Happy New Year!!!

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!

Closing 2014

This year has seen a lot of changes in my life and one of those is that time for blogging has been virtually non existent. I tried by best to keep up but I'm afraid I won't be back in the next few months... Maybe one day...

In the mean time I am still reading and recording my reviews on Goodreads. I don't have much time to read blogs so I mostly keep up with the series I was reading. And the lack of time has also led me to read "categories" which may be nice reading snacks for when you just have an hour of two to kill.

I hope to be back one day but as for right now I just don't have the time and the energy. I just want to close the Port HF Reading Challenge and then let's see what the future brings.

What I've Been Watching

So is anyone watching the same TV series? 

Eagerly awaiting for...

I can't believe we will have to wait till 2015... I totally did not see this heroine coming...

I the mean time I have been rereading this series.

The “smoldering heat, epic romance, and awesome action” of Nalini Singh’s New York Times bestselling series continues as two Arrows find themselves caught in a chilling conspiracy that spans all three races…
Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.
And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.
This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough—because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken…like Zaira.

What I've been reading lately - part 1

Although I haven't had the time to write reviews I have been reading. It the seem the more stressful the period the more books I grab to read. I have been updating my Goodreads account but I thought of posting them here too.

So here's what I have been reading:

Once Upon a Tower - Eloisa James

One can always depend on James for a nice story and this was no exception. Nothing memorable but nice.

Forbidden Falls- Robyn Carr

The latest books in this series feel a bit like more of the same but I have keeping up and that means they are still working for me.

The Sins ofthe Wolf - Anne Perry

I don't know why it takes me so long to grab Perry's books because by now I know I am going to love them. This one was very good especially because Hester was in the spotlight and not in a good way. I guess it because they are full of susbstance and make think that I can' t manage one after another. I like to have some time between reads so I can keep savoting them after closing the last page.

Rainshadow Road - Lisa Kleypas

I decided to give another try to Kleypas contemporaries and while did not love them completely it made for an intereting read. (it's the paranormal element that's holding me back I think). After this one I grabbed Dream Lake and Crystal Cove and felt the same. My favourite ended up being Alex Nolan because I felt he had the most difficult path ahead of him and quite liked his girl. 

A Very Long Engagement - Sebastian Japrisot

A great premise but a not so great execution. I never warmed up to the main character, thought that a more substantial eplanation was needed for what had happened and felt the ending was a bit meh.

Shield of Winter - Nalini Singh

Loved this one. Yes it's similar to Heart of Obsidian but I quite enjoyed it nonetheless. Looking forward to the next book!

The Escape - Mary Balogh

It is not a good thing that a few weeks after having read it I can barely remember the story. I am a bit Balogh fan and I haven't enjoyed her latest books as I used to I'm afraid. Gone back to me notes and I can say it was an ok read (much like the James I mentioned earlier) but I am always hoping for more from her.

Haven - Kay Hooper

I really disliked this one. The main characters change in the middle of the book ( or at least that how I saw it) and I felt a bit manipulated by what happened.

Angel's Peak - Virgin River

A really good one with a secret baby plot. Not my usual favourite but it worked out ok.

There's more to come but I'll save it for another day. The fact that I organise my reads wth Fictfact has made me read more series books than stand alones and I still have lot's of them to catch up with.

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

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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. 

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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.