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Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris Southern Vampire Mysteries 12 Okay, Sookie’s novels are beyond the point of saying whether the book is good or bad. Right now, Sookie is like a relative who sends me letters from time to time. I really missed her and instead of making me happy, this book made me sad. Besides the usual murder mystery, some questions made in previous books are answered. I get the feeling we’re getting closer to the end, and it’s not going to be a good one. I’m afraid Charlaine will kill Sookie. I really wanted a happy ending for her, poor thing. She’s getting stronger but also sadder, she isn’t the giddy southern girl she was in the beginning and I’m sorry for her. And the thing with her weight, what was that about? I didn’t mind she always described herself as looking pretty good. Enough of self doubt in the world, for a change. Eric. I always knew he wasn’t really the vampire in book 4 (when he had amnesia), but still I always felt he came through for her everytime. There are no heroes left now, it’s as simple as that. Now I just can’t wait for the next book, to know what happens and to save Sookie from the dark place she’s in. One way or another. Up or down.

Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Southern Vampire Mysteries 12

Okay, Sookie’s novels are beyond the point of saying whether the book is good or bad. Right now, Sookie is like a relative who sends me letters from time to time. I really missed her and instead of making me happy, this book made me sad.

Besides the usual murder mystery, some questions made in previous books are answered. I get the feeling we’re getting closer to the end, and it’s not going to be a good one. I’m afraid Charlaine will kill Sookie. I really wanted a happy ending for her, poor thing. She’s getting stronger but also sadder, she isn’t the giddy southern girl she was in the beginning and I’m sorry for her. And the thing with her weight, what was that about? I didn’t mind she always described herself as looking pretty good. Enough of self doubt in the world, for a change.

Eric. I always knew he wasn’t really the vampire in book 4 (when he had amnesia), but still I always felt he came through for her everytime. There are no heroes left now, it’s as simple as that.

Now I just can’t wait for the next book, to know what happens and to save Sookie from the dark place she’s in. One way or another. Up or down.

Filed under sookie stackhouse charlaine harris Southern Vampire true blood

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janarita28 asked: Olá! Adorei o teu blog! :) Gosto muito dos livros da Juliet Marillier. Por acaso já leste a "Saga das Ilhas Brilhantes" e "As Crónicas de Bridei"? São ambas muito boas, apesar de eu preferir os livros de Sevenwaters... E também adoro Harry Potter! Já leste algum ou vais falar sobre isso no blog?

Olá! Obrigada pela mensagem :)

Ainda não li a saga das Ilhas Brilhantes, mas hei-de ler! Adoro as Crónicas de Bridei, neste momento acho que ainda gostei mais delas que da triologia Sevenwaters inicial. Tive um amor platónico fortíssimo pelo Faolan! Só tenho pena que não saia um quarto livro tão cedo…

Arrisco-me a dizer que é impossível não adorar o Harry Potter. Fui lendo os livros mal saíam, mas ando a planear há algum tempo ler pelo menos os últimos três de novo (já que li os quatro primeiros duas ou três vezes). Quando o fizer, cá estarão no blog ;)

Bjinhos grandes, Helena

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Sebastian, by Anne Bishop Anne Bishop did it again. She created another strange world, different from anything I’ve heard so far, full of creativity, beauty and magic. This world, called Ephemera, is built of dynamic landscapes that are shaped to mirror the hearts of people. Sometimes it made me think of videogames, the strangeness of it all. Amazing.The characters remind us little (a lot) of the Black Jewels trilogy. People who suffered while young and became honorable, beautiful and powerful. Women who are amusingly annoying to men and are loved as nothing before them. Loads of happy humour. Tons of sensual sex. And then there’s Glorianna, the powerful Landscaper who will save us all. And what a beautiful name! Glorianna Belladonna. Beautiful words, both said and read. The next book’s about her and I can’t wait to know more about her and how she’s going to solve things out.

Sebastian, by Anne Bishop

Anne Bishop did it again. She created another strange world, different from anything I’ve heard so far, full of creativity, beauty and magic. This world, called Ephemera, is built of dynamic landscapes that are shaped to mirror the hearts of people. Sometimes it made me think of videogames, the strangeness of it all. Amazing.
The characters remind us little (a lot) of the Black Jewels trilogy. People who suffered while young and became honorable, beautiful and powerful. Women who are amusingly annoying to men and are loved as nothing before them. Loads of happy humour. Tons of sensual sex.
And then there’s Glorianna, the powerful Landscaper who will save us all. And what a beautiful name! Glorianna Belladonna. Beautiful words, both said and read. The next book’s about her and I can’t wait to know more about her and how she’s going to solve things out.

Filed under sebastian anne bishop books lit ephemera belladonna

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Twixt Firelight and Water, by Juliet Marillier I really loved this little book. In it we learn a bit more about Ciáran’s life (one of my favourite characters) and about his raven, Fiacha. It’s a story that ties loose ends and brings back the magic of Sevenwaters’ woods to our hearts. Simply perfect.

Twixt Firelight and Water, by Juliet Marillier

I really loved this little book. In it we learn a bit more about Ciáran’s life (one of my favourite characters) and about his raven, Fiacha. It’s a story that ties loose ends and brings back the magic of Sevenwaters’ woods to our hearts. Simply perfect.

Filed under books twixt firelight and water juliet marillier sevenwaters

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The Sookie Stackhouse Companion, Charlaine Harris I loved this book. Since I’m just waiting to receive the next Sookie book on my mail, it was so good to read this recap of the previous books. It wasn’t boring at all! It made me remember so many details that I couldn’t possibly recall otherwise. As these books are so amazing, I usually don’t put them down until I finish them, which makes it harder to remember some details afterwards (also because it’s such a rich world!).The secret conversations between Bill and Eric are awesome (I’m repeating myself but I can’t put things otherwise). They made me laugh and bite my nails and giggle.The interview with Alan Ball was also helpful in understanding how and why TV series are the way they are. Most fans kept asking some variations of «why did you do this to our characters?», and it was fun to read how Alan dodged some of the “accusations”.The recipes!!! I can’t wait to cook them! I bet they’re all so very tasty (though not so healthy…).In the end there’s an encyclopedia referring to all the characters and places in the books and short stories as well. Very handy.In sum: great useful book, and I’m so glad it was written!

The Sookie Stackhouse Companion, Charlaine Harris

I loved this book. Since I’m just waiting to receive the next Sookie book on my mail, it was so good to read this recap of the previous books. It wasn’t boring at all! It made me remember so many details that I couldn’t possibly recall otherwise. As these books are so amazing, I usually don’t put them down until I finish them, which makes it harder to remember some details afterwards (also because it’s such a rich world!).

The secret conversations between Bill and Eric are awesome (I’m repeating myself but I can’t put things otherwise). They made me laugh and bite my nails and giggle.

The interview with Alan Ball was also helpful in understanding how and why TV series are the way they are. Most fans kept asking some variations of «why did you do this to our characters?», and it was fun to read how Alan dodged some of the “accusations”.

The recipes!!! I can’t wait to cook them! I bet they’re all so very tasty (though not so healthy…).

In the end there’s an encyclopedia referring to all the characters and places in the books and short stories as well. Very handy.

In sum: great useful book, and I’m so glad it was written!

Filed under sookie stackhouse companion sookie charlaine harris books

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Seer of Sevenwaters, by Juliet Marillier I finished this one about a week ago and hadn’t found the time to write about it. I feel that this book is something more like an introduction for something that is still to come. It’s the story of how Sibeal grows up and finally understands what becoming a druidess involves. She must choose between a normal life, with a husband and babies, an extraordinary one. While the mistery and adventure part of this book was quite exciting, the romance for the first time let me down. Sibeal falls in love with this stranger, and I don’t know why. I love Sibeal, but I didn’t fall in love with him, and that was new to me, because I always get so involved with my characters… I really didn’t care much about this one. I know that all male characters can’t be heroes, but I wound’t really mind if it was so. Felix is too self comiserating for my taste, I’d rather Sibeal would find someone better. It was amazing to see Ciarán again and remember his love story with Niamh. Though sad and screaming for tragedy, that was one of the most beautiful moments in Sevenwater’s history. In the end, though I complain, I believed in this book as much as in any of the other ones before, even if I didn’t love it as much. And I really want to know what happens next.

Seer of Sevenwaters, by Juliet Marillier

I finished this one about a week ago and hadn’t found the time to write about it.

I feel that this book is something more like an introduction for something that is still to come. It’s the story of how Sibeal grows up and finally understands what becoming a druidess involves. She must choose between a normal life, with a husband and babies, an extraordinary one.

While the mistery and adventure part of this book was quite exciting, the romance for the first time let me down. Sibeal falls in love with this stranger, and I don’t know why. I love Sibeal, but I didn’t fall in love with him, and that was new to me, because I always get so involved with my characters… I really didn’t care much about this one. I know that all male characters can’t be heroes, but I wound’t really mind if it was so. Felix is too self comiserating for my taste, I’d rather Sibeal would find someone better.

It was amazing to see Ciarán again and remember his love story with Niamh. Though sad and screaming for tragedy, that was one of the most beautiful moments in Sevenwater’s history.

In the end, though I complain, I believed in this book as much as in any of the other ones before, even if I didn’t love it as much. And I really want to know what happens next.

Filed under books juliet marillier seer of sevewaters

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Neil Gaiman: As requested, a rebloggable version. (Dear Tumblr, How hard would it be to make ask replies rebloggable?)

neil-gaiman:

How should an aspiring writer know that she has talent? Where is the best place to find a judge of such things?

On the page.

And, possibly, in your heart.

(I was convinced I was a great writer when I was in my late teens, and even wrote some stories. When I was in my forties I found the binder I had written them in, and read them, expecting to be blown away by my youthful brilliance, and instead found myself reading things that, if the author had handed them to me and said “Do I have a career in writing waiting for me?” I probably would have said “Er, probably not. DO you have any other skills?”

Fortunately, I had no other skills, and I was convinced I could be good, and  being a journalist and writing for my living, day in and day out, taught me enough that, when I returned to fiction, I was a lot better. Or perhaps I’d just got the bad writing out of my system.)

I tell aspiring writers that they should write. It’s the only real advice I have. If you think you have talent, then write. You’ll find out if you’re any good. And you’ll also find out that it takes a lot more than just talent to be a writer. You have to be willing to write on the days you don’t feel like writing, for a start. And you have to learn to finish things, and to start the next thing.

And if you’re going to be a writer, don’t ask someone else if you have talent, or if something’s any good. What do they know?

(Another anecdote: I buried a story for 20 years because the two people I showed it to, when I’d just finished it and was proud as Punch of this clever thing I’d made, didn’t like it. They were both professional editors and people whose opinions I respected. So I simply put it in a drawer. Didn’t even show it to anyone, or send it out. When, twenty years after it was written, I pulled it out and dusted it off, it won the LOCUS award for Best Short Story of the year. And I felt a bit silly for having listened to two people twenty years earlier who simply didn’t like it, or get it, or like that sort of thing.)

Filed under lit

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Sangue-do-coração (Heart’s Blood), by Juliet Marillier This is a new approach on one of my favourite stories: Beauty and the Beast. Our hero, Caitrin, runs from home and finds an enchanted castle with a strange lord. But the similarities with Disney stop there and we enter a world with Juliet’s name all over. As always beautiful storytelling, amazing characters and a misterious magical ambiance only Juliet Marillier can provide for. The only downside is that I found it a little predictable, I found myself wanting to scream the answers at Caitrin, but she eventually got there by herself. Thank you dear Juliet for sharing your stories with us.

Sangue-do-coração (Heart’s Blood), by Juliet Marillier

This is a new approach on one of my favourite stories: Beauty and the Beast. Our hero, Caitrin, runs from home and finds an enchanted castle with a strange lord. But the similarities with Disney stop there and we enter a world with Juliet’s name all over. As always beautiful storytelling, amazing characters and a misterious magical ambiance only Juliet Marillier can provide for.

The only downside is that I found it a little predictable, I found myself wanting to scream the answers at Caitrin, but she eventually got there by herself.

Thank you dear Juliet for sharing your stories with us.

Filed under juliet marillier heart's blood books