a Top Ten Tuesday but I thought: 'why not?' and here I am with not a top ten, but a top eight of books that have been released this year and I've loved. But obviously, I am me. And I have to escape the rules. And also, my reading is wayyyyy late.

Later than late.

So, here are 8 books that have been released this year that I have read, that I am excited to read, or that haven't even been released at all.

(Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish and you can check them out here!)


 
1. One With You by Sylvia Day

This is the final book of the Crossfire series and eventhough I can't say that I looooooved this book, it was a book that I was waiting for to finish this series. I had read the previous 4 so I wanted to see what would be the ending Sylvia Day would give to Eva and Gideon.

2. The Widow by Fiona Barton

Okay, so I went to FNAC (a really huge store that has books, dvd's, etc...) last week and there were these little 'book's with 10 pages that crammed the first chapters of this book by Fiona Barton. I have not read it yet (especially because the letters are soooo tiny, I might need to get a magnifying glass) but I am excited because they say it's very Girl on The Train meets Gone Girl. So we shall see.

3. Sebring by Kristen Ashley

This is the last book of the Unfinished Hero series (rip, rip, sniff, sniff) by Kristen Ashley and I have come to adooooore this series and these books. Sebring is about Nick, who is Knight's brother so I'm excited about this one because I've been told we get a bit more about Knight who was my favorite
during the series.

4. The Player and The Pixie by L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid

I've read this book and I adoooooored it. So it has to be on my list. I cannot wait for the following book, which I think is probably gonna come out this year too? If so, I'll bow down to the girls, Miss Cosway and Miss Reid, because I will devour the book. Seriously. Adore the Rugby series.

5. Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton

This book hasn't been released yet but it's almost hereeeee. I am so excited, to be honest!!! If you follow my blog, then you already know how much I love Alice Clayton! I have read the 1st Hudson Valley series book with Roxie and Leo and omg. I cannot wait for this one :)

6. Into The Light by Aleatha Roming

This book, well, I don't even know what it is about but I have read the Consequences trilogy by Aleatha Roming and it was so creepy but so good that now I almost put everything by Aleatha Roming on my TBR but the truth is... I haven't read anything else by her. And I also don't read the summaries 'cause I don't want to be ruined.

7. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

The only reason I am excited about this one is because I love Sherlock Holmes, and there's a Study in Pink or whatever somewhere on the SH world. And also, this cover is pretty. So I'm curious. I think this is going to be a fun book... we will see.

8. Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks

This one hasn't been released yet, it's only scheduled for October or something like that.... but I'm already loving it. And I'm already excited. So it goes in this list, anyways.

Wednesday 15 June 2016

Help!!!! I'm going on holidays!

... and in this moment you're probably looking at this title and thinking, "what a bellend, asking for help because she's going on vacations!"

Do not fret, my friends. I do not need help, nor do my vacations to be honest.... actually I can already feel the thrill of laying out in the sun and having bloated legs from exploring so many new places. Truth to be told, I already packed my benuron to help with the muscular pain....and there's still 2 weeks to go!

This scream for help is concerning another essential part of going on holidays: which books should I take??

That's right: my clothes are all set and my shoes are ready to be packed and even my gadgets, they have been charged already (will probably need to be charged again before I go!) but the biggest question in my mind is: which books should I take! And yes, I'm talking bookS plural because I read them in ebooks and I always take more than one so I won't get bored.

Last year, besides my favorite books (Wallbanger, The Proposition...) I also took a portuguese book that I wanted to try and read called "Os Maias" but it didn't work out, and I packed a Saramago book which I'm trying to not read too fast. I spent a lot of time on a plane last year for my holidays and I was able to read 3 books:





Hydraulic Level 5 by Sarah Latchaw

I loved this book soooo muc and I recommend it to everyone. I think this was the first book I read and when I finished, I almost cried to think that my vacations were just starting and I had already finished one book. When I got home, I searched the 2nd book of this series.




Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

I loved this book (rip me for trying to give Slammed a go) and it warmed my heart during the last few days of my trip. It was so good that I didn't even feel sick nor fainted during my arrival, which is good, since it happens like...always. (just for that, I gave it 5 stars!)






Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

I'm not sure if this was my 3rd book but I think so. To be honest I can't really remember what it was about but I remember I liked it. I read between trips and at night, when I went to bed, which is, most likely, the reason I can't recall the story: I was way too tired.





Alright, so now that I've told you all about it, I'm asking for your help, oh literary gurus and all knowing creatures: which books should I take on my vacations where I'm catching like 9 planes and spending a lot of time in waiting rooms? Leave me comments in my little comment box and I will take any book: funny romances, serious romances, dramas, fiction, non fiction! (and the books can be big, too, my Aldiko can take it!)

Monday 13 June 2016

First Lines #4: Tatiana and Alexander

Remember the hundred posts I wrote about what, up until now, was my favorite book of the year? Yes, I am talking about "The Bronze Horseman" by Paullina Simons. (If you don't remember, you can check out here my first impressions, final opinion and my favorite quotes!).

Okay, so I started reading the 2nd book this week. YAAAAAY. Mini-dance party!!!! I actually decided that I wouldn't read the 3 books in a row, even if I wanted to do so bad, because I loved the 1st book so much that I wanted to spend a little more time with this trilogy. However, after trying to read "Slammed" by Colleen Hoover and hating it, I entered a little reading slump which was what led me, on this subway ride, to start "Tatiana and Alexander" so I could warm my heart.

As of right now, I'm at page 135, chapter 15 and....blaaah. Okay, okay. Don't throw rocks at me just yet! The truth is that I adored the first book and I had read some reviews claiming that this 2nd book was even better so I was got extremely excited and with very high expectations but to be honest.... I'm not liking this one as much as I did the first but I'm not hating on it either. I feel like this beginning is very tirying because it's retelling in more detail what happened at the end of the first book!

And I really don't like when that happens. I always feel like the author is treating me as if I have a 0.02 seconds memory or that they are trying to include something that they didn't remember for the previous book so that the current book's plot makes sense. If I learnt about Alex's parents, if I already know about Dima, if I already know about the runway... why do I need more 100 pages telling me about it???

Right.
I'll explain better: there are two kinds of chapters. Some of the chapters are from Tatia's POV which is really interesting and brings a lot of new elements to the table; the other chapters are written from Alex's POV and these chapters are split in 3 moments: the present, the past related to Dasha/Dima/Tatia, the past related to Alex's parents. And everything is very interesting but it gets really confusing, because all this info is crammed into a chapter so we keep jumping the years. It gets a little all over the place.

I feel like this could have worked better if the author wrote one chapter where she told us all about Alex's parents (again, but still) and another chapter about the whole Dimitri/Dasha/Tatia story that we already know about (and thus could skip it more easily). And then write chapters only from Alex's POV in the present which is what interests the most, because it tells how is his life in prison!

As for Tatiana's part, up until now, is very interesting. There is this ??? moment where I felt like when Tatia was speaking english with Alex, her english was perfect but suddenly it's crooked??? But oh well, details, details. And also, I just wanna hold Anthony and pinch his cheeks. Ayyyye. The sight of the two of them leaves me with heart eyes.

Whenever I finish this book, I'll tell you allllll about what I thought and I'll post my favorite quotes. And I'll probably cry. And scream at Alex. But hey.... what's new about that?

Wednesday 1 June 2016

The Real Neat Blog Award

Hiiii.

Here am I again replying to some questions left by the dearest Savannah at The Book Prophet. She nominated me for the Real Neat Blog Award and left me 7 questions to answer and then I will have to create 7 questions for you.

Go by her blog and check out her cool reviews and then come back and read my answers, which I'mma leave rightttt here:


The Rules:


- Thank and link the blogger that nominated you.
- Answer the 7 questions that the nomination has provided you.
- Create 7 questions for your nominees.
- Nominate 7 other bloggers.


Savannah's Qs:

   1. Most anticipated movie release of the year?  


I don't usually watch many movies and I'm not usually very excited about the releases of movies, but I'm going to go with "Me Before You" because oh my Godddddd, Emily Clarke and Sam Claffin. I actually tried to read this book after watching the trailer but couldn't get into the book. Also, "The Girl in the Train" because it's another book I had to DNF but that I'm curious about.

     2. Favorite platonic book couple?   

Caroline and Simon <3 <3 <3
(from Wallbanger by Alice Clayton)

   3. Book you couldn't finish, but would give another shot in the future?   



"The Girl in the Train". When I started reading this book, I had just gotten unemployed and because Rachel is such an intense character, it was bringing me really down and I kept thinking about the book and feeling sad and depressive about it, so I dropped it but I still want to read it when I am in a better place in life.

    4. Actor or actress you would choose to play your favorite book character in adaptation?  


My favorite character is Claire and Jamie from Outlander and I love how they are played by Caitrona Balfe and Sam Heughan. So, my second favorites are Caroline and Simon from Wallbanger. I'd choose Chris Evan for Simon but I imagine Simon with somewhat of a longer hair so he would have to grow it out; for Caroline I'd go with... I don't know. I love Caroline far more than I love any actress in the world.

   5. Favorite book that takes place in the summertime?  

Hmm.... Gonna go with We Were Liars because it effed me up and it's the only book I remember to take place in the summertime.

   6. Most heartbreaking book?   



The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. Seriously, did Tatia need to suffer that much? Did that many people need to die? Really? Really? Did I need to cry this big of a river??

   7. An author you will never read either because you hated their previous work or just aren't interested?  

David Levithan. Read Will Grayson, Will Grayson, hated it. Will pass further books by him.


My Q's:


1. What is one book you really love that everyone hated?
2. Who is the one author you love so much that you'd even read their grocery list?
3. If you could change the title to any book, what it would be? (the book and the new title)
4. What is the song you associate with your favorite book?
5. Name one book you were supposed to have read in school but didn't.
6. Have you ever not read a book and pretend you did? (or have you ever read a book and pretend you didn't?)
7. If your best friend was a character from a book, who would she/he be and why?


My Nominees:


Laura at The Sweetest Condition
Cristina at My Tiny Obsessions
Joca at little house of books
Claudia at feel the pages
Danica at A Redheaded Bookworm 
YOU at wherever-you're-at.


(thank you savannah, you are a darling :) )