January:
( 1 - 7 )
February:
( 8 - 12 )
March:
( 13 - 19 )
April:
( 20 - 23 )
May:
( 24 - 27 )
June:
( 28 - 35 )
July:
36. Son of the Morning by Linda Howard - 4/5 [384 pages] review
37. Her Scandalous Affair by Candice Hern - 3/5 [384 pages] review
38. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler - 2/5 [304 pages]

38 / 50 books. 76% done!

12652 / 15000 pages. 84% done!

Rating:
1- hate it (did not finish) / 2- don't like it / 3- it's ok / 4- like it / 5- love it

PS: Titles in english, except the ones I can't find an english edition of.

(*) - marks a re-read.

Book Title: The Jane Austen Book Club
Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Genre: chick lit
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from book cover): In California's Sacramento Valley, six people meet once a month to discuss Jane Austen's novels. They are ordinary people, neither happy nor unhappy, but all wounded in different ways, all mixed up about their lives and their relationships. Over the six months they meet, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and, under the guiding eye of Jane Austen, some of them even fall in love...

My thoughts: I've learned of this book as watching the trailers of the movie, which I haven't watched yet, and I really didn't knew what I was hoping for of this book. Maybe to be a light romance, as the ones I've been reading, or was hoping it to be something like The One You Really Want. Unfortunately, it wasn't like any of them.

Through six months we follow the life of six characters: Jocelyn, who breeds dogs for competitions; Sylvia and Allegra, mother and daughter who are passing through love problems during this period of time; Prudie, well married but who doesn't seem to see the luck she has; Bernadette, who lived through too many stories during her life; and Grigg, the only man of the group, fan of science fiction and who only read Austen for these meetings.

The character's stories are told through flashbacks and following the most recent developments of their lives, but due to the fact that there's a lot of characters for such a tiny book (it has no more than 250 pages, the other 50 something are summaries of books by Austen and what other people think of her *rolls eyes*), the reader can't create a bond with them. Also, the female characters were pretty uptight and seemed to have a really close mind for anything other than Austen, when it came to books, so it was easier to like Grigg, but still only to a certain extent. I didn't get the connection between the characters and the stories written by Austen. Better, I did get them, but you really need to be in a very good mood to see some of Emma in Jocelyn or Marianne in Allegra...

The book didn't convinced me. The stories and the characters aren't appealing, the discussions of Austen's books don't seduce either and it doesn't help to learn more of the characters, even though it leads to some flashbacks.

Book Title: Her Scandalous Affair
Author: Candice Hern
Genre: historical romance
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from book cover):

"And so you must find the Mallory Heart and bring it home at once. No matter what it takes."

After this decree from his grandmother, Richard, Viscount Mallory, goes in search of the long-lost family heirloom. Imagine his surprise when he spots the exquisite heart-shaped ruby brooch on the bosom of the equally exquisite Lady Isabel Weymouth! Could this popular young socialite actually be a jewel thief?

Richard is determined that the brooch be returned to his family. So when an opportunity presents itself, he pilfers the jewel from the lady's bedroom, but is stunned when she steals it back the very next day! Clearly the enchanting Isabel is a more formidable opponent than he imagined, and the former soldier finds himself battling wits and wills with the captivating temptress. Passion ignites between them as the competition heats up, and suddenly there is more than a ruby brooch at stake in this game of hearts.

My thoughts: Actually is more of a 2.5 than a 3, but I don't like to give half points so I rounded up a bit. I got this book on an impulse, through BookMooch, and even if I could get around without reading it, it wasn't a bad read.

Richard, knowing is grandfather is ill, returns home as is told by is grandmother to recover a valuable family jewel, supposedly robbed and known to be used by a young woman in London. This young woman is none other than Isabel and, with Richard, enters a somewhat fun game, in which both try to rob the jewel from each other, but the game also leads to love.

The story is very predictable, when it comes to the mystery behind the jewel, as well as the mystery behind the death of Richard's brother. In fact, this last mystery is also very unsatisfactory as it didn't brought much to the story. The characters are pretty basic too, although Richard seems to stand out a bit, even if only by showing some sympathy towards poor soldiers that battled during the Napoleonic wars, and then had to turn to beggary. I actually liked the contrast between the parties thrown to honour the generals, while the soldiers begged at the door of those same parties.

As I said, is very predictable but it entertains. Another book I would recommend as a summer reading.

Book Title: Son of the Morning
Author: Linda Howard
Genre: historical romance
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from book cover): New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard captivates readers in the deeply romantic tale of a contemporary woman who unravels an extraordinary mystery from the past... by living it.

A scholar specializing in ancient manuscripts, Grace St. John never imagined that a cache of old documents she discovered was the missing link to a lost Celtic treasure. But as soon as she deciphers the legend of the Knights of the Templar – long fabled to hold the key to unlimited power – Grace becomes the target of a ruthless killer bent on abusing the coveted force. Determined to stop him, Grace needs the help of a warrior bound by duty to uphold the Templar's secret for all eternity. But to find him – and to save herself – she must go back in time... to fourteenth-century Scotland... and to Black Niall, a fierce man of dark fury and raw, unbridled desire...

My thoughts: I wasn't expecting a great reading, as this book seemed quite similar to those by Karen Marie Moning, and even the plot seemed to take the same way as the third book of Moning's Highlander series, but if that author does a somewhat pitiful job when it comes to her characters, the same doesn't happen with Linda Howard.

We follow Grace St. John, a scholar specialized in deciphering ancient manuscripts and married with an archaeologist, when her life is turned upside down, after witnessing her husband and brother being murdered due to some papers she was working on. Pointed as the prime suspect, Grace is forced to leave her calm life behind and adapt herself to a life on the streets, as a way to survive and make justice. She sets on deciphering the papers, while followed by the Foundation, and her path crosses itself with the legendary treasure of the Knights Templar and its Guardian, Black Niall, with whom she seems to have a strange connection.

As I said, this author, unlike Karen Marie Moning, succeeds in giving depth to her characters, namely Grace, which allows the reader to follow her transformation, from naive into a woman able to kick asses and survive, and connect with her, as she turns out to be a very strong woman. On the other hand, Black Niall is the typical alpha male of this kind of novels and, because of that, has a bit less depth to him, but still has a nice background. The secondary characters are also very well drawn and interesting to the story. Also, this is not the typical "Scottish highlander time travel romance", since most of the action takes place in the 20th century America and not on the Highlands, in the middle of the 14th century. However, the story was very interesting; it deals not only with the characters lust, but is more similar to a thriller and has a twist I wasn't expecting.

With a doubt, this author seems much better than Karen Marie Moning and the book was much more interesting than what I was expecting from such a romance. I must confess myself eager to read more books by this author, since it's a nice summer reading. Any suggestions?

Book Title: Promise, Texas
Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: romance
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Amazon.com): Some of the people in Promise are from old ranching families — like the Westons and Pattersons — folks who arrived in the Hill Country more than a century ago. And then there are newcomers like Annie Applegate, who's looking for peace but finds a great deal more. She agrees to marry a widowed veterinarian for the sake of his children... and discovers that marriage can lead to love.

In Promise, everyone's life is a story! The people here, like people everywhere, experience tragedies as well as triumphs, sorrow as well as joy. This town, like towns everywhere, has its share of secrets. But — whether times are good or bad — you're never alone in a place like Promise. And as Annie Applegate knows, that makes all the difference.

My thoughts: This book reminded me of tv series such as "Everwood" and "Men in Trees", as they revolve around the life of a small town, where some characters try to rebuilt their life and, of course, end up finding love.

It's not a great book, but it's a nice read, although there's a lot of characters and stories which, unfortunately, aren't very developed. Some characters might have their stories a bit more developed in previous books by this author, since I've learned on GoodReads that this book is the 7th volume of her Heart of Texas series. But is really by the little development of stories that this book looses points, since it isn't that easy to distinguish them at first and there's no chance to create much empathy toward the characters. When there's some of that empathy, the reader can't help but feeling a bit bored reading other stories and hoping that the one she's enjoying will be next. However, the several stories are interesting albeit predictable.

Even though it's part of a series, the stories and relationships are easy to follow, even if you mix up the characters at first, making of this book a nice choice for a lazy afternoon or to read at the end of a stressful day when you don't want to think that much.

Book Title: Nefertiti
Author: Nick Drake
Genre: thriller
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from book cover):

Power is like fire. It consumes everything. And when it is gone, all that's left is ash.

Nefertiti – the most beautiful, powerful and charismatic Queen of the ancient world. With her husband, Akhenaten, she rules over an Empire at the peak of its glory and domination. Together, they have built a magnificent new city in the desert on the banks of the Nile. They are about to host kings, dignitaries and leaders from around the Empire for a vast festival to celebrate their triumph.

But suddenly, Nefertiti vanishes.

Rahotep is the youngest chief detective of the Thebes division; a Seeker of Mysteries who knows about shadows and darkness, and who can see patterns where others cannot. His unusual talents earn him a summons to the royal court. Rahotep is given ten days to find the Queen and return her in time for the festival. Success will bring glory - but if he fails, he and his young family will die...

My thoughts: I was so disappointed with this book. It never convinced me the story was set on Ancient Egypt. In first place, the style of writing, as a journal, seemed more like a noir movie, where not even the femme fatale was missing. In second place, words like "villa" and "forensic" seemed anachronisms as the idea one has of a "villa" was born it the Roman era, meaning, almost a millennium after the time in which the action of this book supposedly takes place, and the word "forensic" shows the same problem, as it appears as well with Latin, to name the debate in front of a forum and not, so much, the material evidences of crimes. Only the character's names and the historic plot would call my attention to the fact that the chronology was, somewhat, related to the Ancient Egypt.

With only a few days to the inauguration of the new city of Akhetaten, Nefertiti disappears putting in risk the stability of Akhenaten's, her husband, government already somewhat weakened due to economic difficulties and external pressures. Rahotep is then called by the pharaoh to solve the mystery and return the Queen in time for the festival. In between the "detective" meets some draw backs, mostly due to the political games of the court.

Despite the expectations, these were dashed as it has little mystery and, although it sheds some lights over these troubled times in Ancient Egypt, it doesn't satisfy as well in historical terms. It seemed to have potential for much more, but not even the fact that the main character needed to act against the clock grabbed me. The characters were somewhat one-dimensional and even Nefertiti seemed to have little charisma. We knew she was like a pillar of the new government and religion, but that isn't showed that much and even her disappearing didn't sound according to her profile. If the author wanted to present a strong woman, capable of taking the reigns of government and use her disappearance from historical registries to then put her as regent and successor to Akhenaten, he could have done it some other way, namely with this character as the main one.

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: fantasy
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk):

In a brief statement on Friday night, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge confirmed that He Who Must Not Be Named has returned to this country and is once more active. "It is with great regret that I must confirm that the wizard styling himself Lord - well, you know who I mean - is alive and among us again," said Fudge.

These dramatic words appeared in the final pages of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In the midst of this battle of good and evil, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince takes up the story of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with Voldemort's power and followers increasing day by day.

My thoughts: Anxious for the sixth movie to come out, mostly now that the movies seem to be getting better, as I loved the fifth one, but then I disliked the book... As I was saying, anxious for the next movie I couldn't be indifferent to the book so I decided to read it again. I must confess myself a bit disappointed, in this second reading, but I still had some facts fresh in my head and, as I read it the first time in English, this re-reading didn't lead me to better understand jokes or clear some incidents, as happened with the re-reading of the previous books.

This volume gets to be more mature and dark, than the previous ones. We have a very different beginning and changes in Hogwarts' staff that brought a bit of fresh air to the story. I liked the fact that Hagrid wasn't around that much, I also liked Slughorn and it was a pity we could see more of Snape's lessons. The book is much more interesting than the previous, as we uncover some of Snape's (by far my favourite character) and Voldemort's backgrounds. Also, I liked that Malfoy was given a bit more depth and an interesting task, since in the last books he seemed a bit overshadowed and poorly used as Harry's antagonist. Besides that, I know there sere peoples who didn't liked the inclusion of Horcruxes, but I really liked their purpose as well as I liked the visits to Tom Riddle's past through the Pensieve. It's noticeable that Harry is a bit more mature and that Dumbledore, after keeping the truth from Harry for five years and finally having disclosed everything to him, is passing unto him the burden and knowledge to better take his task to a satisfactory ending, as Dumbledore feels he will not be around for much longer.

A very good book, that sets up the final chapter of this series.

Book Title: Breaking Dawn
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: urban fantasy
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from book cover): "Don't be afraid," I murmured. "We belong together."

I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him... It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a line of wire.

"Forever," he agreed.

My thoughts: ( It might contain spoilers )

Book Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: urban fantasy
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from book cover): In the dead silence, all the details suddenly fell into place for me with a burst of intuition. Something Edward didn't want me to know. Something that Jacob wouldn't have kept from me. Something that had the Cullens and the wolves both in the woods, moving in hazardous proximity to each other...

Something I'd been waiting for anyway.

Something that I know would happen again, as much as I might wish it never would.

It was never going to end, was it?

My thoughts: ( It might contain spoilers )

Book Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: urban fantasy
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk):

I stuck my finger under the edge of the paper and jerked it under the tape. 'Shoot,' I muttered when the paper sliced my finger. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut. It all happened very quickly then. 'No!' Edward roared... Dazed and disorientated, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arm - and into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires.

For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is more dangerous than Bella ever could have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of an evil vampire but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realise their troubles may just be beginning...

My thoughts: ( It might contain spoilers )

Book Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Genre: urban fantasy
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk): When seventeen-year-old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town itself. In spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost physically ill. He seems determined to push her away - until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car. Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward's coldness. He, and his family, are vampires - and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close.

My thoughts: Honestly, I didn't enjoyed it (nor hated it) as much as some other people but I can see why they like it, namely girls. However, I wasn't seduced by the vampire. He seemed a bit like a stalker and I don't like stalkers. But focusing on the book...

Bella moves to Forks, after her mother remarried a baseball player, making her travel very often not to be away from her new husband. Bella, with 17 years old can't do the same, and decides to go and live with her dad. Hence she meets Edward Cullen, who reacts in a very strange way as he knows her, but Bella doesn't give up until she finds his and his family's secret – they're vampires. But there are more dangers, as it seems Bella is a very mouth-watering dish.

The characters are pretty basic, practically one-dimensional. Bella is a girl who, clearly, doesn't have her mind on the right place (ok, she's in love and that might excuse some of her problem, but still...), she's clumsy, thinks mostly of others well-being and (enjoys) seems to be always in danger. Edward is beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, and perfect and likes to date his food. Ah, it seems he's intelligent (after all he concluded high school many times before) but that doesn't make him think better and gets too close to Bella, whom he saves constantly though he, himself, says he's the biggest danger to her. The secondary characters are, equally, superficial and it was hard to care about anyone, namely with the vampires who are capable of everything and are so perfect in all they do. Actually, I thought the humans were more interesting.

The story has little action, as it revolves mostly around the relationship between the two main characters. I liked the part in which Bella was trying to figure out Edward's nature, while from the moment they got together the book went downhill, turning out to be very dull and to much sweet for my taste. I rolled my eyes countless times (which is never a good sign) and really thought of abandoning its reading. However, the dialogue between the couple is nice to follow, especially to understand Meyer's changes to the vampire myth, though I still think that the sparkling part is a bit too much. But since they're the better predators, the deathliest one, they had to have something that would give them away while hunting in broad daylight, right? At least, that was how I came to terms with that.

Still, it's an easy book to read, it seems a diary as it is told as a first-person narrative, through the eyes of Bella. It's a nice book if you're looking for a light reading at the end of a stressful day. However, if I wasn't lent the entire series, I think I would never read the remaining books as this one gets away with being a stand-alone. It leaves some questions to be answered but the end is still satisfying.

Book Title: Daniel Deronda
Author: George Eliot
Genre: romance
Rating: 5/5

Summary (from book cover): George Eliot's final novel, Daniel Deronda (1876), follows the intertwining lives of the beautiful but spoiled and selfish Gwendolene Harleth and the selfless yet alienated Daniel Deronda, as they search for personal and vocational fulfilment and sympathetic relationship.

Set largely in the degenerate English aristocratic society of the 1860s, Daniel Deronda charts their search for meaningful lives against a background of imperialism, the oppression of women, and racial and religious prejudice. Gwendolen's attempts to escape a sadistic relationship and atone for past actions catalyse her friendship with Deronda, while his search for origins leads him, via Judaism, to a quest for moral growth.

Eliot's radical dual narrative constantly challenges all solutions and ensures that the novel is as controversial now, as when it first appeared.

My thoughts: This was one of those books I was sorry to read in such a stressed time and in english (not my native language), as I feel that I missed some details that would made me love this reading even more, if that's possible since I feel I've already surrendered to this author.

We follow the destinies of Daniel Deronda and Gwendolen Harleth, who come to meet by chance in Leubronn, Germany, a place known by its gambling. Then we go back in time to see what lead both to that place. The first, brought up by Sir Hugo Mallinger without knowing his true origin, we know as having a tendency to help others without caring about himself. On the other hand, Gwendolen is presented as a spoiled girl, incapable of truly loving other people, with the exception of her mother. The meeting of these two souls will have an impact on both lives to the future, and we have the chance to follow them and see how their destinies intertwine.

This is a very descriptive book, namely in what concerns the characters, their inner fights and thoughts. I confess I didn't love the major characters; however their change, their growth is perceptible, especially when it comes to Gwendolen. But the same descriptive detail was put on the secondary characters and let me point out the strength of the female characters that, even facing adversity, do not give up and get to declare themselves against the role society had set for them. We even get to know a female character who confesses herself in love with the stage, that refuses her role as a mother for not having love to give as that love was given to the stage, to her career. In the 19th century, in the Victorian period, this must have been controversial, as must have happened with the strong Judaic theme of this novel.

This is a romance not to be taken lightly. It criticizes the society of the 19th century, namely the marriages by convenience, but it also thrives on the Judaic movement that at that time was getting some followers and demanded the existence of a Judaic state (the state of Israel) in the Palestine, which was granted in the 20th century, after the World War II, and where even today conflicts are part of the world news.

I recommend it. It's a phenomenal book and was sorry, as I said, of thinking that I didn't get everything it had to offer. There are many subtleties, characters nicely built and a coherent story, with a twist here and there, and very pleasant to follow. Without a doubt, a book to keep and re-read.

Book Title: Lolita
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Genre: romance
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk): The novel that first established Nabokov's reputation with a large audience tour-de-force of comic satire on sex and the American ways of life.

My thoughts: This was one of those books that if it wasn't for the Book Club event, on a Portuguese message board, I would never read, not because of its theme but the book never caught my attention, even though it has a major influence on the pop culture.

In this book we follow the story of Humbert Humbert, as told by him, of what happened to him and how he came to be in jail. Humbert tells how he has a trauma because of a love that was never fulfilled in sexual terms, and that might have led him to be attracted to "nymphets" whose Humbert describes:

Between the age limits of nine and fourteen there occur maidens who, to certain bewitched travelers, twice or many times older than they, reveal their true nature which is not human, but nymphic (that is, demoniac); and these chosen creatures I propose to designate as “nymphets”.

Then we meet the 12 year old "nymphet" who attracted him the most, Dolores or Lolita, to the point of obsession, or even, perhaps, love.

It's clear the attempts of Humbert to justify his attraction, even to take off him the blame of his actions towards Lolita. It was here that the discussion was heavier. Was Lolita such an innocent child? Can we blame Humbert for his liking, when in the past other figures (named by him) showed the same inclination? When there were royal marriages in which the betrothed showed such a huge age difference? This book raises many questions from a moral point of view that are still valid today. Nabokov's beautiful writing also invites to think as it's so involving that only thinking about what we read can we come to a more clear position on the subject. Many times I found myself pending towards Humbert's side while reading, but then, thinking better about it, I would go against him and my previous thought on the matter.

The story, however, seems to lose some enthusiasm from a specific point, the second part, with the author repeating himself with some frequency. Still, is an interesting book, as it presents us a world that had just came out of a war and in which sexuality was getting attention and was being debated. There's also a critic to psychiatry which Humbert (or Nabokov through such character) seems to despise.

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: fantasy
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk):

Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses.
'It is time,' he said, 'for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.'

Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione have been so secretive all summer. However, what Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his whole world upside down...But before he even gets to school, Harry has an unexpected and frightening encounter with two Dementors, has to face a court hearing at the Ministry of Magic and has been escorted on a night-time broomstick ride to the secret headquarters of a mysterious group called 'The Order of the Phoenix'. And that is just the start. A gripping and electrifying novel, full of suspense, secrets, and - of course - magic.

My thoughts: I must say this is the book I like less of this series. I didn't enjoyed it the first time I read it, it was the only one in which I slept half the way through a chapter, didn't enjoyed it the second time I've read nor the third.

After the more mature tone of the previous volumes, this seems to be a bit more childish, with Peeves once again messing around, even if he did it on the twins command and to defy Umbridge I don't think it was a improvement, and the fantastical creatures return, since there's a new giant which, personally, I think brings nothing to the story. Besides all that, this book as a slower rhythm, Harry seems to be against everything and everyone (really, I felt like punching and asking him not to be such a whining kid) and there's not that much action. The book only sets off the moment Harry sees his godfather and danger and flees to rescue him in the Ministry of Magic. Until then, the book seems to have only hormones and I really could do better without it.

However, it is still a reasonable nice book to start the second half of this series. I enjoyed how some characters, like Neville and Ginny, were presented on this volume, maybe even anticipating the events of the last one. I liked Umbridge, one of the best characters of this book, and wonderfully played by Stephen Fry, who once again does a brilliant job. Also, it's good to be finally told why Voldemort desires to kill Harry, we understand their connection better and the second war is afoot, being perceptible that casualties will be demanded.

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Summary (from Amazon.co.uk): It is the summer holidays and soon Harry Potter will be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is counting the days: there are new spells to be learnt, more Quidditch to be played, and Hogwarts castle to continue exploring. But Harry needs to be careful - there are unexpected dangers lurking. J.K. Rowling continues to surprise and delight with the power of her rich, demanding and action-packed storytelling.

My thoughts: This is clearly the book that sets the change in this series, not only because it marks the reborn of Voldemort, but the writing seems to take another course as well, taking a more mature tone. The characters grow up, there are hormones in the air, the dark tone, which was noted already in the second book, is even more present. There are deaths and people disappear, there is also an insecurity sense in the air and not only in Hogwarts.

Once again, knowing what happens on the next books, it still nice to find clues, more or less hidden, to what will happen or will be explained in the next volumes.

Another great continuation of this series.

Book Title: The Talisman
Author: Stephen King and Peter Straub
Genre: fantasy
Rating: 5/5

Summary (from book cover): A stunning, reverberating epic of fantasy, adventure and odyssey.

The Talisman is the story of a young and courageous boy searching for the talisman, the one thing that will save his dying mother. His quest takes him into the menacing Territories where violence, surprise and the titanic struggle between good and evil reach across a mythic landscape, in a novel as extraordinary and as unforgettable as Lord of the Rings.

My thoughts: I must start by saying I've never read anything by these authors, so I can't say which part was written by whom. At the beginning I felt like they were doing it like an RPG – now I write, then you write. The writing seemed odd and confusing at first, it took a while to get into the book but then, before I noticed, an all afternoon and night passed by.

We follow the story of a 12 year boy, Jack Sawyer, whose mother is ill, actually dying due to a cancer. Having confused memories of his childhood, of his death father and his business partner, we come to learn of his Daydreams. Running with his mother from his father business partner, Morgan Sloat, Jack finds Speedy who sends him on a quest to find the Talisman and save not only his mother but the Queen of the Territories, his mother Twinner. Jack starts then a journey that will challenge him.

As I said, I've never read anything by this authors but I've always associated King to terror, so I was surprised when I stumbled upon a fantasy novel. We have two worlds very similar, populated by different beings which are also similar, as it happens with Twinners, twins of a person in the Territories who are very similar but yet different, and who may have or not the same destiny. It seems confused, but it gets clear when you read it, just as it's clear that the authors love to read stories besides telling them, so you stumble across references to other works such as The Lord of the Rings.

I really liked the characters, though I didn't felt a strong emotional connection with them, as it happened to me with other books. Also, I loved the Territories and of how they were linked to the American Territories, as Jack comes to refer to his world. It makes one wonder about how the places we know might be once you flipped to the Territories.

It's a very pleasant book, to those who like the genre, and it has some gore parts. The final was kind of left open to a sequel (with an amazing quote from Mark Twain that made me want to read Tom Sawyer) which was published in 2001, Black House, and tells a new adventure of Jack 20 years after the events of The Talisman. To know that this book is somehow linked to the Dark Tower series, of which I've been hearing some very nice reviews, makes me want to keep reading books by Stephen King.

When I started putting up reviews on a blog I was doing it for me, without thinking that might be someone reading them. Even today I think there's not much people reading them. Also, I never thought the ones reading would pay much attention to what I write, so I was surprised to be asked to put up some reviews in the blog Lights, Camera... History!

The blog is maintained by Ana T., Ana O. and Alex, who do an amazing job informing and reviewing period dramas, which I simply love! If you can, pass there and drop a comment.

I usually review movies and series on my Portuguese blog but not here (sometimes I'm too tired to translate things) but since now I'm contributing to that blog, from now on I'll be posting here the links to my reviews. Today my first review was posted and it's about Mansfield Park adaptations.

Hope everyone has Happy Easter, full of chocolates and jelly beans!