July & August Reads

Hello!!! I really need to be better at posting. I’ve been looking at my pc for days and days, but I’ll be 100% honest. After spending way over 8 hours a day in front of my PC working in cooperate? Yeah, I don’t really wanna open my personal PC… But then I miss this… *sigh*

So, when I last posted I mentioned I was going to re-read the Winston Brothers series, and that’s exactly what I did in July. I devoured the full series and it still stands true that this is one of my all time favourite series. It’s not easy for all the books in a series to be consistently good, especially with such different characters, but these brothers (and sister) are amazing.

I rated all books between 4 and 5 stars (just like the first time I read them). The narration makes these books that much better. I understand audiobooks might not be for everyone, but Cletus… ❤

Right before I finished the series above, I started Hot Stuff by Max Monroe, while waiting for my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, so I also finished it quickly and found it enjoyable. I don’t know why, but it didn’t hit quite like the first book in the series, but overall really enjoyable.

I felt like the whole conflict of the book, and the hesitancy of Lauren to tell her father she was with Garrett, lasted way too long. Not the best resolution either. But other than that, super funny book, as usual for Max Monroe.

At this point I had on my Scribd a book series that I loved, but had never finished, because it was fantasy, and I hadn’t read a fantasy book in years. Much less listened to one. So I was highly intrigued, and decided to embark on the journey of listening to whole ACOTAR series.

And OH MY GOD! I had missed fantasy and hadn’t even realized it. I missed the world building and the different world rules, and Rhys…

I had read both the first and second book back in the day, but never had read ACOWAR, and I realized I did not remember a lot of things, so this was a whole experience. I was honestly a big hesitant to listen to it in audio form, as until this point, I’ve been sticking to romance in audio, but I was honestly super pleasantly surprised.

My thoughts at this point while reading book 1 were “WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING WHEN I REALLY LIKED THIS CHARACTER?” eheh!! So let me just sum up my feelings (just skip it if you don’t want spoilers):

• Why did I ever liked Tamlin?
• Lucien needs to grow a spine
• I understand Lucien cannot do more – he has nothing
• Lucien deserves better
• WTF Tamlin and the whole thing under the mountain?
• Rhys ❤
• Rhys and Feyre need to communicate better
• Nevermind previous point
• I love Nesta – she’s a bit**, but she’s awesome
• Feyre… WOW
• I like Elain in 1 scene… ONE
• Azriel needs a happy ending…
• … and it better not be with Elain
• Highly intrigued about Eris…
• Again, Lucien deserved better
• Helion, I need more of Helion
• Tamlin :@
• Nessian… ❤ cute
• We need more Mor
• 500 years with your family carrying that without trusting them enough to be open about it. I don’t understand…
• … so I need more Mor
• Azriel deserves better
• A Court of Silver Flames… oh well… it just went from mildly spice, to holy sh**
• Emerie and Gwyn and Nesta ❤ loved the friendship
• …

Now I have a problem… I really want the following books 😦 Guess it’s the waiting game now.

At this point my Tik Tok‘s algorithm was showing me plenty of smut… I guess spending time entering book tok because of Nessian does that to the thing. So I didn’t know what to read next. Devil in Disguise (The Ravenels) had just become available on Scribd, so I listened to it during 1 afternoon.

This was my least favourite book of the series so far, the instalove did not work for me at all. It took me awhile to feel the connection between the characters, and it did not help that Keir’s actions were not consistent. I just was not sold :(, which left me sad because I do love Lisa Kleypas books.

This is the moment I don’t quite know what happened, and I started to read a series I thought I would never ever ever touch… but more to that on my next post 😉 …

Mid-Year Freak Out Tag (2016 Edition)

Hey guys! We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time for the Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag, and Deanna @A Novel Glimpse was awesome and tagged me to do it 😀 . Thank you Deanna!!!

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BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ YET IN 2016

Without a doubt, my favorite book of this year so far was A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. It was bonkers and amazing and I want and need more. I don’t know how Sarah J. Maas keeps doing it, but I love her books more and more.

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BEST SEQUEL YOU’VE READ SO FAR IN 2016

So many!!! But I’ll settle with another of my favorites of this year, and that is Us (Him #2) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. This book stole my heart completely. I love Jamie and Wes and I miss my boys dearly.

   

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NEW RELEASE YOU HAVEN’T READ YET BUT WANT TO

Looking around my room, I’ll say The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker, that has been sitting on my shelf since March totally untouched, and I really really want to read it.

*shame on me*

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MOST ANTICIPATED RELEASE FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR

Probably Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas. I love the Throne of Glass series, and I have high hopes for book 5, because I’m one of those loving the direction she’s been giving to the series. I’m curious to see if it will take the place of favorite read of the year away from ACOMAF…

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BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

I had high hopes for South of Sunshine by Dana Elmendorf, because I’m a huge fan of LGBT contemporaries, and I was in the need to read more F/F romances. Unfortunately this book didn’t match my expectations, and didn’t deal with important issues like the way I thought it should

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BIGGEST SURPRISE

One of my biggest surprises this year so far was Anything You Want by Geoff Herbach. This book blew me away, and I know a lot of people didn’t quite like it, but I thought it was an amazing book, and I would like to shove it in everyone’s face!

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FAVORITE NEW AUTHOR

Can I name 2?! I need to say Elle Kennedy, who wrote my favorite two NA series (Off Campus and Him), because she’s amazing! And then Kelly Siskind, because each time I read one of her books, it makes me so so happy (and she’s also super nice).

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NEWEST FICTIONAL CRUSH

Confession time: I have a lot of new crushed this year, and I’ll chose this one because I really want to use a pic of the actor playing the role. So I’m going for Miles from Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover, because REASONS!

And that guy is hottie Nick Bateman, who’s set to play Miles in the Ugly Love movie!!! And that’s his cutie dog Joey 😀 .

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NEWEST FAVORITE CHARACTER

Julian Blackthorn stole my heart in Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. I love him! I love him so much that he might have stolen Jem’s place as my favorite shadowhunter (and book boyfriend). Julian is strong, loving, mysterious. He would do ANYTHING for the people he loves. There’s still so much more to know about him, and I can’t wait.

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BOOK THAT MADE YOU CRY

Oh my god… I cried so much when I finished Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma. This book is so heartbreaking… so good, but so heartbreaking.

And I have no clue as to how I’m going to review it, because my heart is breaking just thinking about it.

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BOOK THAT MADE YOU HAPPY

Smut by Karina Halle was a book that made me happy because it put a huge smile on my face. This book had an awesome plot, and awesome romance and it was funny as hell.

Also, so damn sexy!

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FAVORITE BOOK TO FILM ADAPTATION

I don’t think I’ve seen adaptations this year, besides Captain America: Civil War, so I’m gonna say that one. I loved this movie, and it’s Marvel, which is always good on my book.

   

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FAVORITE POST YOU HAVE DONE THIS YEAR

Are you kidding?! Do you know how much I posted this year already?! LOL. I really liked to do this TTT post though, about first kisses. Also, check how I was doing with my challenges 3 months ago here, but know that I’m way ahead now!

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MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK YOU’VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR

One of the most beautiful books I’ve got this year so far was Night Owls (or The Anatomical Shape of a Heart) by Jenn Bennett .

I love this cover so much. I fell in love with it the minute I locked eyes with this book at Waterstones.

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WHAT BOOKS DO YOU NEED TO READ BY THE END OF THE YEAR

There are 2 contemporaries that I’m dying to read, and they are Firsts by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn and Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway. I’m thinking that maybe September will be their month (because August will be NA month).

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I tag EVERYONE who wants to do this tag, because I need to know how you are all doing so far this reading year 🙂 .

Book Traveling Thursdays: A Book I Would Love To See As a Movie

Hello, welcome back to another Book Traveling Thursdays, which a weekly meme created by Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much and Danielle @Danielle’s Book Blog. The goal is to share the covers of a book related to that week’s theme, which you can see at the Goodreads group, indicating the original cover, the one of your country, your favorite and least favorite.

This week’s theme is “Choose a book you would want to see as a movie or TV show“. This is getting harder by the weeK! I’m going with A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas this week. I would love to see ACOTAR as a movie series… it would be epic!

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Original COver:

I really like the original US cover. Actually, SJM’s covers are always beyond gorgeous.

COVER FROM MY COUNTRY (PORTUGAL) & COVER FROM THE COUNTRY I LIVE IN (SPAIN):

No cover for Portugal yet. But Spain does have a cover, and it’s much like the original one, the tones are more toned out though, and while i like it, I like the vibrant red of the original cover.

Favorite COVER(s):

                                               

I love both this covers. I love the simplicity of the UK cover, and at the same time, I love the complexity of the US one… oh well… I own the UK version and it looks amazing on my shelve.

LEAST FAVORITE COVER(s):

There’s only one cover that doesn’t use the original one, and that is the Brazilian edition. Now, while I definitly don’t hate this cover, I also don’t love it, so it gets the spto of least favorite cover this week.

 

My Intimidating TBR Pile Tag

Hello people. It«s saturday, which means it’s time for another book tag. This time I’m doing My Intimidating TBR Pile Tag, and I was tagged by the awesome Keira @Signing On, go check out her tag and blog.

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What book have you been unable to finish?

I’ve been unable to finish The Iliad by Homer, so far, but I fully intend to try again. I started reading the portuguese translation a long time again, and at the time I wasn’t sleeping enough and I had a long train ride, and somehow the book put me to sleep every single day. I love mythology and I think one of the issues for me it’s that the translation is in prose instead of poem… like most of them. I don’t get why that is…

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What book have you yet to read because you just haven’t had the time?

One of the books I’ve been meaning to read but haven’t been able to find the time is Night Owls or The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett. I do want to read it, bad, but time, oh time…

(this book is also one the most gorgeous books I own)

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What book have you yet to read because it is a sequel?

I don’t know if I quite get the question, but ok. So, I need to finally read A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3) by George R.R. Martin, eventually… some day. Soon. I really loved book 1 and book 2, though that one was a little harder to get through. Why are all the sames so similar?

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What book have you yet to read because it is brand new?

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. I’ve had it for a couple of weeks now, but I still haven’t been able to get to it.

Soon, I promise.  

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What book have you yet to read because you read a book by the same author and didn’t enjoy it?

Probably The Scorch Trials (The Maze Runner #2) by James Dashner. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy The Maze Runner, it’s just that it didn’t made me pick up the second book, even though it was right there, sitting on my shelf…

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What book have you yet to read because you’re just not in the mood for it?

Another one that has been sitting on my shelf for a long long time… Inferno by Dan Brown. I do want to read it before the movie comes out though, so I guess I should consider doing it sooner rather than later.

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What book have you yet to read because it is humongous?

For this one I clearly have to say the biggest book on my shelf, and that is Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. This one I doubt that I’ll get to anytime soon. In truth, I’m not sure if it will ever happen.

  

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What book Have you yet to read because it was a cover buy that turned out to have poor reviews?

Hmmm, so I bought Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs not only because the cover and the book itself is interesting and beautiful, but because I saw a couple of good reviews. Then I started to read not so stellar reviews and now I’m pretty sure that the book is not really my thing.

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What is the most intimidating book in your TBR pile?

Probably Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I love the show, LOVE IT, and I’m 100% sure that I’ll love the book. However, this book is huge and I’m scared of it. Scared!

And this is even though I own the digital version…

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I Tag:

Everyone who wants to do this tag 😀 !

Bookish Bromances

There’s one thing I love to see in books, sometimes even more than the romances themselves, and that is: a good bromance! I mean, seriously, is there anything better than watching/reading about friendshio? Especially between 2 guys? I think it’s magical :D.

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1. Will & Jem – The Infernal Devices

Will and Jem are the definition of bromance. They are more than brothers. The way they love each other is epic!

(source)

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2. Jace & Alec – The Mortal Instruments

Like good parabatai, the bond between these two is beyond words… now, I just wish that the show would do it justice.

(source)

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3. Dorian & Chaol – Throne of Glass

I loved this friendship in the first book and I hated that Chaol’s relationship with Celaena made a dent in it. Luckily, it is all good now, right?

(source)

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4. Harry & Ron – Harry Potter

Even fighting sometimes, they always had each other’s backs.

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5. Tamlin & Lucien – A Court of Thorns and Roses

The way Lucien makes fun of Tamlin… LOL! These two are adorable!

(source)

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6. Aedion & Rowan – Queen of Shadows

They are hostile for a moment there, but they develop a true bond and it’s beautiful.

(source)

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7. Seth & Ryan – Second Chances 

What Seth and Ryan go through during the two books of this series clearly shows the love that exists between them… #goals!

                                                   

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8. Garrett, Logan, Dean & Tucker – Off-Campus

One of the funniest and greatest part of The Deal was watching the relationship between the 4 friends and roommates. I sill have to read the other 2 books that are already out, but they are awesome together.

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9. Thorne & Kai – The Lunar Chronicles

Thorne and Kai share a wonderful moment in Winter that made them apt to join this list. I wish we had some more moments of bonding between the guys, but one can always imagine them :D.

(source)

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10. Simon & Clive – Wallbanger

I’m cheating here, but come on, can you really blame me? Clive is the most awesome cat ever! And he bonds with Simon just like a person. I mean, Simon puts him on the counter to watch him cook, and goes retrieve him so he can sleep with the… it’s cute as hell!

A Court of Mist and Fury Cover Reveal

Guys, it’s here, it’s here!!! We finally have the cover for A Court of Mist and Fury by the marvelous Sarah J. Maas.

    

The first is the US cover, and the second is the UK one. Which one do you like best? I love the fact that the US one shows her tattooed hand 😀 (it basically calls to the property of Rhysand), and I also love that it has more details all around. But the UK one, the one I’ll get, has the thorns!!!

Either way, I love it. Well done Bloomsbury.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Things That I’m Thankful For

Hello, welcome back to another Tuesday. Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is:

Thanksgiving themed Freebie — ten books I’m thankful for, authors I’m thankful for, Ten fictional families I’d like to celebrate Thanksgiving with, a personal non-bookish thankful list, etc. etc.

So, today I’ll share some books, series and other bookish things that I’ve read this year and that I’m Very Thankful For, ok?

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1. Shatter Me Series (Tahereh Mafi)

This series kind of opened my eyes in terms of amazingly different writing skills and made me appreciate a whole lot more. Then there’s also the thing that I really loved the story and, mostly, I loved Warner and Juliette. The me that had only read the first book would be disgusted by that statement!

2. Becky Albertalli & Jasmine Warga & Adam Silvera

For introducing me to some amazing diverse books. I was never frantic reader before, so I really didn’t know what I was really missing…

3. ACOTAR & Throne of Glass Series (Sarah J. Maas)

Sarah J. Maas is a genious!! I’m so glad that I started to read these two series, that I absolutely love. She’s a genius, I tell you!!!

4. Penryn & the End of Days Trilogy (Susan Ee)

I just love this trilogy SO SO MUCH!!! I’m so grateful that Josie “made me” read it, because I’m hooked on it. I would like like 100 more books about Penryn, Raffe and the Watchers, PLEASE!!!

5. New Adult books

                         

This is a new thing for me, kind of. I had read romances and Young Adult contemporaries, but in-between of these two genres is something that appeals to me. I like the problems they face, because university and so on is my day to day, and the romances are always super hot (even if the books don’t have that much more to it). More than anything, these books are a great way to pass the time, and mostly easy and fast reads.

6. Netgalley and eARCs

                                          

Netgalley has been a blessing, truly. Not only does it provide me most of my New Adult romances, but it has introduced me to some amazing authors and some of my favorite reads of this year – case and point: The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis and Your Voice is All I Hear by Leah Scheier .

7. Fangirl & Attachments & basically anything Rainbow Rowell

Rainbow Rowell “gets me”, so each time I read one of her books, I find myself in it, even if just one tiny bit. So I’m so thankful that I bought Fangirl back in February when I went to London, and proceeded to read anything else she wrote.

8. The blogging community

I’m sure I’ve said this a few times, but you guys are all amazing! This community is truly great and I feel kind of blessed for being part of it.

9. My Aelin (that’s my kindle, if you still haven’t figured that out)

I was one of those persons that was adamant that I would never own an eReader. Then I found out that Netgalley existed, and given that I’m an international blogger, that was my only way to snag some ARCs. So, I gave in and bought a kindle for my birthday… and OMFG, I love it so much!!! I have to say that I actually miss it when I’m reading physical copies, and it’s weird, but my Aelin allows me to highlight stuff, and search for quotes, and jump chapters,…, it’s amazing.

10. The pleasure of a good non-fiction

                        

I usually don’t like non-fiction books… at all. I have to read enough scientific papers to cover that part of my life, and I read enough college manuals during my 5 years of undergrad to last me a lifetime. But this year I read, or better yet, I listened to 2 amazing nonfiction books that changed a bit my standing on the genre.

A Court Of Thorns And Roses Optioned for Film

Wait, what?! OH YEAH!!!

Deadline just broke the news that Tempo Productions has optioned the Sarah J. Maas novel, A Court Of Thorns And Roses for film, and I’m so so happy!

ACOTAR would be a great movie, who’s with me? Are we fancasting the hot hot Fae yet? 😀

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EXCLUSIVE– In a competitive situation, Jo Bamford’s and Piers Tempest’s Tempo Productions have optioned Sarah J Maas’s YA fantasy book A Court of Thorns and Roses. Maas’s book follows 19-year-old huntress Feyre, who kills a wolf in the woods, only for a beast-like creature to arrive and demand retribution for it.

Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin, one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it or doom Tamlin and his world forever.

Maas is repped by CAA and Tamar Rydzinski at the Laura Dail Literary Agency. Charles Moore at Wiggin LLC acts for Tempo.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Characters that I would give Halloween a chance for

Hello, welcome back to another Tuesday. Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is:

Halloween themed freebie — your choice (ie. 10 best ghost stories, 10 things that scare you in books, 10 literary Halloween costumes, 10 vampire novels, 10 books that WILL scare you, 10 non-scary books for Halloween, 10 scariest covers, etc.)

I don’t do Halloween, like, at all. I don’t read scary books, I don’t watch scary movies, I don’t dress up or go out partying. I don’t do any of those things. So this week I decided to name 10 characters that I would totally do the Halloween thing for, or, people who are so cool that I would totally like to dress up as them.

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1. Cath (Fangirl)

True, it wouldn’t be exactly hard to dress up as Cath, but it would be a blast. Cath is so relatable, that if I raid my closet I would probably have everything I needed to “be” her. (source)

2. Tessa Gray (The Infernal Devices)

Dressing up as any Shadowhunter would be great, but I have a soft spot for Tessa Gray’s clothes 😉 . (source)

3. Aelin Ashryver Galathynius (Throne of Glass Series)

Celaena’s clothes are all amazing, but I love her tunics and pants, and that dress from Queen of Shadows? With the Dragon? WOW!!! (source)

4. Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter series)

Dressing up as a student from Hogwarts would already be pretty great, but Luna is just special. (source)

5. Feyre (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

Feyre is a bit kickass, I mean, she gets to wear some gorgeous clothes – though not dresses at first – and she has a bow and arrows, so she has a Katniss vibe going on as well… (source)

6. Dahlia Moss (The Unfortunate Decisions of Dahlia Moss)

I read this book recently (and loved it) and Dahlia just wears the most ridiculous things sometimes… I mean, a jigglypuff hat?!

7. Shahrzad (The Wrath and the Dawn)

Shazi just has the most amazing set of clothes (and husband), so I would totally dress like her for one day… though I suspect that I would be thoroughly embarrassed by the amount of skin showing…

8. Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice)

Does this need an explanation? (source)

9. Eleanor (Eleanor & Park)

I love Eleanor’s style, she’s so unique, and I love her so much, that I would totally be her for one day (if her family didn’t come attached). (source)

10. Professor McGonagall (Harry Potter series)

I’ve mentioned before that I think McGonagall rocks, and I would totally dress up as her for Halloween 😀 .

ACOTAR 2 Title Revealed

Yesterday, the title for the A Court of Thorns and Roses sequel was (finally revealed)! Sarah J. Maas next book, coming in May 2016, will be named A Court of Mist and Fury!!!! It sounds epic, it really does, I can’t wait to read more about Tamlin, Lucien, Feyre and Rhysand.

And will the cover be blue???! 😀 😀 😀