Reading Update: City of Lost Souls #1

Book: City of Lost Souls
Author: Cassandra Clare
Page Number: 289/542

What is happening:
I feel that this book is very concise and I am enjoying that quite a lot. The plot thickens and I don't know where this is going to end.
Clary is so strong here! I am so happy for her. Isabelle is showing her soft side and Magnus has an interesting past. At the moment, I am totally shipping Jordan and Maia. Here's how I imagine them both:

Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A beautiful story with a tragic end

The first time I encountered the name of the book was because Leo DiCaprio was the main character. I saw the movie, I fell in love with it and since then I have wanted to buy the book. Lana Del Rey's Young and Beautiful song was following me all the time while I was reading this book which made everything so special and every time Gatsby was on it, I imagined DiCaprio and the scenes from the movie revived in my mind.

The book that I bought was very short (210 pages) and then I found out that The Great Gatsby was actually only 180 pages and the rest of it was extra material about Scott (even though I like to call him Fitz - I am still trying to figure that out because no one call him that - I am going to write Scott because everyone knows him by that name). I read those extra pages and found out that Scott wrote one of my favourite short stories (I actually saw the movie, I had no idea that it was a short story) - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Without even realizing it, Scott has been one of my favourite authors and I hadn't even realized that. It's time to say that "s" word.

About Gatsby: I don't have enough words to explain how a rollercoaster this book is. And how painful it is. I still remember that the end of the movie was shocking to me (DiCpario likes to die in the water) but the book hurt so much more! In the end, we leave alone. Gatsby had that live to achieve only one goal - to be with Daisy - but in the end all of those people who loved his parties didn't return the generosity. How cruel.

One of my favourite readings this year. I am sure going to read more things from Scott. After all, he wrote so much that I won't complain that I don't have anything to read.

Book Review: Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

I was expecting more. But I am back to Paris!

The the cicle ends: Anna, Lola and Isla - the perfect trilogy - end with this last one. Before the bad things, I have to admit that the way that Stephanie Perkins crossovers the characters from one book to the other is amazing and makes you cry.

Now, to the things I didn't like about this book: maybe it was my fault, but I got tired of Isla very quickly - probably because this kind of books only last 3/4 days but this one took more time because I am working and my reading hours are dedicated to... working. I am not complaining, but this is not the first time that I am reading a book and working (not at the same time) and this kind of tiredness never happened. So maybe it was the time and the character.

Immediately, I realised that something bad was going to happen really quickly because the story started in the opposite way: on page 100 they were already in love and dating and having the time of their lives. Something bad was going to happen and the way it did was awful and made me cry. But the distance that the characters had before that was boring.

Isla is interesting in the way that makes me remember Anna and Josh reminds me of Cricket. She isn't that unique character like Lola, but I believe that people could relate to her because she is a teenager in her senior year and doesn't know what she wants to do next - go to uni, sure but what course? I was like that on my senior year.

Josh is more likable than Cricket but I didn't fell for him the way that I did with St. Clair. Because St. Clair is unique. But he has this warm heart and is patient and likes to draw. Seriously, he is almost the perfect book boyfriend.

In conclusion, I believe that I didn't appreciate this book as much as I did with the others but that doesn't mean that it wasn't good - it was, but it's not my favourite. I think it was boring, comparing to the other two. Anyway, I am going to miss these amazing books so much and I can't wait for the next book by Stephanie. Please, Stephanie, write!

Binge watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I am a Marvel fan, but I am not their Nº1 fan. I don't know all the names of the superheroes but I like their storylines and the fact that they are, at the moment, causing a huge revolution in the cinematic universe.
But, I am a huge fan of Agent Carter. It was her that made me want S.H.I.E.L.D. Also, The Avengers and Thor. They are the responsible for making me start watching the series.

So why this series and why not keep watching Marvel movies? Well, let's just say that the series is unique: it connects movie facts and connects the storylines that happen in the movies. It is not only a series: it is a piece of a much bigger puzzle which makes it incredibly fantastic and fun to watch. Besides all of this, it has its own characters, storylines and rhythm. People who don't watch the movies won't be left out in the dark.

I am very thankful to the creators. Each episode is like a mini-movie: it starts, evolves and ends. However, the cliffhangers of "we'll return in a moment" is so freaking awesome! It is like watching a mini-movie each week. Well, each day, at least for me.

Let's go to the characters now: at the beginning, they didn't glue exactly - the team was trying to build its roots and learn about each other - but in the middle of season 1 the characters already are so connected with each other that every single plot twist is painful, not only to the viewer, but also to them.
Yes, cliffhangers, plot twists, hearts being broken. It has all that.

After two weeks watching Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., I can admit that I don't know what I am going to do next summer, besides thinking about all those amazing, unique, funny and complex characters.

Book Review: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Never have I even seen so many plot twists in a four-hundred-page book

The cliffhanger from Throne of Glass was promising. I have to admit that I almost fell asleep in some parts not due to the lack of pace but because of the description - sometimes, it was too long.

Celaena is fierce in this book, much more adult than in the previous one. Chaol was a huge surprise for me - he knows what he wants and his father's presence in this book shooke things a bit but not much. Just like Roland. That guy showed up and left after fifty pages. I was expecting more of him but I am sure I will see more of them in the next books.

At the beginning, I was so afraid that Dorian might die! Until the moment that his powers truly revealed themselves and helped Celaena. It makes perfect sense now that I am writing this: he is the ice, she is the fire. Oh, I see a song of Lana del Rey in here.

What happened to Nehemia was a huge surprise and the fact the Queen Elena was back too - I am mentioning them both because there is a resemblance in there. Celaena isn't the only link that connects them. I will miss Nehemia, I truly will. However, it was possible to see that her death was a means to an end and Celaena went to that dark place of hers only to come back more ruthless and determined than ever. That will be very useful in the next book, I am sure.

The plot was convincing, entailing, and I wish I had had more time to read than I had. But still, the book made me company through many train journeys and tube journeys and bus journeys. Heir of Fire already is on my bookshelf, ready to be read.

Reading Update: Crown of Midnight #2

Book: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Page number: 350/418

What is happening:
So... that thing with Nehemia was totally unexpected, I was so surprised and angry. I felt for Celaena, it was a low blow and an amazing plot twist.
If at the beginning I was almost shipping Chaol and Celaena, now I'm back to the part when I don't ship her with any of them. Dorian, however, is better, I believe. At the beginning I didn't know if he was going to die or not, but now I am sure that he is more valuable alive than dead.
I wish I had more time to read, but I have been working 8 hours a day and even though I am trying to read as much as I can, when I get home I am so tired that I just want to sleep.

Reading Update: Crown of Midnight #1

Book: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Page number: 178/418

What is happening:
I am so afraid that Dorian might die! My poor sweet Prince!
However, I think that I might be falling for Khaol because he and Celeane share something that is beyond Dorian's understanding.
I also don't like Roland - what a hell is he up to?
Just for you, a little gift: Khaol and Celaena dancing. I fangirled just a little with this scene.