Opinião: Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban (JK Rowling)

Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban de J.K. Rowling

Editora: Editorial Presença (2000)
Formato: Capa Mole | 343 páginas
Idioma: Inglês
Géneros: Lit. Infanto-Juvenil, Fantasia, Fantasia Urbana

Descrição (Goodreads): "Faltavam ainda algumas semanas para o fim de mais umas horrendas férias de Verão com os Dursleys, quando Harry ouve a triste notícia da vinda da detestável tia Marge! Quebrando as leis de Hogwarts, Harry não resiste a usar os seus poderes de feiticeiro e acaba por abandonar a casa dos tios, deixando a perplexa tia Marge, mais inchada do que um balão, a flutuar junto ao tecto da cozinha dos Dyrsleys... Mas este terceiro ano de Harry Potter na Escola de Magia e Feitiçaria esconde perigos insuspeitos.
De Azkaban, a prisão-forte para feiticeiros, evade-se o prisioneiro mais temido, Sirius Black, que muitos dizem ser o fiel servidor de Voldemort, o Senhor das Trevas.
E porque repetiria ele, durante o sono, a frase: «Ele está em Hogwarts... Ele está em Hogwarts»? Estaria a referir-se a Harry Potter? Tudo indica que sim. O nosso herói não está a salvo nem mesmo dentro das parades da Escola, agora que o lado negro está a reunir as suas forças.
A atmosfera em Hoqwarts trona-se cada vez mais tensa. Quem é, afinal, Sirius Black? Porque é que os Dementors, os guardas de Azkaban, têm um efeito tão devastador sobre Harry? Haverá realmente um traidor entre os seus amigos de Hogwarts? A cada nova aventura, Harry enfrenta forças mais poderosas, a cada nova aventura, levanta-se um pouco mais o véu que esconde os mistérios da sua família..."

AVISO: Contém SPOILERS! 

Devo dizer que me tem sido difícil escrever opiniões ultimamente, em especial no que toca aos livros desta série. Creio que isto se deve ao facto desta ser uma saga que aprecio especialmente e que tem muito valor para mim em termos literários. Por isso, se esta opinião parecer... desconjuntada... bem, já sabem porque é. Mais ou menos.

"Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban" leva-nos de volta ao fantástico mundo da feitiçaria criado por J.K. Rowling.

Harry e os amigos preparam-se para mais um ano em Hogwarts, a escola dos feiticeiros. E tal como nos outros anos, o perigo e a aventura parecem persegui-los: desta vez vão ter de lidar com Sirius Black, um feiticeiro negro muito poderoso que conseguiu a proeza de escapar de Azkaban, a prisão mais segura do mundo. Black anda à solta e à procura de Harry Potter, a quem culpa pela queda de Voldemort.

Neste terceiro livro, Rowling continua a surpreender-nos com o seu mundo mágico. A mistura imaginativa de mito, realidade conferem ao mundo de Harry Potter um ambiente misterioso e intrigante. Mais pormenores são adicionados; à medida que Harry descobre novos feitiços e novas poções, o leitor vai aprendendo mais sobre o universo escondido dos feiticeiros.

A história continua a ser dirigida para o público juvenil mas nota-se uma ligeira diferença na narrativa: afinal, as personagens estão mais crescidas e creio que a passagem da infância para a adolescência começa neste livro e é notória. O enredo dá-nos também informações preciosas sobre o passado dos pais de Harry e sobre a primeira guerra contra o Voldemort; este é um livro importante porque alguns dos acontecimentos terão repercussões em livros posteriores (e isto seria óbvio mesmo para quem não tivesse lido os livros a seguir), mas não é um livro essencial.

Ou seja, apesar da autora começar neste livro a desenvolver mais o enredo que diz respeito a Harry Potter e a Voldemort, fá-lo ainda utilizando a 'fórmula' dos livros anteriores, com um mistério e pistas que culminarão no final do livro (e do ano) num desfecho satisfatório mas algo aberto.

Alguns dos conceitos mais fascinantes do mundo de Rowling estão neste livro. Os Animagus, o mapa do Salteador, Azkaban e os Dementors são alguns exemplos daquilo que faz com que estes livros sejam diferentes da maioria das ofertas do género.

No geral, "Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban" é mais um óptimo livro juvenil que começa já a mostrar alguma complexidade de enredo a juntar à crescente complexidade do fascinante universo criado por Rowling. Uma óptima leitura.

View all my reviews

Relido para a Leitura Conjunta Harry Potter

In my Mailbox (26)

Esta semana não houve grandes actualizações no blogue... mas mesmo assim podem contar com a "Mailbox"! Recebi alguns livros pelo correio e estou particularmente interessada num, sobre o qual li críticas positivas: "A Long, Long Sleep".

 Black Night - Christina Henry [UF]

Black Wings - Christina Henry [UF]

Kindling Moon - Jenn Bennett [UF]

Grave Dance - Kalayna Price [UF]

Hard Bitten - Chloe Neill [UF]

Twice Bitten - Chloe Neill [UF]

Friday Night Bites - Chloe Neill [UF]

The Greyfriar - Clay & Susan Griffith [UF]

A Long, Long Sleep - Anna Sheeran [SF, YA]

E vocês o que receberam na vossa Caixa de Correio (What did you get in your mailbox this week?)?

"In my Mailbox" is hosted by The Story Siren.

Review: Hammered

Hammered by Kevin Hearne

Publisher: Del Rey (2011)
Format:  Mass Market Paperback | 310 pages
Genre(s): Urban Fantasy 

Description (Goodreads): "Thor, the Norse god of thunder, is worse than a blowhard and a bully—he’s ruined countless lives and killed scores of innocents. After centuries, Viking vampire Leif Helgarson is ready to get his vengeance, and he’s asked his friend Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids, to help take down this Norse nightmare.One survival strategy has worked for Atticus for more than two thousand years: stay away from the guy with the lightning bolts. But things are heating up in Atticus’s home base of Tempe, Arizona. There’s a vampire turf war brewing, and Russian demon hunters who call themselves the Hammers of God are running rampant. Despite multiple warnings and portents of dire consequences, Atticus and Leif journey to the Norse plain of Asgard, where they team up with a werewolf, a sorcerer, and an army of frost giants for an epic showdown against vicious Valkyries, angry gods, and the hammer-wielding Thunder Thug himself."

Still not quite there. In terms of story, characters and world-building. The most interesting thing so far is Hearne's world as it deals with the different pantheons of ancient gods and goddesses. While most urban fantasy books feature supernatural creatures there are not many who focus on old religions. It's refreshing and you can tell the author has researched the subject at least a little, which is always good as it makes everything a bit more... 'realistic'.

While Hearne continues to develop his world in the third installment of "The Iron Druid Chronicles", there wasn't any real progress as far as Atticus is concerned. He is still a bit too smug (as he, himself recognizes in this book) and does not really display that much wisdom. He is far too immature and not layered enough for someone who's supposed to be more than 2000 years old. Not saying he can't act immature, but he doesn't display a different, more complex personality...ever (unless you count quoting Shakespeare). On a brighter note, I really like The Morrigan, ahah. Now she is a great character.

I still don't see the purpose of Granuaile, Atticus' apprentice. I mean, yeah she's probably there as the hot female who falls in love with the protagonist (at least it seems to be going that way) but Hearne has made a mistake with this character. She really has no distinguishable features besides the fact that she's... well, pretty. She doesn't have special powers or abilities, nor will she have them in the foreseeable future. She also doesn't have much of a personality. And... well, she doesn't really participate much in the action. She's just there.

Oberon is a cute character that provides humor but is, ultimately pretty superfluous as well.

So, character-wise, the series really needs more development. Atticus just isn't charismatic... at all.

In terms of plot, this book didn't have much of one. I mean it was a bit ridiculous, really. A bunch of guys decide to kill the Norse god Thor because he is a big, immortal bully. Some of what he did was bad (I liked the chapters where everyone shared their particular grievances with the Norse god of Thunder) but the single-mindedness of the group and Thor's completely unrepentant character made all of the action very... blah. Basically the problem was... character development.

Overall "Hammered" was better than the first but not as good as the second book. The author seems to be building his world slowly adding more information with each book. But there is still some confusion about the mythology.

The characters are the series weak point: they're too stereotyped. As for plot, this book seemed to be filler although there are a few clues that point to something more elaborate happening in future books. A nice read within the genre but still not good enough to stand out, even if male protagonists are rare.

View all my reviews

In my Mailbox (25)

Apesar de um pouco atrasada, aqui está a "Mailbox" desta semana! Mais alguns livros para as estantes, incluindo o "Earthsea Quartet" sobre o qual me disseram maravilhas! E, claro, mais um livro do Doctor Who... :D

 The Earthsea Quartet - Ursula Le Guin [Fant]

The Scorch Trials - James Dashner [Sci-Fi, YA, UF]

Epic Fail - Claire Lazebnik [YA]

Touched by an Angel - Jonathan Morris [Sci-Fi]

The Near Witch - Victoria Schwab [YA, UF]

E vocês o que receberam na vossa Caixa de Correio (What did you get in your mailbox this week?)?

"In my Mailbox" is hosted by The Story Siren.

Review: Hounded

Hounded by Kevin Hearne

Publisher: Del Rey (2011)

Format:  Mass Market Paperback | 289 pages

Genre(s): Urban Fantasy

Description (Goodreads): "Tempe, Arizona is as far removed from paranormal activity as is possible. And that's where Atticus O'Sullivan, rare book salesman, herb peddler, and 2,000 year old Druid - the last of his kind - has decided to set up shop. He's been on the run, guarding a very powerful sword from a very angry ancient Celtic god for over two millennia now. But while these years have been good to him - Atticus has become more powerful than he could have possibly imagined - The Morrigan, a very old god of death, has predicted death and doom for our hero, and it's up to Atticus, with help from a pride of werewolves, and a gorgeous bartender with a secret of her own, to stay alive, hopefully for another thousand years."

WARNING: Contains some SPOILERS!

"Hounded" is the first in a new series featuring a 2.100 year-old Druid as the main character. I've seen many a video and read a few reviews raving about this series and how it was awesome so, as a lover of all things urban fantasy and wanting to read a few more books with male protagonists, I promptly bought all the books available.

And yet again my high expectations were shot down. This isn't a terrible book, no, but it's not brilliant either. Although I liked the general concept I felt the author crammed way too many myths, religions and supernatural creatures into his universe. You have werewolves, vampires, fairies and every god from every pantheon running about. It's too much and honestly it was confusing. Hearne doesn't explain much about this and there are references to several ancient deities, although only the Tuatha Dé Danann appear in this first book (since the hero is a Druid and all). Still they are depicted as "people who know a lot of magic and thus are very powerful and immortal" so the reader is left wandering if all the other pantheons are the same (which, mythologically they aren't) or if it's just the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Basically Hearne's world building needs fixing and urgent development. In this first book we are thrown into the world of Irish mythology but the author fails to clarify many of his ideas and views to the readers. And that is never good.

I also didn't care much for Atticus, the protagonist. He was too smug, too sure of himself. If he is 2000 years old I think he should be wise enough not to be too smug. I disliked him from the beginning and throughout the book the character didn't really grow in a positive way. He was just so powerful and magic and all-knowing and the action was lackluster at best because of it.

Another thing that bothered me (yes, a lot of things did in this book): Oberon, the wolfhound. I liked the fact that there was a talking dog and the discourse was hilarious some times, but I doubt a dog would speak like that even if he was taught to speak English. His thought processes were just... too human.

Even with all of these (major) flaws and the slow start (I considered stopping at first, it was boring) of the book, "Hounded" wasn't that bad. I've read worse Urban Fantasy debuts. It needed more character and world development and the plot wasn't exactly super original, but it was an interesting read (once the pace picked up, about 100 pages in) nonetheless. I've started the second book and it's much better so far, so I'd say that if Hearne can develop his world and main character properly the "Iron Druid series" does have potential.

View all my reviews

Cover Commentary: Pretty standard UF cover overall. But the model annoys me. I think it's the beard. I really don't like it. Plus, the guy looks about 15... not the image you want when depicting a 2100 year-old druid. Even if he's meant to be totally hip!

Opinião: Harry Potter e a Câmara dos Segredos

Harry Potter e a Câmara dos Segredos de J.K. Rowling

Editora: Editorial Presença (2011)

Formato: Capa Mole | 275 páginas

Géneros: Lit. Infanto-Juvenil, Fantasia, Fantasia Urbana

Descrição (Ed. Presença): "Os dias de Verão com os Dursleys estavam a tornar-se insuportáveis. Harry Potter já não gostava muito de muggles, mas o pior é que tinha de passar os seus dias de férias em casa dos muggles mais muggles de todo o planeta e arredores. Não havia maneira de voltar para a sua querida escola de feitiçaria... E ultimamente mesmo esse regresso se encontrava ameaçado, pois o duende Dobby não cessava de o avisar de que algo terrível o aguardava em Hogwarts... Nada mais nada menos do que a revelação dos misteriosos e ameaçadores poderes da câmara do segredos! O regresso do herói que está a conquistar jovens e adultos de todo o mundo numa aventura que te enfeitiçará até à última página."

O segundo livro da série Harry Potter leva-nos novamente a Hogwarts onde Harry está prestes a iniciar o seu segundo ano de aprendizagem.

No entanto, parece que as coisas não serão mais fáceis do que no primeiro. Durante o verão Harry recebe a visita de uma estranha criatura, Dobby o elfo doméstico, que o avisa de um grande perigo e lhe transmite uma mensagem: "Harry Potter não deve voltar para Hogwarts". Harry não fica muito contente com este aviso uma vez que Hogwarts se tornou o seu verdadeiro lar. Mas pouco depois de chegar, acontecimentos estranhos começam a desenrolar-se e Harry, Ron e Hermione precisarão de toda a sua coragem e perspicácia para descobrirem a sua origem.

"Harry Potter e a Câmara dos Segredos" é o segundo numa série de sete dedicado às aventuras de Harry Potter e dos seus amigos na escola de Magia e Feitiçaria de Hogwarts. Sempre achei que este livro era mais "para encher" do que outra coisa. Apesar dos nossos protagonistas se depararem com um mistério para resolver, não temos nesta segunda obra de J.K. Rowling um grande desenvolvimento do enredo geral (a saber: Voldemort e a importância de Harry na luta contra o feiticeiro negro).

Neste livro, Rowling estabelece mais vincadamente as características e comportamentos das suas personagens mais importantes (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Dumbledore e Snape) sem nunca revelar muito acerca da sua real importância para a história da saga.

No final Dumbledore dá-nos mais alguma informação sobre a ligação entre Harry e Voldemort, mas este é sem dúvida o livro da série que se pode saltar sem grande perigo pois não contém nenhuma informação particularmente vital.

No geral, "Harry Potter e a Câmara dos Segredos" é mais uma leitura agradável que nos dá a conhecer mais pormenores sobre o mundo dos feiticeiros e sobre os protagonistas, mas que tem pouca importância em termos do enredo principal.

É de referir o excelente trabalho de revisão realizado pela Presença aquando do lançamento destas novas edições; ao comparar a minha edição mais antiga com esta, reparei que o texto flui melhor na de 2011 e faz muito mais sentido.

View all my reviews

Relido para a Leitura Conjunta Harry Potter

Review: Touch of Frost

Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kesington Publishing (2011)

Format:  Paperback | 350 pages

Genre(s): Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Description (Goodreads): "My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy — a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest. But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos. First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities. Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War. You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things. Freaky stuff like this goes on all the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why—especially since I should have been the one who died. . ."

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS!

Although I own several books by Jennifer Estep, I'd never read anything by her before. I like Urban Fantasy but the genre is so saturated that I am starting to be weary of any new series that comes out. That is why I postponed the reading of Estep's adult series. But as "Touch of Frost" seemed interesting and I was in the mood to read more about ancient myths (after Dark Descendant) I decided to give it a try.

I liked it. It was a good YA urban fantasy, even if it wasn't exactly original. The base story is a very common one: a boarding school filled with rich kids that have some supernatural power. In this case it's a school for "mythological warriors" (like Valkyries, Amazons, Vikings, Spartans, Romans and the likes) who are trained in the arts of combat so that they can later join the ongoing battle against the evil guys.

Of course our heroine, Gwen, ends up in Mythos Academy in a rather precipitous and slightly unrealistic way. She doesn't fit into any class of warrior so she is shunned by everyone. The only ability she has is the gift of psychometry which allows her to 'extract' feelings and images from any object or person.

When a student is murdered and an ancient artefact stolen Gwen decides to use her power to find out 'who did it'.

So, as you see, "Touch of Frost" isn't exactly the picture of originality, either in terms of story or character development. I'll admit Gwen was pretty cute and I loved that she was so nerdy, but Logan was pretty much a walking stereotype of the perfect YA male protagonist; he was a Spartan warrior and a serious bad boy who slept around but somehow ended up attracted to Gwen. I see how this may appeal to teen readers but I'm getting kind of tired of reading about the same characters over and over again.

I will say, though, that I liked Daphne... the popular kid turned geek was amusing to read about.

The plot wasn't very complex: it was a mixture of "whodunit" with everyday high school life. The usual. Parties, catty popular girls, the geeky protagonist falling for the bad and mysterious boy, etc.

As for the "mythology" and the basic concept behind Mythos Academy, it reminded me a bit of Harry Potter. Still, it was original enough. I wasn't particularly thrilled with Estep's definition of "mythological warriors" - as far as I know Spartans, Romans, Vikings and Celtics were pretty real - but I got her idea and I suppose a little creative license is okay.

Overall, while I liked "Touch of Frost" I have to say it isn't a book that stands out among all the similar-themed YA Urban Fantasy that I've read. The heroine was a definite strong point, but I think the author should try to be a little more original, even if I reckon it's pretty much impossible nowadays. Still, a gripping read that kept me interested in spite of lacking originality.

View all my reviews

In my Mailbox (24)

Bem... está na altura de mais uma "Mailbox". 

Esta semana foi bastante boa em termos de encomendas; parece que o Book Depository agora manda os livros todos juntos o que fez com que recebesse bastantes! Eheh.

Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini [PR, YA]

Shadows on the Moon - Zoe Marriot [Fant, YA]

Ghost Story - Jim Butcher [UF]

Undercurrent - Tricia Rayburn [UF, YA]

Heist Society - Ally Carter [YA]

Silver Phoenix - Cindy Pon [Fant, YA]

Touch of Frost - Jennifer Estep [UF, YA]

The Girl in the Steel Corset - Kady Cross [UF, YA]

The Glamour Chase - Gary Russel [Sci-Fi]

Hexed - Kevin Hearne [UF]

E vocês o que receberam na vossa Caixa de Correio (What did you get in your mailbox this week?)?

"In my Mailbox" is hosted by The Story Siren.

Review: Dark Descendant

Dark Descendant by Jenna Black

Publisher: Pocket (2011)

Format:  Mass Market Paperback | 325 pages

Genre(s): Urban Fantasy

Description (Goodreads): "Nikki Glass can track down any man. But when her latest client turns out to be a true descendant of Hades, Nikki now discovers she can’t die. . . .

Crazy as it sounds, Nikki’s manhunting skills are literally god-given. She’s a living, breathing descendant of Artemis who has stepped right into a trap set by the children of the gods. Nikki’s new “friends” include a descendant of Eros, who uses sex as a weapon; a descendant of Loki, whose tricks are no laughing matter; and a half-mad descendant of Kali who thinks she’s a spy.

But most powerful of all are the Olympians, a rival clan of immortals seeking to destroy all Descendants who refuse to bow down to them. In the eternal battle of good god/bad god, Nikki would make a divine weapon. But if they think she’ll surrender without a fight, the gods must be crazy."

WARNING: Contains a few SPOILERS!

Ancient mythology makes the jump to adult fiction in this first book of a new series by Jenna Black.

Nikki Glass is a P.I. with a rough past. She's good at what she does and has been making a living off it for while. But her life changes forever when she accidentally kills her latest client and discovers she is much more than she thought she was. Turns out Nikki is a descendant of the Greek goddess Artemis and that means a bunch of people are very interested in her unmatched tracking skills... even if she doesn't know how to use them.

I've read a few YA books that incorporate the myths and gods of ancient civilizations (like Wildefire or Darkness Becomes Her) but I haven't found many adult books with this theme. It was a nice and entertaining read, but it wasn't outstanding.

Nikki was your typical urban fantasy heroine although I think Black portrayed her fears and doubts pretty realistically. It's very common in UF books to see the protagonists get used to their situation very fast and I think that's not very believable. Nikki had doubts about herself and her powers almost until the end and I liked that. I also liked the fact that she didn't hook up with any of the males on the first book although the way things are written it's easy to guess she will have a relationship with one of them... but at least it will be a gradual thing. Which is good.

The plot wasn't anything special or unheard of, in urban fantasy. Basically Nikki discovers she has supernatural powers and has people chasing her for them. She isn't really sure who the bad guys are, but it's pretty obvious to the reader as the bad guys do all the bad stuff, like torturing and maiming. So the story was pretty simple and at times unrealistic (the way Nikki discovered she was a descendant was weird and unconvincing).

I did feel that from what is shown to us of Nikki's powers she wasn't... worth the chase, but I'm sure she will discover she is extra-special later in the series.

Overall this was an okay read. It wasn't great as the story and the characters were undeveloped and neither was particularly good but it was still an interesting book. Plus the ending seems to hint at a more complex second book so I guess I'll be checking it out. :D

View all my reviews

Booking Through Thursday: Semana Nacional do Livro

Estamos na Semana Nacional do Livro (algures no mundo, em Portugal nem por isso). Agarra o livro mais próximo de ti. Vai à página 56. Copia a 5.ª frase.

O feliz contemplado (quase que só precisei de me esticar para o ir buscar... quase) é "Her Royal Spyness" de Rhys Bowen. Ora bem, quinta frase da página...

"It is the done thing to anglesize any French name when possible."

A pergunta desta semana foi traduzida pela Célia do blogue Estante de Livros.

Opinião: Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal

Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal de J.K. Rowling

Editora: Editorial Presença (2000)

Formato: Capa Mole | 254 páginas

Géneros: Lit. Infanto-Juvenil, Fantasia, Fantasia Urbana

Descrição (Capa): "Quando naquela cinzenta manhã de terça-feira o senhor Dursley deparou, ao sair de casa, com uma gata malhada que estudava atentamente um mapa, mal poderia imaginar todos os acontecimentos estranhos e misteriosos que se estavam a preparar.
Mas, quando dez anos mais tarde, enigmáticas cartas endereçadas a Harry Potter, o sobrinho desprezado dos Dursleys, começam a chegar em catadupa lá a casa, é como se um raio atravessasse as suas mentes - o segredo que tão bem tinham guardado durante tanto tempo está prestes a ser revelado. O que poderá acontecer se Harry Potter descobrir que é um feiticeiro?
Esta é uma história mágica, recheada de fantasia e encantamento, de aventuras misteriosas e de perigos arrepiantes, de criaturas sobrenaturais e de surpresas divertidas, que está a enfeitiçar as crianças... e também a gente mais adulta, um pouco por todo o mundo."

Já perdi a conta ao número de vezes que li este livro. Deve ser um dos livros que reli mais vezes e sendo o primeiro de uma das minhas séries preferidas tem um lugar muito especial na minha prateleira.

Ainda me lembro bem de quando o meu pai nos apresentou (a mim e à minha irmã), um dia os quatro primeiros livros da série dizendo que estava a fazer furor em Portugal pelo que tinha decidido comprá-los para experimentar. Como naquela altura já gostava imenso de ler, atirei-me logo de cabeça e num instante fiquei envolvida no mundo e aventuras de Harry Potter, um rapaz que é muito mais do que parece à primeira vista.

Quando me foi proposta uma nova leitura da série devo confessar que fiquei de pé atrás. Fiquei com algum receio de reler os livros, especialmente os primeiros que são mais infantis. Fiquei com medo de não os apreciar tanto agora como os apreciei das primeiras vezes que os li uma vez que actualmente sou uma leitora diferente.

Mas não precisava de me ter preocupado. "Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal" conseguiu mais uma vez, a proeza de me cativar. Quando dei por mim tinha já acabado a leitura!

Certamente que notei o quão infantil este primeiro livro é, especialmente quando comparado com os mais recentes mas isso não tirou charme nenhum à leitura, pelo contrário! Achei que a autora fez um trabalho maravilhoso ao conseguir capturar quase na perfeição a mente e o comportamento de um jovem de 11 anos. Isso não é tão fácil como parece, algo que descobri ao ler outros livros infanto-juvenis em que as personagens se comportavam de forma muito adulta para a idade que tinham.

Rowling consegue criar um mundo mágico, mesmo neste primeiro livro que é claramente introdutório. São-nos apresentadas as personagens principais - Harry, Ron e Hermione - e todo um elenco de secundárias que terão mais ou menos importância no decorrer da série. A maneira como descobrimos Hogwarts, a Diagon-Al e todo o mundo escondido dos feiticeiros continua a ser genial!

É claro que a caracterização das personagens e a construção do mundo são bastante simplistas, mas isso não constitui uma falha grave se pensarmos na série como um todo (e será isso que farei em cada opinião, uma vez que já li todos os livros); estes aspectos melhoram muito ao longo dos livros tornando-se as personagens mais complexas à medida que crescem e o mundo mais intrincado à medida que a Harry vai fazendo mais descobertas acerca dele e também à medida que a sua percepção muda.

"Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal" é um primeiro livro extraordinário que nos transporta para um mundo encantado tão interessante que queremos imediatamente saber mais. As personagens são carismáticas e penso que este é, no geral, um óptimo livro de introdução. Uma obra que encantou milhões e que aguenta bastante bem o teste do tempo, penso eu. Um livro a manter na biblioteca, definitivamente!

View all my reviews

Relido para a Leitura Conjunta Harry Potter

Review: Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord

Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah MacLean

Publisher: Avon (2010)

Format:  Mass Market Paperback | 357 pages

Genre(s): Historical Romance

Description (Goodreads): "Since being named “London’s Lord to Land” by a popular ladies’ magazine, Nicholas St. John has been relentlessly pursued by every matrimony-minded female in the ton. So when an opportunity to escape fashionable society presents itself, he eagerly jumps—only to land in the path of the most determined, damnably delicious woman he’s ever met! The daughter of a titled wastrel, Lady Isabel Townsend has too many secrets and too little money. Though she is used to taking care of herself quite handily, her father’s recent passing has left Isabel at sea and in need of outside help to protect her young brother’s birthright. The sinfully handsome, eminently eligible Lord Nicholas could be the very salvation she seeks.
But the lady must be wary and not do anything reckless and foolish…like falling madly, passionately in love."

After finishing Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake, I immediately jumped to the second in the series as I was curious about Nichola's story. Unfortunately Ten Ways to be Adored when Landing a Lord wasn't as good as the first one. The characters were much less developed and the romance felt somewhat flat. Plus many scenes are similar to those of the first book, it felt like I was reading the same story with different (and less charismatic) characters.

There was much the author could have done with the story (I mean, a lady hiding abused women seems pretty cool, considering the time period) but everything seemed rushed as if the entirety of the plot was there only to make the protagonists meet. The runaways were all alike, with not much of a personality and even Isabel wasn't developed.

I guess my main complaint about this book is that, while everything happened gradually (and more or less realistically) in book one, in this one everything was rushed and there was no chemistry at all between the characters. There are authors that can make you believe that it is possible to fall in love in three days (at least while you're reading the book) but Sarah MacLean is definitely not one of them. I really wasn't convinced by this love story.

Overall, this book is not up to par with the first one. Nicholas was much less interesting in here and both he and Isabel were pretty undeveloped. The love story felt flat and the other plot lines felt rushed. Although it is an easy read, I couldn't get as immersed in it as I was in the first book. It did not make me laugh or feel sad for the characters. 

View all my reviews

Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Publisher: Avon (2010)

Format:  Mass Market Paperback | 397 pages

Genre(s): Historical Romance

Description (Goodreads): "A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried - and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss - to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston - charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all - the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love..."

After all the YA books I've read this year I decided I needed to switch genres even if just for a little while. And Sarah MacLean seemed like the perfect choice. I've had this book in my shelves ever since it came out and I've read so many good reviews that I thought I should finally read it.

It felt good to read an adult book for once even if it falls into the category of "brain candy". I was looking for a quick, sensual and funny read and Sarah MacLean's debut delivered.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, sister of an Earl and renowned paragon of virtue among the best of London's society has had enough. Enough of being meek and well behaved. Enough of being overlooked by men. Enough of being "on the shelf". So she decides to make a list of things that she dreams of doing; scandalous things like drinking scotch and gambling at a men's club. And who better to help her than the most infamous rake of London?

Honestly there's isn't much in this book that wasn't already in other historical romances I've read. The plot isn't exactly original: there was the bold but innocent heroine and the rakish but honorable hero that seem to meet everywhere and have all these opportunities to be alone. Of course the hero has a dark past and the heroine is chirpy and believes in luurve. Same old, same old. There was even the infamous "scene in a carriage" (I think I wrote somewhere I was getting tired of those).

Still, the characters were charismatic and most important of all there was chemistry. Oh and humor (I like humor with my historical romances, that's why I love Julia Quinn).

That, more than the plot or character traits (which vary little from one book to the next, no matter the author) is what makes or breaks an historical romance in my opinion. That and the writing style. MacLean delivers superbly on both accounts with sparks flying between her protagonists and engaging writing. The pace was pretty good and she is great at writing scenes that pull at your heartstrings (even if they are cheesy).

There was an overuse of certain expressions like "this kiss was different from all the others they had previously shared" for example. Ugh, I was so tired of reading that. Every time the protagonists kissed there it was.

That aside, I enjoyed this book immensely and am very happy that I decided to buy the rest of the series a while back. I'll certainly be adding Sarah MacLean to my list of historical romance authors to watch out for.

View all my reviews

Review: Warped (Maurissa Guibord)

Warped by Maurissa Guibord

Publisher: Delacorte Books (2011)

Format:  Hardcover | 350 pages

Genre(s): Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Synopsis.

There are books that disappoint you terribly because you had high expectations; books you find were better then you expected because you had low or no expectations; and then there are those books that you like in spite of knowing they aren't that good. For me, "Warped" fits into the third category. While I read it I catalogued all it's flaws: weak characters, insta-romance, unrealistic premise and weak story. But... I still liked it. Because I also saw potential.

Now, I'm no professional judge of books and what is good or bad literature. I can merely give an opinion about a book, write about what I 'feel' would have worked better. It's a mostly subjective view although I do try to focus on character development, world-building and plot complexity. Which means that even if I liked a book I'll always find flaws. But even this attempt at objectivity doesn't always work.

All this to say it didn't work with "Warped". I liked the author's voice even if I thought she could have written a much better book. If only she had developed her characters better and had taken her story in a different direction.

"Warped" is a story about a girl and a tapestry. Tessa (the protagonist) comes into possession of an ancient tapestry that depicts a unicorn. She feels there is something strange about it but it's still very surprised when she pulls a thread and a guy pops out of the tapestry. He is William de Chaucy, 16th century noble, who was imprisoned within in order to provide the gift of eternal youth to the owner of the tapestry (who is, of course, a witch).

On the whole not a very exciting story. I found the plot simplistic and unbelievable, the characters too stereotyped and the romance flat and too instantaneous for my taste. Basically "Warped" has all the major flaws that your typical YA paranormal romance has. So why did it stand out for me? Because of the potential for more. Because of the Fates/ Norns and the fact that the author hinted that Tessa was more than she appeared.

Overall: "Warped" is a very typical YA fantasy book. It definitely won't stand out; it's not even that good. Still I think Guibord intends to do more with the plot and characters so while this first book wasn't brilliant I think the concept can evolve into a great story. I am considering this an introductory book and hoping there will be a second with a more intricate and complex plot.

View all my reviews

In my Mailbox (23)

E eis que após uma ausência na semana passada, volta a "mailbox". Esta edição mostra algumas das (poucas) encomendas recebidas pelo correio e também compras feitas na Feira do Livro do Continente e em Lisboa (sempre que lá vou é isto...). 

Hammered - Kevin Hearne [UF]

Cold Magic - Kate Elliot [Fant]

0.4 - Mike Lancaster [Sci-fi, YA]

Blindsight - Peter Watts [Sci-Fi]

Wildefire - Karsten Knight [UF, YA]

Tu Contra Mim - Jenny Downham [YA]

Magic on the Hunt - Devon Monk [UF]

Ark - Stephen Baxter [Sci-Fi]

E vocês o que receberam na vossa Caixa de Correio (What did you get in your mailbox this week?)?

"In my Mailbox" is hosted by The Story Siren.

Review: Wildefire

Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (2011)

Format:  Hardcover | 400 pages

Genre(s): Young Adult, Urban Fantasy

Description (Goodreads): "Every flame begins with a spark. Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm."

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS!

When I read the words "Polynesian volcano goddess" I thought this book was going to be just awesome. I mean: Polynesian. Volcano. Goddess. How cool is that? Although ancient mythology seems to be all the rage among YA authors (right along with dystopias)right now, the more commonly explored myths are of European origin (mainly Greek). So if there was a book out there that explored less known pantheons I decided I should read it. Because, you know, I was expecting it to be a bit more original.

Well, I still think that a book with a Polynesian volcano goddess (are you counting how many times I write this?) is great but I can also say that this particular book was a disappointment. It's about 400 pages long and not much happens. So, basically while it had a lot of potential (Polynesian... etc) the execution could have been a lot better.

Ashline Wilde is running away. From a traumatizing event and from her murderous older sister. Formerly a New York resident, she fled to the other side of the country and enrolled at Blackwood Academy where she plans to start anew and try to forget her tragic past.

When one night she hears a scream and heads out to the rescue she discovers that only a select number of people have heard it too. What does it all mean? What connects these five Blackwood students that seem to be able to hear what no-one else does? And what are the strange, dark creatures that roam the woods near the school.

So. "Wildefire". My first complaint comes right with the opening scene of the book where Ashline punches another girl (hard, too) because the girl 'stole' her boyfriend. I thought the scene was distasteful and unnecessary. There were other ways to introduce Eve (Ashline's sister) to the picture (because that is why all the drama at the beginning happens).

"Wildefire" starts slowly, really slowly. It's only well past the 100 page mark that anything remotely supernatural (except for that scene in the beginning of the book, with Eve) happens. Even when the action picks up not much of relevance happens in the entire book.

This is what annoyed me the most about "Wildefire". Ashline discovers that there are gods in her school and that she might just be one of them and after that big piece of news everything remains the same. There is no disbelief, no tries to rationalize the events. Only a passive acceptance about the whole thing and then life as usual. Ashline doesn't seem remotely interested about her origins, about what she is or what her sister might be. She doesn't do research and doesn't hold meetings with the other gods and goddesses to try to find out more. Everyone just shrugs and life goes on. No-one seems to care about the mysterious scrolls they receive or the approaching "Ragnarok".

So basically the author had this great idea... gods and goddesses suddenly finding out their true identities, but then he forgot to follow up on it, preferring to concentrate on the woes of being a teenager. These young deities have detentions, flirt with each other and attend mandatory sport events. And... that is basically it. Oh there are those weird creatures prancing around but no-one cares. "Oh yeah, they're "the Cloak" and they're evil? Oh good, now let's go to lunch."

Character-wise, everyone was pretty typical... and oh so teenage-y. From Raja the apparently 'bitchy' upper-class girl to Rolfe the surfer boy. Ashline did have her moments of awesomeness but that too was ruined by the gratuitous violence and the weird moods. Also I kind of didn't understand why she'd fall for Colt, really.

Eve was there just to be the psychotic "bad guy (girl)" and provide the heroes with an enemy to fight.

There were two scenes near the end that restored a bit of faith in the author but overall? This book would be awesome if the focus had been the whole "hey-you're-gods-and-goddesses-and-you-have-to-save-the-world" thing instead of "cool-we're-deities-let's-party-and-continue-to-be-regular-and-boring-teens".

I felt like the author got sidetracked and put the supernatural part of the story on hold way too long. It ended up being a regular teen book about the life of teens in a private boarding school. Then, near the end, Knight wakes up and all the "supernatural action" happens in a rushed and unrealistic way. There were too many threads left hanging, too many things left unexplained and the character evolution left a lot to be desired.

View all my reviews

Booking Through Thursday: Antecipação

Qual foi o último livro que te deixou realmente entusiasmada?
E estavas entusiasmada com a perspectiva de o leres ou o entusiasmo cresceu enquanto lias?
Há alguns livros que esperes ansiosamente de momento?

Ora a resposta é fácil! "A Dance with Dragons" de George R. R. Martin! Estava tão impaciente por ler o mais recente volume das "Crónicas de Gelo e Fogo" que fiz uma pré-encomenda da versão inglesa e peguei nele quase de imediato quando chegou pelo correio! Por isso estava obviamente entusiasmada com a perspectiva de o ler, uma vez que esta série de fantasia é uma das minhas favoritas. 

Quanto a livros que espero que saiam para ler, posso apontar "Ghost Story" de Jim Butcher, o 13º da série "Dresden Files". O final do livro 12 foi explosivo e estou muito curiosa acerca do que irá acontecer neste volume.

Review: The Liar Society

The Liar Society by Lisa Roecker, Laura Roecker

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire (2011)

Format:  Paperback | 361 pages

Genre(s): Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Description (Goodreads): "To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)

Kate, I'm here… sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing. Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder..."

WARNING: contains SPOILERS!

I seem to be saying this a lot lately, but there is not that much to say about this book. It was a quick read filled with mystery and suspense but that definitely needs work in the romance department.

Kate Lowry lost her best friend in a tragic accident in the beginning of her junior year. A year later she still grieves the loss of Grace and she still feels like something was wrong with her death. But what?

When e-mails from Grace start appearing in her mailbox containing cryptic clues, Kate finds the strength she needs to start investigating... problem is, someone wants the details of Grace's death to remain hidden.

"The Liar Society" was a real page-turner; I read the entire book in a few hours, captivated by the mystery plot and aided by the engrossing writing style (and the short chapters). The story had a nice pace, it was interesting and the urge to see the mystery solved kept me reading chapter after chapter.

Of course the plot is not very original as it is the usual mix of ancient private schools, rich kids and secret societies. Bit overused but still fun.

The characters didn't particularly stand out. Liam was very one-dimensional, Seth was the perfect stereotype of the "dorky best friend" and Kate wasn't all that interesting. She was very mild and while she seemed to want to solve the mystery I didn't feel her determination and fierceness throughout the book.

The romance felt pretty flat and unrealistic but as it wasn't the focus of the book I didn't really mind that much.

Still, overall, "The Liar Society" was a good, entertaining read. A nice enough mystery story that is underdeveloped in most other aspects (romance, characters, etc). Not sure if it was entertaining enough for me to want to read the second book in the series, though.

View all my reviews

Lançamentos Fantásticos em Agosto!

E aqui estão alguns dos lançamentos previstos dentro do género da fantasia, para Agosto. Ainda só consegui descobrir alguns, muito poucos, mas estarei atenta a ver se há mais! 

Título: "Fragmento de Cristal (Vol. 1 da Trilogia das Planícies Geladas)"

Autor: R. A. Salvatore
Editora: Saída de Emergência
N.º de Páginas: 320
Lançamento: Agosto 2011

Sinopse (Wook.pt): "Drizzt do'Urden está de volta. Venha descobrir a lenda do elfo mais misterioso e temido da fantasia. E acompanhe-o na épica jornada por um mundo onde só lâminas afiadas impõem respeito.

Drizzt instalou-se nas cidades isoladas e fustigadas pelo vento das Planícies Geladas. É lá que encontra o jovem bárbaro de nome Wulfgar, capturado num raide e salvo pelo anão Bruenor em troca de cinco anos de serviço. Com a ajuda de Drizzt, Wulfgar cresce para se tornar num guerreiro poderoso e num homem com o coração generoso de um anão, os instintos apurados de um bárbaro e a alma corajosa de um herói. Mas tantas virtudes podem não ser suficientes para derrotarem o poder demoníaco de Crenshinibon, o lendário Fragmento de Cristal. E só Drizzt, esse estranho surgido das trevas, temido por todos e respeitado por uns poucos que o conhecem, poderá alterar o destino de todo o norte gelado."

 

Título: "Cobiça"

Autor: J.R. Ward

Editora: Quinta Essência

N.º de Páginas: 536

Lançamento: Agosto 2011

Sinopse (Wook.pt): "Redenção não é uma palavra que Jim Heron conheça muito bem. A sua especialidade é a vingança e, para ele, o pecado é relativo. Mas tudo muda quando se torna um anjo caído e é incumbido da tarefa de salvar sete pessoas dos sete pecados mortais... e o fracasso não é permitido. Há muito que Vin diPietro se entregou ao trabalho... até que o destino intervém na forma de um autoproclamado salvador de aspeto duro e de uma mulher que o fará questionar o seu destino. Com uma entidade malévola pronta a reclamá-lo, Vin tem de unir forças a um anjo caído não só para conquistar a sua amada... mas também para salvar a sua alma."

Título: "O Livro sem Nome"

Autor: Anónimo

Editora: 1001 Mundos

N.º de Páginas: 408

Lançamento: Agosto 2011

Sinopse (Wook.pt): "Caro Leitor,
Apenas os puros de coração poderão ler as páginas deste livro. Cada página que virar, cada capítulo que ler, levá-lo-á para mais perto do fim. Nem todos conseguirão terminar. A variedade de intrigas e de estilos poderá indispor e confundir. E, enquanto procura a verdade, ela apresentar-se-á diante dos seus olhos. A escuridão virá, e com ela um grande mal. E aqueles que lerem o livro poderão não voltar a ler a luz."

Review: Love, Inc.

Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins, Sandy Rideout

Publisher: Hyperion (2011)

Format:  Hardcover | 409 pages

Genre(s): Young Adult, Romance

Description (Goodreads): "Zahra, Kali, and Syd would never have met if their parents' marriages hadn't fallen apart. But when the three girls collide in group counseling, they discover they have something else in common: they've each been triple-timed by the same nefarious charmer, Eric, aka Rico, aka Rick. Talk about eye-opening therapy.
Cheerful, diplomatic Zahra is devastated. Rico had been her rock and sole confidant. How could she have missed the signs? Folksy, flirtatious Kali feels almost as bad. She and Rick had only been on a few dates, but they'd felt so promising. Hardened vintage-vixen Syd is beyond tears. She and Eric had real history... Or so she'd thought. Now all three girls have one mission: to show that cheater the folly of his ways.
Project Payback is such a success, the girls soon have clients lining up for their consulting services. Is your boyfriend acting shady? Dying to know if your crush is into you? Need match-making expertise? Look no further than Love, Inc."

Love, Inc is a contemporary YA romance and a perfect beach/ summer read. It was just the light, fluffy read I was looking for after "A Dance with Dragons".

Zahra, Kali and Syd have two things in common: their broken families and... their boyfriend! After meeting at a support group for teenagers with divorced or separated parents, the three girls realize that they have all been dating the same boy. He has three different names and leads three separate lives... so Zahra, Kali and Syd decide to teach him a lesson by taking revenge on his car.

Afterwards they decide they should help lost couples everywhere and thus 'Love, Inc' is born.

Love, Inc is a standard love comedy. Three fifteen year girls are disillusioned with love and relationships after being cheated by one guy and decide to create a 'service' to help other teens with similar problems; they'll spy, mediate and match-make... for a price.

There wasn't anything that original about this book and therefore there is little to say. It was a nice read, with tons of romance and some funny situations. The characters are pretty standard for this kind of book (hot guys, cute girls, some bullying jocks, the usual) with Zahra presenting a very lukewarm and sometimes boring version of events. Her romance story was as cliché as they come and I didn't understand why the boy was interested since Zahra was very one-dimensional and not nearly as interesting as Sydney or Kalista, her "partners in crime".

The story was predictable (it was pretty easy to figure out who Zahra would end up with). The premise is slightly unrealistic but if you don't think about it, "Love, Inc" is an agreeable read.

So, overall: this is another fluffy summer read, perfect for when you want something that will make you smile and can be read quickly. Its story and characters don't exactly stand out but the writing is engaging and well... I suppose it has a cute dog too.

View all my reviews