O crime perfeito não deixa vestígios

Posted : 2 weeks, 5 days ago on 5 July 2008 10:59 (A review of A Vaca e o Hipogrifo)

A princípio, pensei que não fosse gostar tanto deste livro. Mas
bastaram dez páginas para cair de amores pela forma como Quintana
coloca as palavras e forma textos, ou mesmo pequenas frases geniais.
A leitura é agradável, e é impossível ler e não ter vontade de grifar
várias coisas. O que achei mais interessante em cada página são os
pequenos detalhes que ele destaca. Coisas tão comuns, mas que nunca
paramos para pensar. Um livro fantástico, recomendadíssimo!

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Snitch review

Posted : 2 weeks, 6 days ago on 5 July 2008 08:52 (A review of Snitch)

I have noticed that this has become a popular read for young adults. I'm not sure that I enjoyed it too much, if mostly because I found it rather soft. It's a very heavy and difficult subject and I sort of think the author treat it with kid gloves. I was especially floored with the ending which was far too "happy" for what I would have expected in a story about gangs. Aside from that, it's still easy to read and the story does move along at a good pace.

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Journey into the extraordinary

Posted : 3 weeks ago on 4 July 2008 04:45 (A review of The Raw Shark Texts)

You may have to open your mind to let this book in, but I think you'll find it's worth it.

A man wakes up to find he has lost his memory. He starts to explore his previous life, and makes a mind-bending discovery - that he is hunted. By a shark. But not a physical one; a conceptual one.

He discovers that there are beasts in our world that feed off the waste of our ideas and thoughts. With the help of the enigmatic Scout, he makes a last stand against the shark.

There's an old-fashioned kind of adventure at the heart of this story, in fact the finale is almost plagiarized. But the inventiveness of the story, and of the way the book is printed (there are all kinds of text artworks/clues scattered through it) makes this a one of a kind.

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Chill Factor: Book Three of the Weather Warden review

Posted : 3 weeks, 2 days ago on 2 July 2008 04:07 (A review of Chill Factor: Book Three of the Weather Warden)

I think maybe Caine hates Joanne... because I can't imagine an author who loves their character putting her through so much pain and agony! :P

It's absolutely amazing the beating that Joanne takes in this novel. In reality, I can't imagine anyone going through that and not wanting to curl up and die. I suppose that's meant to be a testament to how strong she is... but I'm just too caught up in how ridiculous it is!

But the story itself is good. There's quite a bit of background in here and we learn a little more about Joanne's principles. It's interesting to see how she handles everything while being betrayed by people she cares so much about. Her integrity is also questioned quite a few times in the story and we really get a sense of how important Joanne feels her work is.

It builds up nicely and I really like that the Weather Warden universe continues to evolve. Though you wonder how many times they can really save the world from total annihilation, the characters themselves and the world they live in is constantly changing. That's refreshing and probably really helps the series from becoming too stale.

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Guitar Girl review

Posted : 3 weeks, 2 days ago on 2 July 2008 03:07 (A review of Guitar Girl)

A suprisingly sweet and quick read. I was a little disappointed that it jumped so quickly into the fame bit of the story, as I would have liked to have read more about those struggles, the recording, and the writing. But, I do believe that it just mirrored that idea that everything happened so fast for Molly. I loved the ending and the letter - very touching - and Molly was a wonderful character.

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New Moon AMAZING

Posted : 3 weeks, 2 days ago on 2 July 2008 08:35 (A review of New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2))

This book is truely amazing, much as the first in the saga!
Once again pure jealousy at first, the I believe in the second chapter you get the pure floods of hysterical, gut wrenching tears (I won't go into any more than that- you will have to read it). I recommend this bok to every one, but at the same time I sound like a total freak because I don't want anyone else to read it because It is my personal happy place. I know that whatever is going on in my life at that particular point, I can put my head into that book and I'd just forget everything.

READ IT NOWW!!!!!

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Marvellous!

Posted : 3 weeks, 2 days ago on 1 July 2008 11:34 (A review of The Private Diaries of Catherine Deneuve: Close Up and Personal)

''Let me warm you that these are mere jottings, personal records of the shoothing of fimls, chronicles of my doubts. Almost all were written outside France, and some a long time ago. Solitary, elated, discouraged, critical. Raw. A little remorse, perhaps, but NO regrets'' --- Catherine Deneuve ---

This boook is incredible! The more you read about Catherine more you have doubts about her life. Deneuve is surprising. With this book you can know a tiny bit behind of the myth, behind of the incredible and mysterious Deneuve. You can see a real woman, who have all the 'normal' fellings usual for us, the normal people. She's fascinating!!!! I find impossible not to get passionate for her. All fan need to read it. The book have incredible pictures of youger Catherine with her family, for example. And a GREAT interview with Pascal Bonitzer. I want moooore. gooosh! i love her ;;



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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) review

Posted : 3 weeks, 5 days ago on 29 June 2008 12:11 (A review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7))

After six books, I wish I could say that this book made the journey worth it. But I don't think it does. Granted, it's still better than Goblet, but only marginally.

When JK Rowling began this series, we all knew it had to end with a confrontation between Harry and Voldemort, but she promised us more, too. Even if she didn't realize it. Every writer makes a contract with their readers. In this case, the first book was supposed to be the setup for the entire series. And in particular, the Sorting Hat's songs, which we heard several times throughout the story, promised us a joining of the houses, and perhaps even a new way of seeing things, after about 1000 years of the school's existence.

Oh, sure, she harped on the negative traits of Slytherins throughout the series. But if being sneaky and sly make you evil, then why bother having the house at all? Why not just send everyone who gets sorted into the house straight to Azkaban, if that's all they're good for?

And yet, the hat continually talked about all four of the houses coming together and working together. Not three, but all.

So where was this great coming together? In a double-spy that had a thing for someone who never loved him, and a weak coward who never amounted to anything. My two favorite characters, who I could have written far better than this, were sold short because the author felt that all Slytherins are irredeemable.

And then, to top it all off, she gave us a saccharine-sweet epilogue twenty years later where everyone (read: the three main characters) was happily paired off and had kids named after their heroes. Never mind that it had obviously been written long before most of the series and only hastily rewritten to polish it, because it included almost no secondary or tertiary characters that had been introduced in the later books.

There are good points in this book, but the overall flow and the fact that Rowling falls so short of her goal makes it almost unbearable to read at points. Far more unbearable than the year or so wait between this book and the previous one. If you're not a fan? You can probably skip to the confrontation at the end, and just save yourself a ton of aggravation.

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) review

Posted : 3 weeks, 5 days ago on 29 June 2008 02:00 (A review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6))

This book is my second-favorite of the series. So much more of the past comes out in this book, and when that is combined with the fact that my two most-favorite characters are spotlighted in this book, how can I not love it, even with its flaws?

There are a lot of "why did she do that" moments here, but overall, there is a lot of richness to this story. I wish she'd spread some of this out into the other books a little more. It might have made it easier to swallow at this level.

But for me, this book boils down to two things:
The title character, who I will not specifically name, but who sorely deserved this spotlight long before this book. He is the richest, most detailed character in this story. Unflinchingly so. And I can only wish that JK Rowling could have loved him as much as many of her fans do.
And then there is Draco. I didn't start out as a Draco fan. In fact, I still cheer every time I read the scene in Prisoner when Hermione punches him for making fun of Hagrid. But I also always thought that outside of Harry's little circle (which always included Neville for me, even as an outside part of their circle), Draco was the most interesting kid. That without Draco, this story could not and would not finish well. And this story shows that despite all we'd seen before this book, there is more to him than the spoiled brat that Jo wanted us to see. Even more, it showed that he deserved redemption.

And if they rob him of that in the movie, I will be furious.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) review

Posted : 3 weeks, 5 days ago on 29 June 2008 01:39 (A review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5))

I warn you right up front here--this book will break your heart.

When the fans were waiting for this book to be published, JK Rowling told us to expect a death in this story. The fans went wild trying to imagine who it would be. And I will tell you right now, that the death still has ripples in fandom, even five years later.

And even beyond that? This story is not so much dark as horrifically painful. If I had not been waiting so long for this book, I cannot help but wonder if I'd have made it through the story at all. Between the wizarding government and the Death Eaters, it's a wonder Harry manages to stay sane in this one. Especially after the Death.

There are good moments to this story, and some fun additions to the cast of characters--Luna, Tonks and Kingsley in particular. But if you go into this book expecting something like Prisoner of Azkaban or even Sorcerer's Stone, you will be sorely disappointed.

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