2014 Portuguese HF Challenge - The End & Giveaway winner

A heartfelt thanks to those who participated in this challenge. I didn't keep up with it as I should and it's nice to see that some of you persevered and continued reading. I really enjoyed reading your suggestions and reviews and while I won't be able to host this challenge next year I hope someone grabs the idea and continues with it.

Book list / Lista de livros:

1. Verão Quente by Domingos Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
2. Nação Crioula by José Eduardo Agualusa, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. D. Afonso Henriques by Diogo Freitas do Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
4. Padeira de Aljubarrota by Maria João Lopo de Carvalho, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
5. Inês de Portugal by João Aguiar, reviewed by Ana T.
6. A Filha do Barão by Célia Correia Lourenço, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
7. Filipa de Lencastre by Isabel Stilwell, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
8. Segredos de Amor e Sangue by Francisco Moita Flores, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
9. The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler, reviewed by SavvyVerse&Wit

The list of books read for the 2013 challenge can be found here. A lista dos livros lidos em 2013 pode ser encontrada aqui.

This year's giveaway winner is Inês Montenegro who can choose an HF title of her choice. Just let me know in the comments which title would you like.

Thanks again for joining me!

2014 Desafio Ficção Histórica Portuguesa / Portuguese HF Challenge

And here is another update for this challenge.

E cá está outra actualização deste desafio.

8 books read so far for this challenge. / 8 livros lidos para este desafio até ao momento

***

Book list / Lista de livros:

1. Verão Quente by Domingos Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
2. Nação Crioula by José Eduardo Agualusa, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. D. Afonso Henriques by Diogo Freitas do Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
4. Padeira de Aljubarrota by Maria João Lopo de Carvalho, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
5. Inês de Portugal by João Aguiar, reviewed by Ana T.
6. A Filha do Barão by Célia Correia Lourenço, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
7. Filipa de Lencastre by Isabel Stilwell, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
8. Segredos de Amor e Sangue by Francisco Moita Flores, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
9. The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon by Richard Zimler, reviewed by SavvyVerse&Wit

Reading suggestions for this challenge can be found here I'll update the list as I find more titles. 

***

Algumas sugestões de leitura para este desafio podem ser encontradas aqui.

The list of books read for the 2013 challenge can be found here. A lista dos livros lidos em 2013 pode ser encontrada aqui.

2014 Desafio Ficção Histórica Portuguesa / Portuguese HF Challenge

And here is another update for this challenge. It hasn't had as many entries as I hoped for and I have been considering whether to continue with it or not. I have decided to go on and keep it going till the end of the year.

E cá está outra actualização deste desafio. A adesão não tem sido a esperada e ponderei desistir. Mas resolvi continuar até ao final do ano e esperar por melhores dias.

8 books read so far for this challenge. / 8 livros lidos para este desafio até ao momento

***

Book list / Lista de livros:

1. Verão Quente by Domingos Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
2. Nação Crioula by José Eduardo Agualusa, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. D. Afonso Henriques by Diogo Freitas do Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
4. Padeira de Aljubarrota by Maria João Lopo de Carvalho, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
5. Inês de Portugal by João Aguiar, reviewed by Ana T.
6. A Filha do Barão by Célia Correia Lourenço, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
7. Filipa de Lencastre by Isabel Stilwell, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
8. Segredos de Amor e Sangue by Francisco Moita Flores, reviewed by Inês Montenegro

Reading suggestions for this challenge can be found here I'll update the list as I find more titles. Recently a portuguese publisher has announced a series called the history of Portugal in romances that I think might be interesting

***

Algumas sugestões de leitura para este desafio podem ser encontradas aqui. Acrescentarei mais titulos à medida que os for ncontrando. Recentemente a Editora Saida de Emergência anunciou uma coleção chamada a História de Portugal em romances que me parece poder ter alguns titulos de interesse.

The list of books read for the 2013 challenge can be found here. A lista dos livros lidos em 2013 pode ser encontrada aqui.

2014 Portuguese HF Challenge - March Reviews / Críticas de Março

Things are progressing slowly as we have 3 reviews posted for 2014!

***

A evolução está a ser lenta e totalizamos apenas 3 criticas para este desafio!

Book list / Lista de livros:

1. Verão Quente by Domingos Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
2. Nação Crioula by José Eduardo Agualusa, reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. D. Afonso Henriques by Diogo Freitas do Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.

Reading suggestions for this challenge can be found here

***

Algumas sugestões de leitura para este desafio podem ser encontradas aqui.

2014 Portuguese HF Challenge - February reviews / Criticas de Fevereiro

Time for another review round up. I was hoping to have another review to add but I am still halfway through my book - a biography of Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques.

***

Está na altura de mais uma compilação das criticas submetidas para este desafio. Estava na esperança de ter mais um livro para adicionar mas ainda vou a meio de uma biografia sobre o primeiro rei de Portugal,  D. Afonso Henriques.

Book list / Lista de livros:

1. Verão Quente by Domingos Amaral, reviewed by Ana T.
2. Nação Crioula by José Eduardo Agualusa, reviewed by Inês Montenegro

Curiously I found a copy of Nação Crioula just this month. I really enjoyed Inês review but I'm now thinking I should get A Correspondência de Fradique Mendes before tackling this one. You can find an english translation here  And one of Nação Crioula here. 

Reading suggestions for this challenge can be found here

***

Curiosamente encontrei uma cópia do Nação Crioula este mês. Gostei muito de ler a critica da Inês mas acho que tenho de começar pelo livro do Eça para depois poder apreciar bem este. Ambos os livros têem tradução em inglês.

Algumas sugestões de leitura para este desafio podem ser encontradas aqui.

Verão Quente - Domingos Amaral

Although I did not write down any reading resolutions for 2014 one of the things I was hoping to accomplish was to read one book a month for the Portuguese HF Challenge. So I am particularly happy to have managed to accomplish the read of one book before the end of January.

This was my first read by Amaral and it was a very fast and easy read. It is a mystery about the investigation of a murder committed in Portugal in 1975 - the Hot Summer (Verão Quente) that the title refers to. Portugal was a dictatorship up until the 25th of April 1974 revolution and the subsequent years were fertile in political moves.

What I did like most about the book was the glimpse it gave me of how things happened during that period. It made me want to read more stories set in the mid seventies but also try some of the non fiction books written about these events.

What I did like the least was the characters. Too much sex or sexual innuendo, too many women for whom every male drools and who don't think twice about betraying any partner they might be involved in. I felt there was zero chemistry between the main characters and was a bit bored by how they jumped from bed to bed.

The murder investigation was interesting up to a point and I was actually looking forward to knowing who the killer was. But in the end it felt like an easy way out was chosen. There was no clue and the ending felt a bit abrupt.

Although set in different decades I thought it made for an interesting comparison with Alem Tejo. That story was about the lower classes during the dictatorship and this one was about the upper classes. Both definitely made me want to read more about it.

2013 Portuguese HF Challenge - The End & Giveaway winner

First of all I woul like to thank everyone who participated, I really enjoyed reading your reviews and finding new books for my TBR and wish lists. I hope you have enjoyed it too. This challenge will be back in 2014 (look for informations soon) and I hope you will join me again. Below is the final list of books reviewed.


Book list:

1. Quando Lisboa Tremeu by Domingos Amaral - reviewed by Mady
2. D. Dinis by Cristina Torrão - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. Já Não se Escrevem Cartas de Amor by Mário Zambujal - reviewed  by Inês Montenegro
4. Quando Lisboa Tremeu by Domingos Amaral - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
5. Angola, o Horizonte Perdido by António Coimbra - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
6. O Remorso de Baltasar Serapião by Valter Hugo Mãe - reviewed by Mady
7. O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo by Jose Saramago - reviewed by Mady
8. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araujo - reviewed by Susana Patricia Rosa
9. D. Maria I, a vida notável de uma rainha louca by Jenifer Roberts - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
10. Exilados by Manuel Arouca - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
11. Inês de Castro by Maria Pilar Queralt del Hierro - reviewed by Ana T.
12. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araújo - reviewed by Ana T.
13. Os Filhos da Costa do Sol by Manuel Arouca - reviewed by Flor
14. Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson - reviewed by Savvy Verse & Wit
15. Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier -  reviewed by Savvy Verse & Wit
16. D. Sebastião e o Vidente by Deana Barroqueiro - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
17. No Coração do Império by Alexandra Vidal -  reviewed by Inês Montenegro
18. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araújo - reviewed by Mady
19. Loanda by Isabel Valadão - reviewed by Mady
20. D. Maria II, Tudo Por Um Reino by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Ana T.
21. Eu, Amélia, Ultima Rainha de Portugal by Stephane Bern - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
22. D. Leonor de Távora by D. Luiz de Lancastre e Távora - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
23. Equador by Miguel Sousa Tavares - reviewed by Monica at A Thousand Lives
24. D. Amélia by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
25. O Navegador da Passagem by Deana Barroqueiro - reviewed by Whitelady
26. A Mulher do Legionário by Carlos Vale Ferraz - reviewed by Susana Patricia Rosa
27. Catarina de Bragança by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Ana T.
28. Café República by Alvaro Guerra - Reviewed by Mady
29. A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson - Reviewed by Avid Series Reader
30. Codex 632 by Jose Rodrigues dos Santos - reviewed by Monica at A Thousand Lives

Without further delay lets proceed to the giveaway. I mentioned at the beginning of this challenge that I would give away a Portuguese HF book to one of the participants who submited a review. I removed my entries so we had a total of of 26 entries eligible for the prize. I was thinking of choosing a title but finally decided to leave that choice to the winner. I used Random.org to find a winning number and so... the winner is nº8 - Susana Patricia Rosa

Please contact me so I can send you your book! Thanks again to all who participated and happy reading! If you do a wrap up post for this challenge do leave the link in comments so that I can go and visit you.

2013 Portuguese HF Challenge

A here is the final update of the Portuguese Historical Fiction Challenge. The wrap up post will be published on December 15th with the final list of titles and the giveaway winner. I would like to host this challenge again next year, would you like to participate again?


Book list:

1. Quando Lisboa Tremeu by Domingos Amaral - reviewed by Mady
2. D. Dinis by Cristina Torrão - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
3. Já Não se Escrevem Cartas de Amor by Mário Zambujal - reviewed  by Inês Montenegro
4. Quando Lisboa Tremeu by Domingos Amaral - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
5. Angola, o Horizonte Perdido by António Coimbra - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
6. O Remorso de Baltasar Serapião by Valter Hugo Mãe - reviewed by Mady
7. O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo by Jose Saramago - reviewed by Mady
8. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araujo - reviewed by Susana Patricia Rosa
9. D. Maria I, a vida notável de uma rainha louca by Jenifer Roberts - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
10. Exilados by Manuel Arouca - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
11. Inês de Castro by Maria Pilar Queralt del Hierro - reviewed by Ana T.
12. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araújo - reviewed by Ana T.
13. Os Filhos da Costa do Sol by Manuel Arouca - reviewed by Flor
14. Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson - reviewed by Savvy Verse & Wit
15. Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier -  reviewed by Savvy Verse & Wit
16. D. Sebastião e o Vidente by Deana Barroqueiro - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
17. No Coração do Império by Alexandra Vidal -  reviewed by Inês Montenegro
18. Além Tejo by Catarina Pereira Araújo - reviewed by Mady
19. Loanda by Isabel Valadão - reviewed by Mady
20. D. Maria II, Tudo Por Um Reino by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Ana T.
21. Eu, Amélia, Ultima Rainha de Portugal by Stephane Bern - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
22. D. Leonor de Távora by D. Luiz de Lancastre e Távora - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
23. Equador by Miguel Sousa Tavares - reviewed by Monica at A Thousand Lives
24. D. Amélia by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Inês Montenegro
25. O Navegador da Passagem by Deana Barroqueiro - reviewed by Whitelady
26. A Mulher do Legionário by Carlos Vale Ferraz - reviewed by Susana Patricia Rosa
27. Catarina de Bragança by Isabel Stilwell - reviewed by Ana T.
28. Café República by Alvaro Guerra - Reviewed by Mady
29. A Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson - Reviewed by Avid Series Reader
30. Codex 632 by Jose Rodrigues dos Santos - reviewed by Monica at A Thousand Lives

If you want to join the challenge  and/or add any reviews you can find the details here. Besides the reading suggestions that you can find following the link on the sidebar you can also check this Goodreads list on the same subject.

 Happy reading! 

2013 Portuguese Historical Fiction Challenge

Last year I decided to start reading more Portuguese Historical Fiction and embarked on an informal challenge. This year I'm taking it to the next level and I have decided to organise a proper challenge devoted to Portuguese Historical Fiction. I hope more readers will join in and that together we may find new titles to enjoy and discuss.

Challenge details:

1.  The challenge runs from Jan 15th to Dec 15th 2013. You can join in at any time.
2. The books chosen for this challenge should be historical fiction written by a portuguese author or historical fiction set in Portugal. You can find a list of reading suggestions here 
3. Levels of participation: Curious About It - 1 to 3 books, What a Fun Idea - 4 to 6 books, Perfect for Me - 7 to 9 books
4. Leave a comment on this post to sign up. Please use the Mr Linky below for your reviews - put your name and the book title and link to your review post.
5. Reviews in portuguese are fine too.
6. If you don't have a blog you can link to your reviews on Goodreads or other sites where you post reviews.
7. Prize: At the end of the challenge I will giveaway one book of Portuguese Historical Fiction published in 2013 (feel free to suggest titles). Each review on Mr Linky counts as an entry for the giveaway
8. I think that's it but feel free to contact me for more details if you want!

This post will be up on my sidebar so you can easily find it and add new reviews and check the ones posted