Book releases: September 2017

1 - Tower of Dawn, by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: 5th of September
Synopsis:
Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strengh, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.

His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica - the stronghold of the shouthern continent's mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.

But what they discover in Antica will change them both - and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

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2 - The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic, by Leigh Bardugo

Release date: 26th of September
Synopsis:
Travel to a world of dark bargains and struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid's voice can summon deadly storms and where river might do a lovestruck boy's bidding but only for a terrible price.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange - to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

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3 - They Both Die in the End, by Adam Silvera

Release date: 5th of September
Synopsis: 
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: they're going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they're both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: there's an app for that. It's called Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Maeo are about to meet up for one last great adventure and to live a lifetime in a single day.

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4 - Sleeping Beauties, by Stephen and Owen King

Release date: 26th of September
Synopsis:
In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep; they become shroufed in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent: and while they sleep hey go to anoher place.

The men of our world are abandoned, left to their increasingly primal devices. One woman, however, the mysterious Evie, is immune to the blessing of curse of the sleeping diseas. Is Evie a medical anomaly to be studied, or is she a demon who must be slain?

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5 - The Grave Keepers, Elizabeth Byrne

Release date: 12th of September
Synopsis:
Lately, Athena Windham has been spending all her spare time in her grave.

Her parents - owners of a cemetery in Upstate New York - are proud of her devoutness, but her younger sister, Laurel, would rather spend her time exploring the forest that surrounds the Windham's' property than her own grave.

The Windham girls lead secluded lives - teir older sister dies in a tragic accident and their parents' protectiveness has made the family semi-infamous.

As the new school year beings, the outside world comes creeping in through encounters with mean girls, a new friend, and a runaway boy hiding out in the cemetery. Meanwhile, a ghost hangs around the Windham property - te only grave keeper never to cross over - plotting how to keep the sisters close to home and close to her... forever.

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The TBR Tag

Hello, everybody!
Today I'm bringing a Tag, something I've never done in written form. Let's do this!
This tag was originally created by Rachel, from A Perfection Called Books and I watched it recently on Kassidy's Youtube Channel.

Source: Pinterest

1 - How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I usually do an inventory (yes, I am too organized) and keep them in one shelf only, the one that is eye level, so I can look at them and remember I have to read.

2 - Is your TBR mostly print or e-book?
Print, mostly, even though I also have some Kindle books that need to be read. I'm not fond of hardcovers because they're not very easy to carry on my bag.

3 - How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next?
I usually just stare at them and think of what I feel like reading. The other method I sometimes use is to pick a title from a piece of paper at random.

4 - A books that's been on your TBR to read next.
I can't wait to read Rainbow Rowell's Landline. I've read great reviews but it seems I never find the time to read it!

5 - A book you recently added to your TBR.
I've got to say that the last book I bought in English was Cress, by Marissa Meyer. I've just finished reading Scarlet and now I am even more excited to read Cress.

6 - A book in your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover. 
I think that the most beautiful cover is from Passenger, by Alex Bracken. I just loved this cover once I saw it and couldn't resist but buying it.

7 - A book on your TBR that you never plan on reading. 
Unfortunately, it will have to be The King's Curse by Phillippa Gregory. I really like the author, but it is so big! Even though I liked the previous book, it was not my favorite and I think this book will not help.

8 - An unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for.
OMG, definitely Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas. I love her books so much and they always get better and better, which is a plus when it comes to reading these amazing fantasy worlds she writes about.

9 - A book on your TBR that basically everyone read but you.
Well, this is in part my fault, but it is Clockwork Princess, by Cassandra Clare. I plan on reading it next year, that's for sure because Clockwork Prince was really good.

10 - A book on your TBR that everybody recommends to you.
I think that for this one, I have to choose Reading like a Writer, by Francine Prose. Apparently, this is the book that every aspiring writer should read and I think it will turn out to be very useful to be since I've read the reviews and everybody was very thankful for the info this book provides.

11 - A book on your TBR that you're dying to read. 
I watched the movie adaptation and I loved it. It's Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. If I loved the movie, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy reading it.

12 - How many books are on your GoodReads TBR shelf?
Zero. Sorry, it's true. I decided to erase all of my TBR books, mainly because many of them were just there and I was sure I was not going to read them anymore. Those books didn't interest anymore and it was better to erase them from the shelf. So, I erased them all. I'll buy the books I think are interesting and I already have a shelf full of books to read. I don't need that kind of pressure.



Well, I hope you liked this Tag! Please, feel free to do it, too!

TV Series Review: Riverdale (Season 1)

Riverdale (CW/Netflix - 2017)

The first season of this show had everything we could ask for if we wanted to set a crime in a small town with teen characters and parents who hide one thousand secrets from their kids.

Even though it doesn't sound promising, Riverdale turned out to be very revealing. It is true that it had some clichés, like the crush for the boy next door and the rich girl from the fancy city not quite adjusting at the beginning but ruling the high school by the end of the season.

The story starts with the murder of Jason Blossom, a teen with a promising future, with friends and a twin sister who depends on him and tries to prolong her grief for as long as she can in order to keep his name alive.

At the beginning, we follow - in more depth - Betty, a girl who already lives there, and Veronica, a girl who's just arrived, in order to introduce the viewer to the settings of Riverdale. As the story goes along, we start to see other different points of view, some of which from the parents.

I quite liked this link between parents and children, since it brings a sense of full circle to the story, and it is something somewhat new to give so much attention to the parents in a teen show (another example of is Teen Wolf).

The story develops in a way that we find some clues and some suspects, but nothing is certain until an anonymous tip puts the wheels into motion. Perhaps, it is because this season only has thirteen episodes, but I believe that if it had more than that it would become boring to see those revelations with no closure for a very long period of time. On the other hand, the twelveth episode was fast-pacing and it almost looked like a season finale unlike the real final episode of the season.

Murder storylines are usually watched by an older audience, however, I believe that it loses this demo since it involves teens with some melodramatic attitudes (like Cheryl Blossom) and creates unexplored clichés (Betty, at the beginning of the series, thinks has a crush on Archie and there is a big fuss about it, but at the end of the series, she is totally cool with him dating her friend).

That being said, it is clear that Riverdale had some problems with time and presents many clichés. The actors are good and so is the story. These two characteristics of the series make me think if it will continue to explore the darkness of Riverdale (a plot that was set in the last episode) or if it will continue to create this formula of mystery/curiosity that we saw throughout this season.

TV Series Review: Gilmore Girls (Season 1 and Season 2)

Welcome to Stars Hollow, a tiny town between Hartford and NYC where Lorelai Gilmore decided to live with her daughter, Rory.
This is not a typical family, especially if we consider that this series aired its first season circa 2000 and the subject of single mothers was considered almost a taboo.

But during the first season, we could see how Lorelai had to fight for her freedom and the ability she had to face the consequences of her actions, unlike Christopher, who is immediately mentioned but is absent from Rory's life.
Christopher is a key element during these first two seasons but he is not the key to the Gilmore girls - he comes and goes, sometimes as a friend, a dad or as a love interest, but he never stays. Even though this can crush any fangirl who wishes to see them as a family, living under the same roof, Christopher is an example of how close this mother-daughter relationship is and how they will always be close, no matter how disappointing some situations may seem.

On the other side of the Gilmore family, we have Emily and Richard Gilmore, Lorelai's parents. They do not have an easy relationship but Lorelai swallows her pride and goes to them when Rory has the incredible opportunity to go to Chilton. Emily sets the terms and so the girls will have to weekly see them every Friday for dinner.
Those scenes are incredibly well done and they always give some character development, especially as the season goes along and Rory has to face some important decisions.
Despite all the fights they have and mockery moments, the Gilmores provide a sense of caring family to the girls and that also shows how much people care about them.

This can also be shown through the Stars Hollow's characters. From Luke to Babette, Miss Patty, and even Mr. Doose, these girls are part of the community and everybody loves them. They saw Rory grow up and they care for them. This important element also makes them likable to the viewer who, otherwise, would think they'd live isolated and a little selfishly by some of the comments they sometimes make.

Seasons 1 and 2 are a good introduction to the Gilmore girls and their goals in life. The viewer gets to fall in love with them, see their hard work and experience an almost dream-like city where peace reigns and Mr. Doose rules.

Honorable mentions:
-Sookie and Michel, Lorelai's friends and co-workers. They are so charismatic! Even though Sookie is that character everybody loves it is impossible to end season 2 without not caring about Michel.

-Dean, Rory's first love. He is so important to Rory as he is to the rest of the series. He is hardworking and goes along on any adventure the Girlmores go to, but he also brings a sense of reality, down-to-earth to the girls.

-Luke. He is the second character we see. He is the owner of the best coffee place in Stars Hollow and the girls are his regular customers. Therefore, he sees them every day and is part of their conversations and life. Because they care about him, too.

-Max Medina, Lorelai's love interest. I believe he was a character who truly loved Lorelai and would really fit in in that family, but that was not meant to happen. Opinions are divided here: some say Lorelai was selfish, others think that it just wasn't meant to happen. No matter your opinion on this subject, he was a really important character to the narrative during these two seasons.

August TBR

1 - The Promise, by Lesley Pearse

On the outbreak of war, Belle Reilly's husband Jimmy enlists and heads for the deadly trenches of northern France. But Belle knows she cannot stand idly by when so many are sacrificing their lives.

Volunteering to help battlefield wounded, Belle is posted to France as a Red Cross ambulance driver. There, a tragic accident brings her face to face with Etienne - a man from her past she's never quite forgotten.

Torn between forbidden passion, loyalty and love, Belle is caught in an impossible situation. Will she succumb to the dark forces of this most brutal of wars? Or will fate intervene and finally lead her to lasting happiness?

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2- Scarlet, by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . . 

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