Review: The Assassin's Curse Duology

This is a book series (duology) that is not that famous (I think) but worth reading.

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Late New Year's resolution: buy less books (for now)

After some time watching TV shows and anime, and reading comic books, I decided to go back to my beloved books. And along with this, I got that urge to go to GoodReads and Youtube and add more books to my already big 'want-to-read' list.

But, having a lot of unread books and needing to save money, I just decided that I could only buy 1 new book for each 2 that I read from the ones I already have NOW. The only exception allowed if there's a good discount on some kindle book that it's on my TBR, and that's because I have a $13 gift card on Amazon, so I won't be spending money.

Most of these books are 2014 Christmas gifts. That's because last year I decided to improve my English and, although my reading skills were good already, I've tried to keep the focus and chose to read almost only in English rather than the books in Portuguese that I already had. But I ended up not reading much, as I started to watch more cartoons, TV shows and movies without subtitles (for most of the time, at least).

Anyway, it was a great year, and with my IELTS test scheduled to Feb. 18th, now I'll try to catch up with the books I already have. It'll be great for my wallet and my brain, as I'll stop feeling frustrated and guilty for not reading them.

And you, what are you 2016 resolutions?

Geeky Wishlist #1

I think all bookworms, nerds, geeks and anime/comics addicts always have a huge wishlist. It's something that just can't be helped, right? So let's take a look at new items that I added to my wishlist recently.

Book - Sugar Skulls by Lisa Mantchev, Glenn Dallas

Welcome to Cyrene, a city where energy is currency and music is the lifeblood of its young citizens. Everyone lives on the grid, and the residents of the world’s largest playground are encouraged to pursue every physical and emotional pleasure imaginable.

Vee is the lead singer of the Sugar Skulls, an all-girl band that is Corporate’s newest pet project. Micah haunts the city like a ghost after an overdose of a deadly illegal street drug knocks him off the grid. When Micah and Vee forge an immediate, undeniable connection, their troubled worlds collide.

Trading concert stages for Cyrene’s rooftops and back alleys, they have to evade vicious thugs and Vee’s possessive manager as they unravel the mysteries connected to their dark pasts. And before the curtain falls, Micah and Vee will bring the city to its knees in their desperate bid for love, home, and a future together.

This cover is GORGEOUS, and for the reviews that I've read, it's not the usual dystopia. Plus, it's about music and an all-girl band!
Where to get it: Amazon, BookDepository

Light Novel - The Rising of the Shield Hero, Volume 1 by Aneko Yusagi

Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic Otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe! He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction. As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world! 

I never read any Light Novel, and I think this one may be a good start.
Where to get it: Amazon, BookDepository

Friday Reads #4 - The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

Look at what arrived this week! After a long time waiting to buy it, and a long time waiting for it to arrive, now I finally have it. So that's what I'll be reading this weekend (I already started, and it's so good :D)

The Forbidden Library (The Forbidden Library #1)

Author: Django Wexler
Genres and Tags: Books about Books, Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Cats, Library, Children > Middle Grade / Juvenile
Synopsis: The Forbidden Library kicks off a brand new classic fantasy series perfect for fans of Coraline, Inkheart, and The Books of Elsewhere!

Alice always thought fairy tales had happy endings. That—along with everything else—changed the day she met her first fairy.
When Alice's father disappears in a shipwreck, she is sent to live with her uncle Geryon—an uncle she's never heard of and knows nothing about. He lives in an enormous manor with a massive library that is off-limits to Alice. But then she meets a talking cat. And, even for a rule-follower, when a talking cat sneaks you into a forbidden library and introduces you to an arrogant boy who dares you to open a book, it's hard to resist. Especially if you're a reader to begin with. Soon Alice finds herself INSIDE the book, and the only way out is to defeat the creature imprisoned within.

It seems Uncle Geryon is more than he says he is. But then, so is Alice.

Links: Amazon, BookDepository, GoodReads

Waiting on Wednesday #2: A Thousand Nighs by E.K. Johnston (Disney Hyperion)

It's time for another Waiting on Wednesday!

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time.But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

Tags: Fantasy, Young Adult (YA), Fairy Tales, Retellings, Magic

I've never read One Thousand and One Nights, despite it being on my list for a long time. But, if it seems that I won't read it soon, this retelling looks awesome, and probably I'll get it as soon as I can.

Expected publication date: October 6th 2015, by Disney Hyperion.

Links: Amazon, BookDepository, GoodReads

Friday Finds #2 - Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George

Better late than never:  here is a book that I just discovered.

A New York Times bestselling author brings dark secrets to life in a lush new YA perfect for fans of Libba Bray or Cassandra Clare.

Society girls from New York City circa 1890, Dacia and Lou never desired to know more about their lineage, instead preferring to gossip about the mysterious Romanian family that they barely knew. But upon turning seventeen, the girls must return to their homeland to meet their relatives, find proper husbands, and—most terrifyingly—learn the deep family secrets of The Claw, The Wing, and The Smoke. The Florescus, after all, are shape-shifters, and it is time for Dacia and Lou to fulfill the prophecy that demands their acceptance of this fate... or fight against this cruel inheritance with all their might.

With a gorgeous Romanian setting, stunning Parisian gowns, and dark brooding young men, readers will be swept up by this epic adventure of two girls in a battle for their lives.

Shelves: Fantasy, YA (Young Adult), Historical Fiction, Werewolves, Romance

Links: Amazon, BookDepository, GoodReads

Book Review: Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries and for a long time I was interested on the Witchcraft Mystery series by Juliet Blackwell. Let's see: it's a cozy mystery about witches, so what's not to love about it? So, after seeing that the kindle edition of the first book was on sale, I decided it'll be finally time to give it a try. And I don't regret it one bit.

Lily Ivory is not your average witch. Her spell-casting powers tend to draw mischievous spirits while keeping normal humans at a distance. But now her vintage clothing store could give her a chance to make friends in San Francisco....

Lily hopes for a normal life when she opens Aunt Cora's Closet. With her magical knack for vintage fashion - she can sense vibrations of the past from clothing and jewelry - her store becomes a big hit.

But when a client is murdered and children start disappearing from the Bay Area, Lily may be the only one who can unravel the crime. She tries to keep her identity a secret while investigating, but it's not easy - especially under the spells of sexy "mythbuster" Max Carmichael and powerful witch Aidan Rhodes. Will Lily's witchy ways be forced out of the closet?

Book Review - Hard Magic by Larry Correia

Despite always being interested in the Urban Fantasy genre, I don't remember having read any recently. Not for lack of options, but mainly because YA and regular fantasy have a massive presence on blogs and YouTube channels, so there's always a new great book that everyone should be reading coming out. Another reason is because the genre is even less popular here in Brazil, resulting in an impressive lack of options in Portuguese. But now that I'm reading mainly in English and I have a Kindle, it's waaaay easier for me to finally give it a try to some great Urban Fantasy books.

I was supposed to start my journey with the first book in The Dresden Files series: Storm Front by Jim Butcher. My Want-To-Read shelf on GoodReads was filled with other interesting books too, but then I discovered Hard Magic by Larry Correia, the first book on The Grimnoir Chronicles series and decided to buy and read it. And I'm REALLY glad that I did.

Cover of the french edition

Series I Need To Finish (or just continue reading already) [#Top5Wednesday]

As time goes by, we keep starting more and more book series, making it hard to finish them all. With time, I started many series that I didn't finish yet, and these are the Top 5 that I need to finish.

Kindle Book Haul #2

It's time for another Kindle Book Haul, and I'll show you which books I've bought recently. This time there are 6 books, the first 3 being mysteries, and the other just random genres. They are all on sale, cheap or free, and you can click on the cover and you'll go to the Amazon page :)

[TAG] 100 Acre Wood

This is my first TAG being answered here, and it was created by Shannon from the Youtube channel Leaning Lights. Click here to go to the original video ;)

Books I Want to See as TV Shows [#Top5Wednesday]

It's Wednesday and today I'm answering a Top 5 Wednesday from the T5W GoodReads group. I don't know if I'l be posting all the lists, but I liked this one and decided to do it. As you'll notice, many of them are underrated books that many people just don't know about. They're awesome books and I think they would be great on screen.

Liebermann Papers, by Frank Tallis

A great mystery series that takes place in old Vienna. The protagonist is a doctor and also some kind of disciple of Freud. Filled with music, investigation focused on psychological analysis and an incredible setting, it would be amazing to see Max Liebermann in a TV series. Link

Perry Rhodan, by various authors

I just LOVE this book series. I'm not reading it now because I have them in Portuguese, and now I'm focusing on improving my English. But this is like the Doctor Who of sci-fi literature, because while Doctor Who is the longest running sci-fi TV show, Perry Rhodan is the longest running book series ever. Being published weekly since 1961 it now has more than 2800 editions, each one with 60 pages, give or take. And it doesn't show signs of stopping, so there'll be unlimited stories to be told on the small screen. Link

The Grimnoir Chronicles, by Larry Correia

I'm reading the first book in the series, and I've already posted my first impressions here. It'll probably be something like a mix of Agent Carter and Agents of Shield (?) I guess. Link

The Secret Life Of Laszlo, Count Dracula, by Roderick Anscombe

This book is SO GOOD and so underrated. A book about Dracula when he's still human, but developing his desire/fetish for blood. It would be amazing as a series, because this story needs a lot of screen time to happen properly. Link

Dragonriders of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey

This one will be difficult to have as a series. If you think that the Game of Thrones dragons are expensive, imagine a series where the main characters ride dragons, and the dragons are important characters as well. It'll be a freaking expensive TV series, but one can dream, right? Link

First Impressions: Hard Magic by Larry Correia

A week ago I started reading Hard Magic, by Larry Correia. It's the first book in The Grimnoir Chronicles, and it features a hardboiled private-eye detective that has the power to alter the gravity according to his will. It's set in a steampunk world with an aternate history, and some people have magical abilities called Power. There are many degrees and types of power, for being able to use yours fingers as a lighter, to the ability to make someone ill with your touch, or to release lightning with your hands, or even move through walls.

“You know, Purvis, I’ve never got in a gunfight and said afterwards, damn, I wish I hadn’t brought all that extra ammo.”

---

It's a pulp noir mixed with steampunk and magic, featuring a bad-ass anti-hero that's working with the police just because they offered him a deal to release him earlier from prison. I'm really enjoying it so far and it has been a great read.

He kept the gun on the driver, but kept one eye glued to the blonde. In this crew, he wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d started tossing undead flaming grizzly bears at him or something.

Kindle Book Haul #1

Today I bought 3 books for my Kindle, even knowing that it'll take long for me to start reading them. The first one was The Paper Magician, by Charlie N. Holmberg, a book that I was already interested, and when I got an email notifying me that the price dropped to $2 I was obliged to buy it *-*

And then, I don't remember how, probably navigating through the Amazon site, I just discovered another 2 interesting and cheap books that I decided to buy too: All the paths of shadow by Frank Tuttle ($1.34), and The heiress of Linn Hagh by Karen Charlton ($3.99).

I'm like this right now:


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Fictional worlds I wish I could live in [Top 5 Wednesday]

As we get older, we start having a long list of fictional worlds and places that we visited during our readings or the things we watched. Worlds filled with magic, hidden treasures, aliens, monsters, anthropomorphic characters, time-travel and alternate versions of our beloved Earth. They all fascinate us, making we want to go there, participate in the adventures, help with the quests and, of course, see all that beautiful landscapes in front of our very eyes.

Listed below, are the top 5 fictional worlds from books and TV series that I wish I could live or visit, in no particular order.

Harry Potter (Hogwarts)

It's Harry 'Freaking' Potter world, so what can I say more about this? Of course, I don't want to be killed by that guy which everyone doesn't seem to like his name and neither do I want to be a muggle. I want to go to Hogwarts learn how to do magic, fly on a broom and go to Hogsmeade during the weekends (or when I'm skipping classes).

Middle-Earth (The Shire)

Just because it's beautiful and peaceful, at least when there isn't an ongoing world war, caused by a giant flaming eye that wants a beautiful ring collection. I want to have an enormous library and read them quietly while sitting in a hobbit-sized armchair, in a house with a round door.

The fairy tale realm in Once Upon a Time

Like The Shire, it seems a nice place to live or travel to when there isn't an evil queen killing everyone. All the main fairy tale characters live there, and if you consider that in the series you can travel between realms (from Snow White-land to Neverland and to Real World), looks like an exciting choice.

The Doctor Who world

A world where time-travel is possible and you could possibly be a Doctor companion? I can't see why not living in this world. Besides the Daleks, Cybermen, and a ton of others races that want to exterminate (or delete/upgrade) the entire human race. But at least we got the Paternoster Gang!

Grimm (TV series)

Ok, you can be a Grimm and see all that strange creatures that jumped out of children's books, OR you can be a werewolf-ish creature that starts dating a gorgeous foxy lady (literally). Just got to remember to try to be friends with the Grimm guys or you can lose your head (again, literally).

And you? Which fictional worlds to you wish to live in?

Friday Finds #1

Today I'll talk (ok, write) about some books that I discovered during last week, and that I added to my (possible) TBR list. That's because I always add too many books to my 'want to read' shelf on Goodreads, so it's more like an I-Desire-To-Read-Someday list. Let's get to the books:

Hard Magic

Storm Front by Jim Butcher is on my TBR, but I discovered this one and bought it today for my Kindle. I expect to start reading it this weekend and to post my first impressions this next Monday :D
Hard Magic (Grimnoir Chronicles, #1)

The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer

A graphic novel about the history of computers. For a comic book fan that works as a software developer, it's a must-read!
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage

Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc.

Just a time-travel YA/NA that I found interesting. Didn't read any reviews yet, but I do want to read some time-travel book anytime soon, so I put this one on my list.
Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. (Time) Travel, Inc. (Butterman Travel series #1)

People of the Wolf (North America's Forgotten Past #1)

A prehistoric fiction! That's new to me as I'd never read anything with that theme.
People of the Wolf (North America's Forgotten Past, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses

A new that that's set to be released on May 5th. I love fairy tale retellings and this one seems to be promising.
A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

The Novice (Summoner #1)

One word: Battlemages!
The Novice (Summoner, #1)

It's a Wonderful Death

To be released in October, the premise attracted my attention, mainly because it's different from what I'm seeing in blogs and stores right now.
It's a Wonderful Death
So, that's some of the books that I discovered this week. Of course, there's more, but these 7 books are the ones I found to be the most interesting. And you, which exciting books did you discover this week?

Friday Reads - April 17th

This week I read a manga and finished a book. I also started an audio-book.

Soul Eater Not Vol. 1

It's a Soul Eater spin-off, with different characters, but set in the same world. You don't need to read Soul Eater to understand this one, as everything is properly explained. I liked it, and I'll be looking forward to the remaining volumes. It's a short manga and I'd recommend it to everyone who appreciates a manga with humor, magic, and cute girls.
Soul Eater NOT!, Vol. 1

Caught Dead Handed

A cozy mystery book that takes place in Salem. The protagonist is a widow that goes back to Salem for a job interview. But things change and she ends up working as a fake call-in psychic, hosting a late night TV show about old movies and series. I'm a great fan of cozies, and magic and cats, so it was a delightful reading experience :) The second book in the series (Tails, you lose) was just released on March 31st.
Caught Dead Handed (Witch City Mystery, #1)

The Nazad Conspiracy (The Scarifyers S01E01)

This is an audio-book by Big Finish, the first in The Scarifyers series. It features a full-cast, so no narrator just reading the text. We've got a voice actor for each character, music, and sound effects. I'll write more about it when I finish this story (or the first 'season').
1. The Nazad Conspiracy - The Scarifyers - Big Finish

March Wrap-up - Books and Comic Books

March was a busy month, but not as busy as February, meaning I've got more time to do the things I enjoy, like reading and watching (movies, series, anime). And it was a month where I gave more attention to my books, so I finished 1 book, read an entire one, and started another.

Finished

I FINALLY finished the second book in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, The Restaurant at the end of the Universe. I paused it many times during this year, and I can't explain why: it's good, funny, entertaining, but I just paid more attention to comic books, series, and anime. The first is better, but this one is great too and I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.


I 'discovered' Seraphina and read it in 2 weeks. That's fast for me because I'm usually busy at work, and with blogs, youtube, and many other things. So thumbs up because a wonderful book made me don't want to drop it for a minute. It's filled with dragons, music, dreams, intrigue, mystery, set in an incredible world. 4.5 stars.


In the comic book world, I finished the first story arc in Gotham Academy, which ended on issue #6. Even if aren't into comics, I recommend that you give it a try because it's funny and you don't need to know anything about Batman, Joker, and the other DC characters. 5 starts.

Not Finished

I read just a little bit of Dragonquest but wasn't really in the mood for that, so this one is paused right now. And I read some of the Pulp Fiction Megapack: read one complete story (Mistress of Snarling Death), and started another, but dropped it because WHAT THE F**K IS THAT? (Fiances for the Devil's Daughter). It's RARE that I drop a book/story, but this one is too much for me. I'll return to this book later but in the next story.

Started

Started reading Caught Dead Handed (With City Mystery #1), a very nice cozy mystery by Carol J. Perry. I just love cozies and they always make me want to read more and more.

Top 3 - Most anticipated new books

Recently I'm adding a lot of books to my TBR and, of course, some of them weren't released yet. So, that's my top 3 books that I'm anxiously waiting for, ordered by release date.

Started reading: Caught Dead Handed (A Witch City Mystery #1), by Carol J. Perry

Yesterday I started reading Caught Dead Handed (A Witch City Mystery #1), by Carol J. Perry. It takes place in Salem, and for what I read until now (10% of the book), sounds very interesting and promising. The main character is nice, and the setting is intriguing and got me hooked. The second book in the series, Tails, You Lose, will be released TOMORROW!

Most folks associate the city of Salem, Massachusetts, with witches but Lee Barrett calls it home. This October she's returned to her hometown - where her beloved Aunt Ibby still lives - to interview for a job as a reporter at WICH-TV. But the only opening is for a call-in psychic to host the late-night horror movies. It seems the previous host, Ariel Constellation, never saw her own murder coming. Lee reluctantly takes the job, but when she starts seeing real events in the obsidian ball she's using as a prop, she wonders if she might really have psychic abilities.