tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75115218913179369432024-02-21T05:04:54.811-08:00Walking LibraryGabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-21435747945068929262017-07-01T14:37:00.001-07:002017-07-01T14:39:17.197-07:00K-drama: The Legend of the Blue Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU_VYElSzjljSimjvlY5-yHE9NgeNc5PqX93LS9xsbfQHVc_up9CnpFuqsUwRYYqmndVEn3lVLinpvq0iDuKGkXWJLy5jJjblANuVUdQluuWzzk0rbbAGYSKuJaP3mHTDlDIZ3ZIh9Bs2/s1600/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea-p2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU_VYElSzjljSimjvlY5-yHE9NgeNc5PqX93LS9xsbfQHVc_up9CnpFuqsUwRYYqmndVEn3lVLinpvq0iDuKGkXWJLy5jJjblANuVUdQluuWzzk0rbbAGYSKuJaP3mHTDlDIZ3ZIh9Bs2/s400/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea-p2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><u><span lang="EN-US">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US"> <span style="background: white; color: #222222;">The television series centers on the
love story of Heo Joon-jae (</span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Min-ho_(actor_born_1987)" style="text-align: start;" title="Lee Min-ho (actor born 1987)"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #0b0080;">Lee Min-ho</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="text-align: start;">), the son of a rich businessman who becomes a handsome and
clever con-man after his parents' divorce, and a mermaid named Shim Cheong (</span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun_Ji-hyun" style="text-align: start;" title="Jun Ji-hyun"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #0b0080;">Jun Ji-hyun</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="text-align: start;">).</span></span><sup id="cite_ref-3" style="text-align: start; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea#cite_note-3"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[3]</span></a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea#cite_note-4"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0b0080; text-decoration-line: none;">[4]</span></a></span></sup><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="text-align: start;"> Focusing on rebirth, fate, and unrequited love, their
tale is juxtaposed with the parallel story of their Joseon era incarnations,
town head Kim Dam-ryeong and the mermaid Se-hwa.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> I wanted to do this review a lot
sooner, but I couldn’t find the time to it. Anyway… This K-drama is LIT! It’s
adorable, well-thought, romantic and on-point. The story is about the
relationship between a Mermaid and a human. Se-hwa is a captured Mermaid in the
Joseon Era and she is presented to the town head Kim Dam-ryeong as a gift.
However, because of her condition, he decides to release her in the ocean, back
to where she belongs. They then start a romance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">In the modern days,
conman Joon Jae is about to score big. Kind of like a Robin Hood, he takes dirty
money from rich people but, instead of giving them to the poor, he takes to
himself. With his last pillage, he travels to another country, where he meets
Shim Cheong. They spend some time together, but he doesn’t know that she is a
mermaid. She then erases his memory, and he returns to Seoul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Well, this was a blast.
I’m noticing that the trend in Korea right now regarding k-dramas is the reincarnation
romance. A couple that met in the past hundreds of years ago, get split, and
find themselves in the present life. These calls for a double work: not only is
necessary to fabricate a wardrobe for the present, but also for the past, which
can be very challenging: traditional clothing in Korea is a very intricate
thing, so you have to be very careful when creating them, as far as I could
see. Also, there is all the scenario and script adaptation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Lee Min Ho FINALLY
delivers to me. I’ve seen a few of his dramas, but he never stuck to me.
ESPECIALLY after his role in HEIRS. It was a garbage role, I’m sorry, but it’s
the truth, even a true fan (and a friend of mine) has watched it and said it
was garbage. In Legend of the Blue Sea however, we see a more complete and
mature actor, with more natural and truthful reactions (in Heirs he looked like
the Asian and male version of Kristen Stewart) and a lot funnier and amusing. And
he FINALLY learned how to kiss properly. FOR PETE’S SAKE, a kiss is about
moving lips, not sealed-shut mouth. You have a jaw, USE IT! They still need to
perfect this VERY SPECIAL point in Korean drama, but at least in this one he
moves a little bit more and make it look like he actually wanted to kiss her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Jun-Ji Hyun has become
my favorite female actress. Her role as Sim Cheong is witty, funny, adorable
and quirky. She is a mermaid after all, and she portraits that role perfectly.
The scenes where she is swimming in the ocean are majestic AF and the
importance of her character is very well-played. She is innocent and pure,
specially to the human world and their greed. Cheong doesn’t see any of that,
especially when she meets Joon Jae. To her eyes, he is something close to a
prince charming, and is drawn to him like a fly to a lamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> The mythology they created for the mermaids is
very interesting. I don’t know how mermaids are portrayed in your country, but
where I come from they usually sing to drown men. In the Legend of the Blue
Sea, they show them as someone who can fall in love and give their heart away
but, if they don’t get loved back, they can get sick and even die. Also, their
touch can erase memory, as well as their kisses if they want to and when they
cry, their tears become pearls; if it is tears of joy, they can be pink pearls!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Oh, and let’s not
forget the soundtrack. It’s GORGEOUS! You really get into the vibe of under the
sea and mermaid world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Finally the plot is
very interesting. As I said above, the story is about rebirth and love through
the eras. They show not only the struggle of the main couple to survive, but
also showcase the greed of humans, our bleak thoughts and our capability to
overstep anyone for what we want. Also, the tv show show how all this gets
projected to your fate. The villain is like that because he never lost his
grudge against the main couple; so he returns bad, and destiny makes them see
face to face once more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;">Rate:</span></u></b></div>
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<b><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhx1KbA2GFdFavQNthOeF-T3aduMXl1zlO1yTpcQ-5FyJlCW_K-B50wA9TLcFbPwDmVBUAsyeqhyeuSfvKvDUWQziSAU8O6Gy0dYeobcct54hJoVVxLDklf6WK0t2nfEsqQQgKdZHCg7Y/s1600/5stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="48" data-original-width="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhx1KbA2GFdFavQNthOeF-T3aduMXl1zlO1yTpcQ-5FyJlCW_K-B50wA9TLcFbPwDmVBUAsyeqhyeuSfvKvDUWQziSAU8O6Gy0dYeobcct54hJoVVxLDklf6WK0t2nfEsqQQgKdZHCg7Y/s1600/5stars.bmp" /></a></u></b></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #222222;"> <o:p></o:p></span>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-87562297191616628822016-11-02T17:08:00.001-07:002016-11-02T17:08:28.362-07:00K-Drama: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
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<a href="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4926_ScarletHeartRyeo_Nowplay_Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4926_ScarletHeartRyeo_Nowplay_Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Synopsis: </span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lee
Joon Ki (</span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arang and the Magistrate</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">) and Lee “IU” Ji Eun (</span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dream High</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">)
star in a dangerous romance across time in what sure to be one of the biggest
historical epics of the year. Hae Soo (IU) is a 21st century woman who gets
caught in a solar eclipse and is transported to the Goryeo Dynasty, which ruled
Korea from the 10th century for nearly 500 years. Suddenly, Hae Soo finds
herself in the royal palace, where she comes across Fourth Prince Wang So (Lee
Joon Ki). A man as feared as he is handsome, Wang So is based on the real-life
fourth king of the Goryeo Dynasty and makes others tremble but wins over Hae
Soo’s heart. However, he is not the only one in the palace with eyes on the
throne, and a political battle of deception, secrecy and lies ensues between
Wang So and all the other princes. Adding to the drama are Eighth Prince Wang
Wook (</span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heirs</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> star Kang Ha Neul), who is less than willing to wait in
line behind seven other members of the royal family, and Third Prince Wang Yo
(Beloved alum Hong Jong Hyun), whose right to the crown actually precedes Wang
So’s.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also known
as Moon Lovers - </span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Scarlet Heart: Ryeo</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, the drama is based on the
Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua, which also inspired the 2011 Chinese
hit </span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Scarlet Heart</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> starring Cecilia Liu and Nicky Wu. </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts: </span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">MY FAVORITE K-DRAMA OF ALL TIMES! BY FAAAAR! It has everything: romance,
action, history, drama, comedy and adventure!</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s about a 21</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> century
girl who gets transported to the Goryeo Dynasty (around the 10</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
century and lasted about 500 years) because of a solar eclipse. She gets caught
up in the royal family, having to live among the fourteen princes of the King
Taejo. In between, there is the arrival of the 4</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince Kang Wang
So, who was “adopted” – more like living as a hostage – by another region and
returns home. But, because of his looks – he has a scar that is covered up by a
mask that resembles the one of the Phantom of the Opera – and the rumors
surrounding him, is feared by everybody.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First of all, I have to say that I
LOVE HISTORICAL SERIES. That’s because they have to put more effort than the
series that happen today. Not that the present-time series aren’t good, but
historical need to do a lot more research in order to be accurate, from social structure
and behavior to the wardrobe. With that being said, this show is very historically
accurate, at least for me who am not very familiarized with Korean History. The
series is all history based, so their way of moving and talking is completely
different from today. Even the alphabet at the Goryeo Dynasty was distinct:
they seemed to use the Chinese symbols rather than the Hangul, which is the
alphabet used today. So the series made sure to show that. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also, the reason I liked it so much
was because it resembled me of </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://walkinglibrary.blogspot.com.br/2014/10/outlander-by-diana-galbadon.html" target="_blank">Outlander</a></span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, by Diana Galbadon. A girl
is transported to the past and has to try to survive in there, without knowing
when she was going to come back.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second, the acting was ON POINT. Lee
Joon Ki (that plays Wang So) was amazingly good, as well as all the other actors
– Baekhyun (EXO’s main vocalist) as the 10</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince, IU (singer) as
the protagonist Hae Soo, Kang Ha Neul as the 8</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince, Kim Ji Soo</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
as the 14</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince, and everybody else. I screamed and cheered
throughout this TV show, and the last episodes made me cry, because their
acting was SO GOOD, that I couldn’t help but suffer WITH them. As you all know,
it’s VERY hard for me to cry when watching something: be it a movie, a TV show,
you name it. So to be able to </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">actually</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
make me cry, make my nose run and my tears fall is a HU-GE deal for me. I hated
Yeon Hwa – she is the 8</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince’s sister, a b** who wants the
throne and the power that comes with it – with all my heart, as well as the 3</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
prince Wang Yo, the 9</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince Wang Wook and the Queen Mother Yo –
mother to the 3</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, 4</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and 14</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince. The
queen specially because she was the one who scarred her son for life, and was
such a fake person, rotten inside and manipulative toward her sons, that I
questioned myself if she ever loved one of them, or if she was only trying to
secure her place as one of the most powerful people inside the palace.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A thing that I realized in Korea is
that looks REALLY matter over there, and apparently in the past that also
applied. The 4</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> prince was condemned to live apart from his family
for years because his mother couldn’t LOOK at the face that she herself
scarred. He used a mask for most of his life because he knew that people would
be disgusted and afraid to look at him! Only when Hae Soo appears and sees him
as a NORMAL BEING, not a monster or a demon because of his looks, that he first
experience affection. The actress that played Hae Soo was very good: she isn’t
like </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Outlander</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">’s
Claire, strong-headed lass, but she isn’t a plant either. Soo is, after all, a
21</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> century woman, and even in Korea things have change since the
10</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> century. It was very pleasant to watch her. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Third, the soundtrack was AMAZING. I
liked it so much midway through of the series I already knew how to sing most
of them – in a broken Korean, but no matter. They were so soft, beautiful and heartbreakingly
adorable, as well as some were melancholic AF. The OST has to be good in order
to complete the context of the scene that is shown and boy, they killed it!</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only ONLY thing that really
irritated me was the ending. Don’t take me wrong, it was beautiful and touching
and all that, BUT I WAS PROMISED A MEETING, A RENCOUTER, AND THAT DIDN’T
HAPPEN! For Pete’s sake, the way they ended it was so maddening that I couldn’t
function after a few hours and even when I lied in bed to sleep I wasn’t
believing my eyes. They created such a beautiful love story, a kind of transcendental
love, that would last centuries and ENDED LIKE THAT?! C’MOM PEOPLE YOU CAN DO
BETTER THAN THAT! The alternative endings I created in my mind were FAR BETTER.
It </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">was</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> a good ending, but not up to
the level of the show.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzetwIk6H4hBULEM0ddtuOMPdDR7AxfdCV_7C7DUVWd0JGEj509HftXHqf2mQnLRp4KmUPb908q4C-fRiRrTQ3kV1nr416wcAaw-xtSv6mZEKp68jgmvi63PKt0JW5RGYTIvccZgXCys-t/s1600/5stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzetwIk6H4hBULEM0ddtuOMPdDR7AxfdCV_7C7DUVWd0JGEj509HftXHqf2mQnLRp4KmUPb908q4C-fRiRrTQ3kV1nr416wcAaw-xtSv6mZEKp68jgmvi63PKt0JW5RGYTIvccZgXCys-t/s1600/5stars.bmp" /></a></span></u></b></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-68937403880263572162016-10-30T17:27:00.003-07:002016-10-30T17:30:21.159-07:00K-drama: Cinderella and the Four Knights<br />
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<a href="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4895_CinderellaAndFourKnights_Nowplay_Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4895_CinderellaAndFourKnights_Nowplay_Small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Synopsis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
After losing her mother in a tragic accident, Ha Won feels distant from her new
family and after a series of fateful events winds up living in a mansion with
four handsome men.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My Thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> well… meh. It was fun to watch, and it was adorable in a many moments,
but it isn’t a drama that would stick to me as a favorite.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We begin with Ha Won, a girl that
lost her mother at young age and lives with her stepmother and half-sister.
However, she is frequently mistreated by them, being forced to live in a kind
of deposit room and work as a slave, since her father is always away working
and the money he gave to them would go to her half-sister’s and her mother’s whims.
So she is our Cinderella, obviously.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then one day, when her father comes
home, she gets kicked out all of a sudden, and has nowhere else to go but the
place where her mother is resting. In order to survive, she takes a job to help
a playboy ruin his grandparent’s wedding, but it goes all wrong when she
discovers what it was all about, and makes the guy pays for his disobedience in
front of the invited. The grandfather, that is the owner of a huge company in
Korea, was so impressed by the way Ha Won handled the situation that offers her
a job: she would have to live in the family mansion and make his grandsons into
a family of sorts. So she goes to this mansion – that looks like a modern
castle, because it’s HU-GE – and finds out that she would have to live with
three super-rich guys, that kind of hate each other. How to make a family out
of that?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Well, that’s it. Every time the
grandfather wants her to do something, he would assign her a mission that, if
she accomplished, would grant her enough money to allow her to get to the
university – her biggest dream. The three grandsons are Hyun Min, the playboy
that “hired” her first; Seo Woo, a famous musician in Korea; and Ji Woon, the
rebel that couldn’t accept his new family because of his past. They are the
knights (the fourth knight was the butler and right arm of the grandfather, named
Yoon Sung).</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Although it was funny and all, the
guys weren’t NEARLY close to what a cute prince/knight in shining armor would
be. Comparing them to the actors that I’ve watched so far, between the cousins,
only Ji Woon was reasonable – and to me he was more charming than handsome. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, I JUST COULDN’T TAKE HYUN MIN
SERIOUSLY. I mean, he wore LIP BALM the entire show. IN THE NAME OF THE
GODDESS, WHAT?! He was very weird indeed, and he and the protagonist had no
chemistry whatsoever.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Seo Woo was cute. He didn’t stand a
chance against his other cousins, but he was charming and adorable and very
romantic – he even wrote a song or two to Ha Won. He would be the safe choice
for her, if she were to choose any of them.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Yoon Sung was the kind of “knight”
that fit every aspect: he was handsome, stylist, hard-working and very
respectful. But he was the same as a plant, their chemistry was as good as
dead. OBVIOUSLY if Seo Woo had little chance with Ha Won, Sung had NONE, he was
too stiff toward her! I shipped them nonetheless, because he was the only one
that FOR ME filled what was necessary for a “knight” and was what would match
the protagonist best.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Last, but not least, Ji Woon. In
these dramas, they usually get the rebel and bad boy to fall for the girl, and
vice-versa. I liked their chemistry – it was faaaaar better than with the others
– and he was kind of cute, especially when he smiled – that was his best. And
they make a cute and funny couple. Their moments were the funniest for me: for example,
when Ha Won breaks her leg and tries to wash her hair, but fails completely and
fall inside the bathtub, Ji Woon goes there and helps her out, and even washes
her hair for her, which was cute. Also, he wore no lip balm whatsoever, which
was a VERY IMPORTANT thing (I seriously couldn’t handle that shiny lip for a
guy, judge me, it was too strange! Even I don’t use lip balm as daily basis!).</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I liked the actress that played Ha Won. She was cute, funny, clumsy and adorable, and was very true to her character. She was effortless, and we could really feel her pain and her joy when she was playing.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anyway, as I said above, it wasn’t
memorable. The soundtrack also wasn’t the big of a deal, and the sound effects
used were – to say the least – laughable. I cringed every time the goddamn
angel song came when something “romantic” happened: whether it was an embrace
by her waist, or a brush of hands between her and one of the knights. You know
when you are in front of the man/woman of your dreams, and you say you “can
hear the bells ringing”? It was like that. I think it was too forced and
unreal: it was like as if they were trying their best to create an ambiance,
but honey IT WAS NOT HAPPENING! </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, I didn’t like the grandfather
character. His attempt to control his family choices, for the sake of the
family, was horrible and very mean. I tried to understand his reasons: he lost
his three sons because of his controlling behavior, so I believe that he was
trying to redeem himself by doing whatever he could for his grandsons. But he
shouldn’t – and ought not to – control their lives. First, because they are
already of age, so they can make their choices by themselves. Second, because
it won’t redeem yourself: at the very least, you’ll drive your loved ones away
from you. And Third, he was just repeating his mistakes by trying to again
control his relatives decisions. As a grandparent – and as the only reference
his grandsons have/had – he should support and counsel them, first and foremost.
</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Overall, if I could give a word to
this drama, it would probably be </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">cute</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.
And if it was a sentence… </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Best luck next
time</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri";">. I watched until the end, and near the end it was veeery cute and
adorable, they finally got the hand of it. There were no sex scenes, however,
but the number of kissing was higher, so you can say that got balanced in that
point specifically.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQu4MXP0lxZKJx-AGvhNRoOG_logbIuk9Rx73ZPHvZrz1guYJG0WdeEWKj-LnoKqM0KYywpMQoKNO9cD_HI8y3TZ6NLLulS0rFxp_14aSVnJRIgVfJe_nxcMleN5b5ofY-1nWxODPn0by/s1600/3stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQu4MXP0lxZKJx-AGvhNRoOG_logbIuk9Rx73ZPHvZrz1guYJG0WdeEWKj-LnoKqM0KYywpMQoKNO9cD_HI8y3TZ6NLLulS0rFxp_14aSVnJRIgVfJe_nxcMleN5b5ofY-1nWxODPn0by/s1600/3stars.bmp" /></a></span></u></b></div>
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-50020184624369619222016-08-03T15:00:00.000-07:002016-10-30T17:29:34.577-07:00K-drama: Oh my Venus!<br />
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<a href="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4766_OhMyVenus_Nowplay_Small1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4766_OhMyVenus_Nowplay_Small1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">S</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">ynopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Kim Young-Ho (So Ji-Sub) is a personal
trainer for Hollywood stars. Even though he comes from a wealthy family
background, he suffered a devastating injury during his childhood days. Now, he
overcomes his problems with patience and stubbornness.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 20.7pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #222222; font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Kang Joo-Eun (Shin Min-A) is 33-years-old lawyer. She
has struggled to support her family. Now, Kang Joo-Eun is overweight and not so
attractive.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> This was the first real melo-K-drama I’ve ever watched. And it was
really interesting! The story is about this lawyer who was once the most beautiful girl in her region, but after the exams and the stress of adult life, she becomes "careless" and gain weight. On the other corner there is this rich guy who suffered a lot during his childhood because he had a knee cancer, and went through a lot of surgeries to cure it. One day they meet on an airplane going back to South Korea, when the girl is feeling sick for taking pills, coffee and wine all together, and he is a doctor that goes to the rescue. Here is what I thought about it.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">First of all, the soundtrack was –
wait for it – LEGENDARY. Yes, truly. The songs that were picked were cute and
adorable and romantic, and used in the right moments, they gave the perfect
atmosphere for those who were watching. Yes, they were Korean – so I couldn’t possibly
understand it – but the rhythm was so beautiful that you can surpass the
language barrier.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Second, it was the first “spicy”
K-drama I watched. As far as I’ve seen, the scenes where there is some
sensuality are very rare, and sex scenes aren’t shown at all – they just hint
the idea that they are going to sleep together and that it. I’m not saying that
it’s a bad thing – actually I think that it gives the chance to explore the characters
and the story, rather than showing sex scenes here and there. But this one was
different: </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh my Venus</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> was the K-drama with the most references and
subliminal messages to sex I’ve ever seen so far – and I liked it! Because the
characters were older – around their thirties – it’s expected that they already
experienced sex – that’s my theory – so it was ok.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Third, they talk about a lot of
import issues our society faces, fat-shaming and domestic violence being the
highlights. Just because someone is fat, that doesn’t give you the right to go
and insult this person; You don’t know what they’ve been through, they already
suffer for “not fitting” into the social pattern of blond, thin and “beautiful”
that society imposes to them, and still you go there and </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">mistreat </span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri";">them?! What kind of sick human being are you?! As far as I
could see, Korea has this body pattern of a petite girl with delicate
proportion and smooth skin. Not everybody can achieve that, you know? There are
some people who are fat and have no health problem whatsoever; there are skinny
people who have more issues than my great grandma. You never know. So it was
interesting to see how society affects the way people think, as concerning a “sexy
body type”: you can only have a boyfriend, a big house and lots of money if you
are skinny and survive by eating dew and universe’s juice. Well, let me break
this down to you: you can have all that and still be fat if you want to (as
long as it doesn’t harm your body or your health, obviously).</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The same goes to domestic violence:
although we look from outside and clearly see the violence going on, is not up
to us. We can help and support the victim, open their eyes for the issue – “hun,
if he hits you, or mistreats you, or make you feel less, he doesn’t love you!
And it’s not your fault for all that, he is a douchbag that doesn’t deserve an
ich of what you are!” – but in the end it up for the victim to stand up and scream
for themselves. Unfortunately a lot of people think that the victim gets beaten
up and doesn’t go to the authorities, so “well, she/he likes it”. NO! No one
likes to get beaten up; being called bad names; Most likely that person doesn’t
have the courage to go because they don’t believe the system can protect them –
which it can’t, so it’s true – or because they are afraid of what their partner
can do if they find out or get released; some are afraid of never seeing their
kids again. So just don’t. It’s NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER ther victim’s fault. LIKE
EVER. And the show really </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">shows</span></i><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> that,
so it’s very nice!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And finally, the only thing I didn’t like was the
almost non-existent acting of the male character. Don’t take me wrong: he was
cute in his tough way, but a surprise expression once in a while never killed
nobody, right? His biggest expression was to goggle his eyes, or give a
tiny-tiny smile. His other friend was just like that. The only male actor with
reeeal expression – and that was adorable and funny most of the time – was Ji
Woong (and Korean-american guy with perfect and no asian accent at all when in English-mode).</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Overall it was very entertaining and
fun, and very touching and almost too dramatic (in one scene I almost broke out
in tears hahaha I usually don't like overly dramatic things), all part of the show right?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nbfft-X5Fh3THNYg6kjHveaHbLR1zaoPd36Hh63oRJwcX8vkyw062R2c8c2YqhyRJR73Tr1d1v_Idaz_wGjvUGjx7-n9WuLA0SGphz0YZODXf802F_g8jHNtR3wzymHxAgo4nPoO8Ba0/s1600/4stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nbfft-X5Fh3THNYg6kjHveaHbLR1zaoPd36Hh63oRJwcX8vkyw062R2c8c2YqhyRJR73Tr1d1v_Idaz_wGjvUGjx7-n9WuLA0SGphz0YZODXf802F_g8jHNtR3wzymHxAgo4nPoO8Ba0/s1600/4stars.bmp" /></a></span></div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-56628529363531882622016-07-18T10:17:00.002-07:002016-07-18T10:17:52.204-07:00K-drama: Coffee Prince<br />
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<a href="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/1_CoffeePrince_Nowplay_Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/1_CoffeePrince_Nowplay_Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></u></b></div>
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Synopsis: </span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of our most popular dramas, this romantic comedy
tells the story of Han Kyul, the handsome son of a wealthy hotelier family who
is set in his bachelor ways and constantly deflects his family's attempts to
make him commit. The constant pressure to get married drives him to hire a
goofy young delivery boy Eun Chan to pretend to be his gay lover to scare away
his family's set-ups. Trouble starts when Han Kyul begins to get to know the
hardworking and lovable Eun Chan, and begins to develop real feelings for
him—only to discover that "he" is actually a girl disguised as a boy.
A rare drama that deals with homosexuality, this controversial series received
multiple awards, such as the 2007 MBC Acting Awards for Yoon Eun Hye and Gong
Yoo, as well as Best TV drama award at the 2008 Korean Producers' Awards.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Before I start talking, I have to
say that it’s a 2007 dorama. So pleeease don’t kill me for knowing about it
just now, I was in seventh grade at the time! Hahaha</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was nostalgic I have to say: the
clothing style, the flip cellphones and the slide ones (remember them?), the
cars that used to look alike… Just for that was already something enjoyable.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But it was not all: this drama was
heart-breaking all the way through. We start with Eun-Chan, a girl that doesn’t
care about her looks – and actually doesn’t have time for them since she has to
support and provide for her whole family because her father passed away when
she was young. So most of the time she actually looks like a boy. And thus,
when Han Kyul – one of the most beautiful asian guys I’ve ever seen – appears
in front of her and offers her money to pretend to be his gay lover so that he
could escape the blind-dates his family set for him, she doesn’t contradict him
at all.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Han Kyul is a playboy and a
bachelor in his 30-something. He doesn’t want to get marry and assume the
family business, nor run an almost-closed coffee shop as a condition to return
to America. But he does it anyway, and hires Eun Chan as one of the employers.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As their relationship deepens, both
start to like each other. But, while for her is easy, for him is completely
insane, because he thinks “she” is a “he” – and he doesn’t understand why this
is happening. Was he gay all along and didn’t know? And she doesn’t reveal
herself at all, because she’s afraid of being rejected as a woman.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Having said that, I start my
review: I wasn’t joking when I said it was heart-breaking. We watch these two
adorable characters as they suffer and try to work their way out, as they try
to deny their feelings and so on. Every scene they had together – until he
finds out her identity – is gut-wrenching and gives you butterflies in the
stomach. I felt tense whenever they appeared together, because I could see
their suffering and their effort in hiding it from one another. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I really like the fact that they
show man crying. In our western side of the world, to see a man crying is
usually taken as weakness and that he should “man up” and “stop being a pussy”.
Guys have tear-ducts as well as everybody, so what’s the big deal?! We have that
entire macho-man thing in such a way that when a man does cry, we prefer to
mock him instead of trying to help him solve his problem. I don’t know if Korean
man have that issue in their country – hell, I don’t even know if Korean men
are like the ones portrayed on the TV-show – but by showing a guy crying in national
TV, because he is sad or in pain, I like to think that you are trying to say “it’s
ok to cry, guys!”, and that’s awesome.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I noticed a pattern in these dramas,
more specifically towards the end: the female protagonist often does an exchange
program or goes away for a few years and then returns all beautiful and
gorgeous – and with a hottie waiting for her with goofy eyes. It’s not that I
don’t like it – heck yeah I would like to travel abroad and return all gorgeous
just to find a beautiful man waiting for me in my doorstep! – but it would be
cool to see a different ending. In this topic, I’d like to add that the guy
usually doesn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> his girlfriend
to go away, but he understands that it’s her opportunity to see the world and
grow in the process, and by stopping her from going you’re just being selfish.
It’s her chance, he had his, so why create a fuss and stop her from chasing her
dreams if that’s what she wants to? – Western guys, please take note, your
girlfriend will love you even more if you respect her wishes! ;) </span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also, Korean guys – well, at least
that’s what the SHOW shows; Korean girls, correct me if I’m wrong – seem to be
a lot more considerate and participatory in household chores: they know how to
clean, wash and cook, and don’t seem to look for a second mom in their
girlfriends. Thumbs up and kudos for them, they’re absolutely right!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa324/girlfridaydb/news/2013/GongYoo33a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa324/girlfridaydb/news/2013/GongYoo33a.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, I didn’t like two
characters: Eun-Sae – the protagonist sister – and Yoo Joo – Han Kyul’s friend
and his cousin’s girlfriend. I thought both of them were too dramatic and full
of bull. Eun-Sae seemed like a spoiled brat that mistreat her sister and the
guy who likes her, just because; and Yoo Joo seemed to be inconstant and two
faced – she cheated on the cousin for two years and nothing: the cousin kisses
another girl, the world falls apart. Come on! Get your shit straight, he is not
that guilty if we compare what you did to him – I don’t approve betrayal, doesn’t
matter who did it.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now to really end it: the actor
that plays Han Kyul was so hot that it was almost offensive to watch him. Broad
shoulders, sexy lips, cute smile, tall AF, not pumped up – his body was normal
actually, at least in this show, I’ll attach a pic for you - , some hunk, I gotta say. And the way he
grabs her closer to the end… I’m impressed. HAHAHA *EDIT: I found a more updated pic of him, and daaaaamn (actually it's a <a href="https://67.media.tumblr.com/d58376483bd3a286be8a55b86765c2aa/tumblr_nhx4ihd5DV1qhwguzo1_500.gif" target="_blank">gif</a> <-- Click here to see it!)*</span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyway, an award-winning show and a
must-see!</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rate:</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" /></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-22731007690394155902016-07-12T18:50:00.003-07:002016-07-13T08:45:33.164-07:00K-drama: Oh My Ghostess<br />
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<a href="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4709_OhMyGhostess_Nowplay_Small3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://www.dramafever.com/st/img/nowplay/4709_OhMyGhostess_Nowplay_Small3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Synopsis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
Na Bong Sun (Park Bo Young) may be a skilled chef, but she lacks the
self-esteem to shine professionally and socially. Beyond her cooking talents,
however, is an uncanny ability to communicate with ghosts. One day, her mystic
senses go out of control when the seductive ghost of Shin Soon Ae (Kim Seul Gi)
possesses her. Imbued with a fiery new "personality," Bong Sun starts
turning heads, including that of Kang Sun Woo (Jo Jung Suk), the hottest chef
in town and Bong Sun's secret crush!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: #fcfcfc; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Let’s try something different this time, shall
we? It’s been a while since I last saw a K-dorama – or for that matter a dorama
at all – but this one caught my heart so strongly that I just couldn’t leave it
behind.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This was the CUTTEST, MOST ADORABLE
dorama I’ve ever watched! Oh my, where to begin? It’s funny, witty, dramatic
and heart-wrenching!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We start off with Na Bong Sun, a
shy, low self-esteem girl, with great cooking skills, but too shy to show them.
She works in the restaurant Sun, in Seoul, with the famous Kang Sun Woo, a
great Korean chef, handsome and skilled – and she has a crush on him too, but
too scared to even look at him. Beyond her skills, Bong Sun-shi has the ability
to see and talk to ghosts – due to her bloodline, because her grandmother is a
shaman. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, one day, she gets possessed by
one of these ghosts. But not just any ghost: a virgin girl, that died too young
for her age, and never experienced a love life before – and well, since she is
a virgin… you guys get the point. Her virginity is her grudge apparently, and she has three years to solve it before turning into a bad spirit. And Soon Ae has a target that may have the vitality to do it: chef Sun Woo! </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This dorama was swell! Oh sweet
Jesus, its twists and turns… The actress that plays Bong was very gifted, for
she had to be two different characters in the same tv-show: her shy self as Na
Bong Sun, and the bright, bubbly personality of the virgin ghost Shin Soon Ae when she was possessed. Although all the actors were very good, in my humble opinion, due credit must be given to Park Bo Young - who plays Na Bong - because her perfomance was very good, and she was responsible for the theme song of the show - that is so sweet that I downloaded already to my cellphone.</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The actor that caught my eye - besides the protagonist - was one of the chefs that worked at the Restaurant. His nickname was Cordon, because of the culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, and he was a gentleman. I must confess that, even though I liked the main couple, I internally prayed that Na Bong would go for Cordon, because he <i>always</i> treated her kindly, was an honest guy, hard-worker, polite... A true <i>gentleman</i>!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I noticed how well played it’s
dorama nowadays: the producers are very strategic, the played the characters
very well! Usually in occidental tv-shows, kisses and romances happen with
ease, and kiss-scenes become commonplace after sometime – because they are
always happening. In k-drama, on the other hand, they build up the atmosphere so
that when a kiss actually happens, your reaction would be as it follows:</span></span></div>
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<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Not believing;</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fangirling all the way through;</span></span></div>
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<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hope that it would happen more
often, just to watch with suffering as nothing happens for some time;</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Even a hug makes you flicker and,
obviously, fangirl;</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Whatever the guy does – even playing
a fricking guitar wrong – becomes adorable, and you obviously fangirl.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They are little geniuses! They make
smaller Tv-shows – with 16-20 episodes – but longer in duration, so they can
really explore its characters and develop the plot, as well as its characters - for example, we see how shy Na Bong turns into a more confident woman, how the chef changes his manners and becomes more humble. Even the secondary characters
– such as the restaurant staff, the shaman that chases Soon Ae around, the Woo
family – are clever and funny!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I loved the ending: it wasn't as predictable as I thought it would be, so I really appreciated! It was well-made, interesting and
gave me a desire to watch more dorama, more than ever!</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" /></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Trailer:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HtbRPLCxX6c/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HtbRPLCxX6c?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike><br /></strike>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
(It's in Korean, and I couldn't find a version with english sub - sorry guys!)</div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-42011783446065305382016-06-29T09:29:00.004-07:002016-06-29T09:35:36.257-07:00The Scandal of the Season by Sophie Gee<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404829220l/549844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404829220l/549844.jpg" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Synopsis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span><span style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">London, 1711. As the rich, young
offspring of the city's most fashionable families ll their days with masquerade
balls and clandestine court-ships, Arabella Fermor and Robert, Lord Petre, lead
the pursuit of pleasure. Beautiful and vain, Arabella is a clever coquette with
a large circle of beaus. Lord Petre, seventh Baron of Ingatestone, is a
man-about-town with his choice of mistresses. Drawn together by an overpowering
attraction, the two begin an illicit affair. Alexander Pope, sickly and nearly
penniless, is peripheral by birth, yet his uncommon wit and ambition gain him
unlikely entrance into high society. Once there, privy to every nuance and
drama, he is a ruthless observer. He longs for the success that will cement his
place in society; all he needs is one poem grand enough to make his reputation.</span></span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" /></span>
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">As the forbidden passion between Arabella and Lord
Petre deepens, an intrigue of a darker nature threatens to overtake them.
Fortunes change and reputations -- even lives -- are imperiled. In the
aftermath, Pope discovers the idea for a daring poem that will catapult him to
fame and fortune.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"> It’s
been a while huh? Because of my university and exams and all that, I didn’t have
the time to sit down and properly write something. Buuut, anyway, here is my
review on this amazing book.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This
book was a joy to read. Since nowadays historic novels are a thing, it has
become even harder to find a good book in this genre. The Scandal of the
season is one of these good novels that are extremely well-written, very detailed
– but not in a way to disturb the reading; the details just complete
what the writer is trying to portray – and very amusing. Many of the questions
that are raised during the readout are accurate to what society today
represents: to live by appearances; to be left alone by those you once thought
were your friends; how man can make wrong choices and still find a way to not
feel guilty about them.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What I
liked the most was the fact that this book is based in real people; Alexander Pope
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">did</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"> exist, as well as all the other
characters, and the author wrote in such a way that it seemed as if she was a
part in all of that. It seemed as if she was in the room when Arabella was
humiliated, for example. The dialogues are extremely rich and complex, with deep morals
behind it. A few times I had to stop and really think through what they just
say, because it rang so true to my ears that it blew my mind.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Finally,
the period of time is very good: it’s during the jacobite revolution, right
after the Catholics were persecuted by the Protestants, and the jacobites were
trying to win the throne for king James III, exiled in France. A few years
later there would be the Cullodeen battle in Scotland, when the clans would be
massacred and their culture forbidden throughout the land.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">As “</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The Economist</span></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">” said in their review,
this book will please those who liked “Shakespeare in love” and “Les Liaisons
Dangereuses”, from Laclos, and I agree with them: it has drama, a rebellion,
nobility, betrayals and a very accurate and true portrait of the XVIIIth
century society.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH2GrRq54yx4FxRh5FfU0gUYG7Ww_BJXfvMHHJlqc9tMMaTgASMGk3t4ysRo6N4d-7w0LkDBOqSZq1w0hWcyWfPBHHl9PUq_4WZdv-OGTj14stD0nJUWSNit6KFhXVhdMCo8mjTR3CS9o/s1600/5stars.bmp" /></span></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-2179217834331271312016-05-21T10:40:00.004-07:002016-05-21T10:40:58.470-07:00Le Scénario Parfait by Camille Adler
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<a href="http://static.fnac-static.com/multimedia/Images/FR/NR/8e/3f/65/6635406/1540-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.fnac-static.com/multimedia/Images/FR/NR/8e/3f/65/6635406/1540-1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Synopsis :</span></span></u></b><span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> De rupture
en râteau, la vie amoureuse de Lily est désespérante. Pourquoi la réalité
n'a-t-elle rien à voir avec les comédies romantiques dont la jeune femme
raffole ? Jusqu'au jour où Lily entre en possession d'un stylo étrange : si
elle appuie sur le bouchon, le monde qui l'entoure se transforme en film à
l'eau de rose. Nantie de ce pouvoir, Lily peut tourner la tête à de parfaits
inconnus ou encore gagner le coeur de Vincent, son séduisant patron. </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mais quel scénario veut-elle vraiment
écrire ?</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mon Avis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Uhuuuul,
finalement ma prémiere critique de livre en français!! Pardonnez-moi les erreus
que je peux faire s’il vous plaît!! Hahaha Et, allez-y!</span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lily est
une femme que adore les comédie romantique et qui rêve toujours avec son </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">happy ending</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. Mais, au lieu de le
trouver, sa vie amoureuse va de pire en pire. Son copin rompe avec elle par
portable et ce n’est pas la meilleur manière de le faire, ça c’est sûr! Elle
travaille chez une magazine qui s’appelle </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Féminine</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,
Mais tout ça change quand elle reçoit une
bague magique: un stylo bleu très ordinaire.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">« Mais
oú est la magique ? », peut-être tu te demandes. Je vous le dit: si elle
appuie sur le bouchon, tous se passera comme une film de chick-lit qu’elle aime!
Un peu comme le film américain « Click », de Adam Sandler, oú il
controle les gens avec un télécommande, Lily gagne un pouvoir pareil : de
changer sa histoire et trouver son prince charmant. Et elle a déjà un cible:
son patron, Vincent Moreau.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mais ça se
passera? C’est possible de manipuler le coeur de quelqu’un pour qu’il l’aime?</span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bon, pour
mon prémiere roman français, ça s’est passé très doucement! C’est une lecture
simple et amusante, je riais beaucoup, mais, pour moi, c’était un peu previsible.
Quand elle commence à utiliser ce stylo comme une folle, j’ai déjà prévu c’est-que
se passera avec le pauvre Vincent.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">J’adorais
les références aux films américain. Et, entre les deux hommes, je preferais
mille fois Damien, le coloc de Lily, et qu’elle a toujours pensé qui etáit gay.
Il était toujours gentil, charmant et un vrai ami de la protagoniste et je
voudrais que les deux restent ensemble à la fin. Pour moi, il était l’homme de
la vie de Lily, mais la têtu, bien sûr, ne pensais pas comme ça.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="FR" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sauf la
previsibilité, le livre était une bonne distraction, mas pas assez pour entrer
dans mes livres préféres de tout ma vie. S'il était un peu plus imprevisible, peut-être je le donnerais 4 étoiles, mais c'est ne pas le cas ici!</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="FR" style="mso-ansi-language: FR;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH92wQjd6CgtlYAMitv_gRt3XwO8LdA7N25EUrXB_I6cwh40m4uZ3sfT4ZytSK3JBcAu9hKmXR8uDBnlFoOPEy2UGt1Dy5pHNt7sFxdt0m-whMtkms_GL9stu2-cc-kYniLd3L20LQBxf/s1600/3stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBH92wQjd6CgtlYAMitv_gRt3XwO8LdA7N25EUrXB_I6cwh40m4uZ3sfT4ZytSK3JBcAu9hKmXR8uDBnlFoOPEy2UGt1Dy5pHNt7sFxdt0m-whMtkms_GL9stu2-cc-kYniLd3L20LQBxf/s1600/3stars.bmp" /></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-5839622127713508282016-01-04T07:00:00.003-08:002016-01-04T07:11:07.770-08:00H. G. Wells COMBO: The island of Dr. Moreau and The Invisible Man<br />
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<a href="http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the-island-of-dr-moreau_6508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the-island-of-dr-moreau_6508.jpg" height="200" width="122" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Synopsis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Ranked
among the classic novels of the English language and the inspiration for
several unforgettable movies, this early work of H. G. Wells was greeted in
1896 by howls of protest from reviewers, who found it horrifying and
blasphemous. They wanted to know more about the wondrous possibilities of
science shown in his first book, </span><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Time Machine</span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, not its potential
for misuse and terror. In </span><em><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Island of Dr. Moreau</span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">, a
shipwrecked gentleman named Edward Prendick, stranded on a Pacific island
lorded over by the notorious Dr. Moreau, confronts dark secrets, strange
creatures, and a reason to run for his life.</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">While
this riveting tale was intended to be a commentary on evolution, divine
creation, and the tension between human nature and culture, modern readers
familiar with genetic engineering will marvel at Wells’s prediction of the
ethical issues raised by producing “smarter” human beings or bringing back
extinct species. These levels of interpretation add a richness to Prendick’s
adventures on Dr. Moreau’s island of lost souls without distracting from what
is still a rip-roaring good read.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> This
is the first time I’ve ever read anything related to the author and I got to
say that I really enjoyed it. Wells is one of the authors that started the
science fiction stories in England, around the half of 1800. He, among other
writers, brought this genre to life. Both the books I’m going to talk about
have the idea of the mad scientist, someone who has no scruples in order to
achieve what they want. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Because they are both classics, I can’t talk very much
about it. I liked the way the author writes, is very clear, dynamic and
appealing. <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">I decided to read this novel because I read <b><u><a href="http://walkinglibrary.blogspot.com.br/2014/08/the-madmans-daughter-by-megan-shepherd.html"><span style="color: blue;">The
Madman's Daughter</span></a></u></b></span></span><span style="color: black;">, from Meghan Shepherd, which is a book set in the Island of Moreau and fell in love with it. So I made it my goal to read the original, and finally found it (after more than a year of search) and bought it. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Descriptions and dialogues are balanced perfectly, making it a very
pleasant reading. It’s well developed, all the chapters are flowing and veeery
creative; I had a little trouble imagining a scenario where an animal was
turned into a kind of person, suffering through the whole process, its nature
been shifted to something unnatural. In the island of Moreau, is about a man
trying to play God, really.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">What was very hard for me, in both the novels, was the
vocabulary; since it’s about science and theories and such thing, Wells used a
lot of specific terms that made it rather difficult sometimes.</span></span></div>
<a href="http://www.pagepulp.com/wp-content/219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://www.pagepulp.com/wp-content/219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.pagepulp.com/wp-content/219.jpg" height="200" width="121" /></a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Synopsis:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">
</span><span style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">This masterpiece of science
fiction is the fascinating story of Griffin, a scientist who creates a serum to
render himself invisible, and his descent into madness that follows.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> Still
based in sci-fi theories, this one is about a scientist who decides to find a
serum that would make him invisible, and he succeeds in making it. It’s almost
everybody’s dream, to become invisible However, everything goes wrong: although
he is invisible, his clothes are not, so he has to wear bandages and glasses
around his face in order to hide his experiment. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Because it’s the same author, the writing method
repeats: very clear, very dynamic story. This one, however, had a few mistakes
due to the fact that Wells usually forgot what he wrote, so the editor was very
thoughtful to alert the reader when it was wrong.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I really enjoyed the adventures of the Invisible Man,
and could understand his frustration when no one helped him. But, at the same
time, his goals to install a kingdom of Terror and killing those who didn’t
agree with him weren’t the best idea, so not receiving help is kind of expected
as well.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Overall, looking for both books, I had a great time:
it was entertaining, challenging, dynamic and very interesting to experience a
new genre of books! </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b><u><span style="color: black;">Rate: </span></u></b><span style="color: black;">(This rate is for both books)</span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfAHiPGDzjVe6a0dVN2PddX5LkNa2lBQgHusKqRfNHEfVyM2ZGpKD9zNamjIiMuckdlLX2giyPY2Wt9L-0MwKrcz91meRpQ-YmUBDjdhTNbxVK1hKxl7mCLf4k5m8SW-q5mEsHEWcRtMh/s1600/4stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfAHiPGDzjVe6a0dVN2PddX5LkNa2lBQgHusKqRfNHEfVyM2ZGpKD9zNamjIiMuckdlLX2giyPY2Wt9L-0MwKrcz91meRpQ-YmUBDjdhTNbxVK1hKxl7mCLf4k5m8SW-q5mEsHEWcRtMh/s1600/4stars.bmp" /></a></span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-88408694364634009682015-12-20T15:34:00.001-08:002015-12-20T15:34:16.221-08:00Death comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
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<a href="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1318936579l/12875355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1318936579l/12875355.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Synopsis: </span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A rare meeting of literary genius: P.
D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the
characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel </span></span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pride and Prejudice</span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">into a tale of murder and emotional
mayhem.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on
their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their
peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her
footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons,
Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley,
live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the
prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are
under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is
shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s
disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been
banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical,
shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness,
Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James
masterfully re-creates the world of </span></span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pride and Prejudice,</span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; orphans: auto; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">electrifying it with the excitement
and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.</span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I
gotta say this is the first time I’ve read a kind of spin off from a book so
dear to me, and It disappointed me. I’m not used to mystery books first of all,
but because it’s related to Pride and Prejudice, I got very high expectations
for it.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I liked the way the writer
conducted the story, it was very organized and straightforward, and I’m glad
that she kind of kept, as much as she could, Jane Austen’s style. Also, the way
she linked all Jane’s worlds was very well executed: P. D. James connected
Wickham with the Elliots, from </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Persuasion</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
and the Knightleys, from </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emma</span></u></b><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.
In the beginning of this book, James explains what happened after Darcy and
Lizzie’s “happily ever after”: they have two boys, Fitzwilliam and Charles; the
Bingleys visit always, since they live close to one another; Mary got married
(yes, it was a shock for me too); Kitty remained single, and was happy to
remain as an aunt; even Lady Catherine de Bourgh became softer and a little
better mannered towards Elizabeth.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, I have a lot of
disappointments with this one: it lacked the element of tension for me, the
culprit was a very pathetic one, obviously the main suspected wouldn’t be
hanged in the end because he is a key-character in the original Pride and
Prejudice novel, and his death would be very criticized by the whole world and
fan base of the first book, no matter how idiotic the same character was. Also,
the end was very lame, and don’t worry, guys, because it’s no spoiler what I’m about
to say: Mr. Darcy brings back all the suffering and everything that happened
six years before their marriage – which is the whole novel of Jane – , with no
need at all.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Looking at the end, although it
was a lovely reading, I don’t think I would read it again, and it’s not likely
that I would read another book from the same author. <span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know that a TV series
was recently made based on this book. I intend to watch it ASAP, but I don't look very forward to it. The trailer is down here, if you want to watch it!</span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rate:</span></span></u></b></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-65336155212700833602015-08-03T16:20:00.003-07:002015-08-03T16:20:29.381-07:00Dreamer's Pool (Blackthorn & Grim #1) by Juliet Marillier
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<a href="http://www.trippingoverbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/TTT_Dreamers-Pool.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.trippingoverbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/TTT_Dreamers-Pool.png" height="200" width="135" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span style="background: white;">In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful
imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her
bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear.
Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she
travels north to Dalriada. There she’ll live on the fringe of a mysterious
forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited
anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais. He knows her only
from a portrait and sweetly poetic correspondence that have convinced him
Flidais is his destined true love. But Oran discovers letters can lie. For
although his intended exactly resembles her portrait, her brutality upon
arrival proves she is nothing like the sensitive woman of the letters.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">With the strategic marriage imminent, Oran sees no
way out of his dilemma. Word has spread that Blackthorn possesses a remarkable
gift for solving knotty problems, so the prince asks her for help. To save Oran
from his treacherous nuptials, Blackthorn and Grim will need all their
resources: courage, ingenuity, leaps of deduction, and more than a little magic.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">My thoughts: </span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">wow, long time since I last posted something here… but here we go.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">This one has everything that a celtic, mythic afficionato – such as
myself – would have loved, plus a strong headed woman with a dark past as
protagonist. However, as incredible as it sound, although I liked it, it doesn’t
stand among my favorite books.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="color: black;">I’m not familiar with the other novels from this author, though I have
friends who read it already and love it with all their hearts. Indeed it is a
fine, fluid reading with suspense, adventure, magic, tales, a bit of comedy and
a tiny bit of romance as well, but it didn’t capture me as I thought it would, in
the same way </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #8064a2; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: accent4;"><a href="http://walkinglibrary.blogspot.com.br/2012/06/night-circus-by-erin-morgenstern.html"><span style="color: #8064a2; mso-themecolor: accent4;">The Night Circus</span></a></span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span style="color: black;">did, or even close to it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I loved Blackthorn. She is a strong willed woman, who, against all odd,
is trapped in a promise to stay seven years without seeking revenge for the man
who imprisoned her in the first place. The book starts with her incarcerated in
the lock up of this same man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Grim was a joy. He really does remind you of a guard dog, watching his
beloved master, even when she snaps at him. I even thought that perhaps they
could be together, but I’m glad that they didn’t: not all books need to end
with a couple. I even thought that Blackthorn would stay with Prince Oran, but
again that would be unlikely: firstly because she hates royalty – although she
trusts in the prince – and secondly because after all she’s been through is not
in her nature anymore to have an amorous relationship with anyone. Yes, she
loves Grim, because he stood by her even when she didn’t want him to, but that
is a friendly love.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Prince Oran got in my nerves, and that’s a first ladies and gentlemen.
Usually I fall head over hills for the good guy – although Donagan or Grim were
good guys too – especially if he’s a prince, but he is so blind and so damn
full that I couldn’t put myself to like him enough. And don’t even get me
started on Lady Flidias: I’m not a fan of the all smoochy lovey-dovey thing,
but I’d rather have that one than the bitch that she became! (But to know why
she became a bitch, you have to read the book)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">The cover is amazing, reminds me of a painting about a Shakespearian
character: Orphelia, I believe her name is. And the sequel book cover is
absolutely beautiful. I have to confess that the cover was one of the reasons I
bought it. It brings magic right at the cover.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Also, I liked the Scottish references in the names of the characters, as
well as in the tales and myths that surround the story: Scotland, as well as
Ireland, are famous for their fairytales and magical worlds. In general, I
enjoyed this book, but I didn’t feel that sadness that usually overcomes you
when you finish reading THE book. It was more a feeling of “very well… that’s finished…
what’s next?” sort of thing :P. But I’m really interested in the second novel –
especially because of the cover.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-65851336716302884702015-06-10T10:38:00.002-07:002015-06-10T10:41:14.806-07:00Yaa Asantewaa, the Queen Mother<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Name of Birth: <span style="background: white;">Yaa Asantewaa</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Place of Birth: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Ejisu-Juaben Municipal District, Ghana</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Date of Birth: date
unknown, 1840<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Place of Death: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Seychelles</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">, East Africa’s
coast<span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Date of Death: </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">October 17, 1921</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Described as “African Joan D’Arc”,
Yaa Asantewaa was Queen Mother of the region of Edweso, part of the ancient
kingdom of Ashanti and part of modern Ghana. She was the sister of</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Kwasi
Afrane Panin</span>, who became chief of Edweso when Yaa was really young. Near
them was the Golden Coast, a place where the british campaigned against the
Ashanti Empire by taxing, converting and taking control of parts of the tribe’s
territory, including many goldmines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people
developed an influential West African empire. Asantewaa was the Gatekeeper
of the "Golden Stool" (Sika 'dwa) during this powerful Ashanti
Confederacy (Asanteman), an independent federation of Asanti tribal
families that ruled from 1701 to 1896.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When the Ashanti started to resist the British domination,
they decided to take possession of the Golden Stool, a kind of sacred throne
for the Ashanti and symbol of their independence. In order to get it, the
British captain C.H. Armitage was sent to intimidate the population. The
Captain went from village to village beating children and adults, in the hopes
of getting the throne. In 1896, Asantehene (</span><em>King</em>)
Prempeh I of the Asanteman federation was captured and exiled to the
Seychelles islands by the British who had come to call the area the
British "Gold Coast." Asantewaa's brother was said to be among the
men exiled with Prempeh I, deported because of his opposition to British rule
in West Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In 1900, British colonial governor Frederick
Hodgson called a meeting in the city of Kumasi of the Ashantehene local rulers.
At the meeting, Hodgson stated that King Prempeh I would continue to
suffer an exile from his native land and that the Ashanti people were to
surrender to the British their historical, ancestral Golden Stool - a dynastic
symbol of the Ashanti empire. In fact, power was transferred to each Asantahene
by a ceremonial crowning that involved the sacred Golden Stool. The
colonial governor demanded that it be surrendered to allow Hodgson to
sit on the Sika 'dwa as a symbol of British power.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://globalfusionproductions.com/pgf/wp-content/themes/meari/hana/utils/timthumb.php?src=http://globalfusionproductions.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2012/12/yaa-asantewa-pgf-1.jpg&h=650&w=500&zc=1&q=100&a=c" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://globalfusionproductions.com/pgf/wp-content/themes/meari/hana/utils/timthumb.php?src=http://globalfusionproductions.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/6/files/2012/12/yaa-asantewa-pgf-1.jpg&h=650&w=500&zc=1&q=100&a=c" height="320" width="246" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yaa was the only women present and the one in possession
of the stool. Seeing that her comrades pretended to surrender to the British’s
demands, she rose and said a passionate speech for the Ashantehenes</span>,
saying that she refused to surrender to them, and that if they would, she would
call upon her fellow women and fight until the last one of them fell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">This speech unleashed the Yaa Asantewaa Independence
war, that started on that same day. As leader of the revolution, she gathered a
personal army of about 5.000 soldiers. During three months, she was able to siege
the British fortress in Kumasi. After suffering in the first combat, reinforcements
from Nigeria were brought to Ghana to deal with the troublesome Yaa. Finally,
in March 3<sup>rd</sup> of 1901 the Queen Mother was arrested and sent to exile
in the Seychelles, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">an
archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off East Africa</span>, where
she stayed until her death, at the age of 90.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Although arrested, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">her bravery stirred a kingdom-wide movement for
the return of Prempeh I and for independence.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Today, Ashanti is an administrative region in central
Ghana where most of the inhabitants are Ashanti people who speak Twi, an Akan
language group, similar to Fante. In 1935 the Golden Stool was used in the
ceremony to crown Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II (ruled 1935-1970). Independence
from the British colonialist was secured in 1957. On August 3, 2000,
a museum was dedicated to Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa at
Kwaso in the Ejisu-Juaben District of Ghana.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt;">“</span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I must say this, if you the men of
Ashanti will not go forward, then we will. We the women will. I shall call upon
my fellow women. We will fight the white men. We will fight till the last of us
falls in the battlefields."</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.55pt; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">-- <b>Queen Mother Nana Yaa
Asantewa</b> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="FR" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: FR;">Sources:
<a href="http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2010/05/queen-mother-nana-yaa-asantewaa.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2010/05/queen-mother-nana-yaa-asantewaa.html</span></a>;
http://hypescience.com/lideres-femininas/<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-63097292687787674182015-02-18T06:18:00.000-08:002015-02-18T06:18:02.391-08:00Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children #1 by Ransom Riggs
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.skipprichard.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Miss-Peregrines-Home-for-Peculiar-Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.skipprichard.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Miss-Peregrines-Home-for-Peculiar-Children.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">A mysterious island. An abandoned
orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.</span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob
journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the
crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob
explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the
children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may
have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And
somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background: white; color: #181818;">A
spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I
really liked this book! I thought it was well-written, dynamic and the pictures
while you read were truly mesmerizing and intriguing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>What I liked:</u> the pics,
the romance that develops during the reading, the theme, the strong headed
girls, their superpowers. The way this story is told was made in such manner
that it was almost impossible to put it down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It kind of reminded me of X-men:
there are two types of people in this world – according to the book – the common
folk (like you and me) and the peculiar, people who were born with a special
ability that made them special. In the past, both types lived happily and in
peace, the peculiar in some cultures viewed as demigods. But recently, they
were hiding as a chance of survival: from the common folk who didn’t understand
the talent of the peculiars and because of that, felt threaten by them; and
from their own kind, but evil version, known as hollowgast, that hunt peculiars
down and eats them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In order to survive, they lived
in loops in time: it is like a worm hole that no one can see or feel, and only
peculiars are allowed to cross. In those loops, time has stopped in a specific
date and it would rewind itself every night. For en example, if there was a
loop in a part of Nagasaki when the nuclear bomb crashed, and the bomb exploded
at midnight, when it hit it, time would stop and return to the first ray of
light of that same day, preventing peculiars children from dying in that bomb
explosion. The day wouldn’t change either, nor the actions of everyone else of
that day: if the loop was in December 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, once it rewound it would
still be December 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, and everybody else – apart from the peculiar
children – would repeat their actions day, after day. I know it sound very
confusing, but once you read it, you’ll get it. LOL<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The romance was cute, but a
little disturbing. However, I can’t explain more without giving too much away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u>What I didn’t like:</u> there
wasn’t a specific thing that irritated me. It was, in a few parts, kind of
predictable, but in others I was really surprised to see how creative the
author was.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I will not give five stars
because I didn’t feel that compelled in it. It wasn’t something that made me
read it day and night non-stopping, or better said, even though I read it quite
quickly – I had a lot of spare time this week – it wouldn’t be something that
would keep me down 24/7 if I didn’t have time at all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfAHiPGDzjVe6a0dVN2PddX5LkNa2lBQgHusKqRfNHEfVyM2ZGpKD9zNamjIiMuckdlLX2giyPY2Wt9L-0MwKrcz91meRpQ-YmUBDjdhTNbxVK1hKxl7mCLf4k5m8SW-q5mEsHEWcRtMh/s1600/4stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfAHiPGDzjVe6a0dVN2PddX5LkNa2lBQgHusKqRfNHEfVyM2ZGpKD9zNamjIiMuckdlLX2giyPY2Wt9L-0MwKrcz91meRpQ-YmUBDjdhTNbxVK1hKxl7mCLf4k5m8SW-q5mEsHEWcRtMh/s1600/4stars.bmp" /></a></div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-6612899932108249672015-01-03T16:39:00.002-08:002015-01-03T16:39:37.940-08:00The Overnight Socialite by Bridie Clark
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<a href="http://chicklitplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/the-overnight-socialite1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://chicklitplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/the-overnight-socialite1.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Synopsis: </span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Lucy Jo Ellis, from a small town in
Minnesota, moved to New York with the dream of becoming a famous designer, but
so far, working in a dress shop cutting out patterns, she hasn’t gotten very
far. Wyatt Hayes is a Harvard-educated anthropologist from money, very old
money, who just dumped his socialite girlfriend. Suddenly inspired while
waiting for a taxi, he bets his friend that he can turn a girl, any girl, into
a bona fide New York socialite, no matter how corn-fed she is. Lucy needs a
job, so she agrees to the experiment. In a whirlwind of personal trainers,
designer gowns, spa retreats, and elocution lessons, Lucy is transformed, and
now she must decide which of the Lucys is really her, and if Wyatt is simply a
scientist or if there is more to his story.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My
thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> the
main reason why I picked this book – besides the fact that it cost me a dollar
to buy – was the huge resemblance to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>My Fair Lady</u></i></b>, the Audrey
Hepburn’s musical/romance/comedy movie in Technicolor, since it’s no mystery
that I’m a Hepburn fan. I proved myself to be absolutely right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
book is about a socialite anthropologist to pick a random girl and turn her
into the next “it” girl of le crème de la crème of Manhattan. Does it ring a
bell? Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgings, phonetic academic, perhaps? Anyway,
Wyatt – that’s the name of the anthropologist – makes a bet with his friend
Trip Peters that Lucy Jo – that’s the random girl – would be perfectly ready
for the grand-huge-master-super-dupper-important ball three months away and
that she would fool every blue-blood in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So
the games begin. As I said, this reminds every bit of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Fair Lady</i>’s plot, except its period of time – one was around the
eighteenth/nineteenth century and the other was twenty-first century – and the
fact that the story brought other characters into view, such as Cornelia
Rockman – Lucy Jo’s nemesis - , Eloise Carlton – Lucy’s best friend and a
designer as she wanted to become one day – and others that don’t come to mind
now. Those other angles were what kept me from saying this was a complete copy –
although it is, most of it anyway – of the movie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Wyatt
is a stupid little macho when the story is beginning. But after a while, when
he realizes that he actually cares for the girl’s feelings, he starts to respect
her and support her with what she has always wanted in her life: to be someone
in the fashion industry. But it’s saddening to think that only by this path
that a man can finally respect a woman’s wishes and decisions – but let us not be
so gloomy. I cannot say I didn’t have my share of laughter – it is a chick-lit
novel after all – but this is not enough to make into my top 10 favorite books
of all times.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" /></a></div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-60262921604141180072014-11-01T13:19:00.000-07:002014-11-01T13:19:09.049-07:00OMG!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8ktKeXPzGwXebcyAecuIsXLwNP51PQClHe56yVlFpT_avWUZgshkemVnjOUt48FiVhFpQx9Q724zInXZx1rnjFmjM6HiIEk4DqSmExQzgSLLVJ36pjGgrQSWWoIOo7WljSd7FMMI_04P/s1600/Sem+t%C3%ADtulo2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8ktKeXPzGwXebcyAecuIsXLwNP51PQClHe56yVlFpT_avWUZgshkemVnjOUt48FiVhFpQx9Q724zInXZx1rnjFmjM6HiIEk4DqSmExQzgSLLVJ36pjGgrQSWWoIOo7WljSd7FMMI_04P/s1600/Sem+t%C3%ADtulo2.png" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Celticmd","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Wow! I never
thought I’d have made this far!! I’m really thankfull for all of you guys who
read it, visit it and everything! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Celticmd","sans-serif"; font-size: 36.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">THANK YOU! THANK
YOU! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</h2>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-56814208543627317852014-10-15T14:31:00.003-07:002014-11-18T15:30:33.832-08:00Outlander by Diana Galbadon<br />
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<a href="http://roberthuntstudio.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Robert_Hunt_illustration_gabaldon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://roberthuntstudio.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Robert_Hunt_illustration_gabaldon.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">The year is 1945.
Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with
her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in
one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a
Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding
Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;">Hurled
back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into
intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For
here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman
torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two
irreconcilable lives</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My thoughts:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m
in love. This is definitely going to my top 10 books, soooo good! I’ve always
loved Scotland and the UK all in all, but now I just wish I could live there! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This book isn’t only about
romance. In its almost 800 pages you can find adventure, mystery, suspense,
anger, envy, all kinds of feelings and book genres that I can possibly think,
except horror (actually, thinking again, there was a part that I felt
horrified). Diana Galbadon made an exquisite work in creating these characters;
all of them had depth, a past, a future, no exception at all. It’s been a long
time since I made so many faces during a reading, she made me hate Randall and
love Jamie and worry for him as if he actually existed! Its twists made the reading so pleasant! I thought that I would finish it in four months - if not more - and yet I finished in half of it because it was so good and easygoing to read it - I would've finished sooner if it wasn't for my University. And the author isn’t done
yet: no, she already wrote eight volumes, with about the same amount of pages
as the first one, but why stop it, right? Sooo, she’s writing a ninth volume!
Is she competing with George R. R. Martin from the Game of Thrones saga or
something?? I don’t have time – nor money – to read all this! :P<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The scenario is greatly written,
very detailed, letting you create the whole thing in your head. Sometimes,
though, it was a little distressing to keep searching for pictures of the
plants and flowers that she used in the scene – she is an ecologist, so it is
expected – but it didn’t bother me that much. It was a learning – even though I
don’t remember most of the flowers anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I loved Claire, but the way she
is portrayed in the TV series, in some way it seemed a little bit different for
me. In the book, her inner strength and strong will is shown most of the time
in her attitudes, more than in her manner of speak. In the series is the
opposite, but lovely just the same. It's starting to become usual to see strong women in books and I really hope that it continues to be so! We need more and more in order to show girls that damsels in distress aren't the only possible occupation for a lady! ;D<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Jamie
though… he is my true love. ;) He is strong, romantic, faithful, stubborn,
maddening, everything that makes him a perfect gentleman and in the same time a
great scoundrel and a magnificent warrior and Scot. He is different from any character
I’ve ever seen because every word he says isn’t off the place or off the beat,
he seems to know what to say, when to say and how to say it in a way that will
make him ever cuter! In all the reading, I never felt as if the character was “being
forced to say” that sentence – I don’t know if it makes sense, I just feel it.
When he was suffering I felt it in my bones as if I was watching him right in
front of me and I cried and had to close the book for a while before being able
to open it again - and that folks, never happened to me before, I can assure you. Even my friends, when they saw me reading it, got preoccupied that I would burst into tears.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Randall
deserves to die a very slowly and painful death that will consume him piece by
piece until he is so crazy and tired that he will beg to be killed. That’s all I
have to say about him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Dougal
Mackenzie is different than what the series portray. While reading, I imagined
that he would be tall, with mid-length brown hair and black eyes, and in his
forties. The series made him look older, I believe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Angus
and Rupert are the funny duo. Despite their clumsiness, they are the type of
person that you can count on. Murtagh, even though he doesn’t talk much, he
was, for me, one of the most loyal persons I’ve ever seen, and very protective
as well. Miss Fitzgibbons is so cute and reliable I wished I had such a
governess to help me every morning!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Starz
is making a wonderful job in turning this saga into a series. I could never ask
for a better cast to give Claire and Jamie life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
To everyone who got interested in the series:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hkizwJUiVjA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-28606594819776981672014-08-23T19:11:00.003-07:002014-08-23T19:11:43.072-07:00The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd
<br />
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<a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/5021a501e4b0eb2a70cf4a2c/5021b46fe4b0fc3d5b917ad8/5021b46fe4b0fc3d5b917bbd/1340113620547/1000w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/5021a501e4b0eb2a70cf4a2c/5021b46fe4b0fc3d5b917ad8/5021b46fe4b0fc3d5b917bbd/1340113620547/1000w" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="background: white;">Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life
for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and
trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one
ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she
learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is
determined to find out if the accusations are true.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an
enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels
to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has
experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And
worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's
inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she
must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before
it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of
her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's
Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do
anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I’m drop dead and with my mind blank. Seriously. I
have no words to describe the novel I’ve just read. Just…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">OH MY F***ING GOD, THAT WAS AWESOME! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">And now I just found out that it isn’t over and that it’s going to have
sequels!! I’m so happy because the ending to this book left me speechless. It’s
the first time this ever happened. I can truly agree to the fact that this book
became one of the best books I’ve ever read in my few years on this planet.
Well-written, beautifully describing, engaging conversations and characters
with strong and deep features. This was the first novel ever to give me Goosebumps
and butterflies in my stomach, but not from excitement, from for disgust and
fear and… ok a little bit of excitement. What can I say? I like a little bit of
blood. :P<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I have nothing to say about this one. The ending, as mentioned before,
and all the unfolding of this novel left me in utter shock and inner conflict. Juliet
is a great character: strong headed, resolute, but also timid and profound,
with a lot of layers underneath it. I mean, when your father is cast out of
London accused of being a lunatic and heretic, all your wealth becomes ashes,
your friends desert you and your mother dies when you’re young, it’s kind of
obvious that she would built such walls around herself for protection.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I’m team Montgomery, the family butler’s son, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all the way through</i>. He’s a gentleman, sweet and seductive, but
without leaving his wild – since he was raised in the middle of beasts, it’s expected.
He was one of my favorite characters because he had secrets that made my chin
drop to the ground, but you’ll have to read to find out what.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">This book was based in an classic novel and I must say, compared to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Splintered
</i></b><u>(view my older posts for this review)</u>, this book is hands down
better. No unnecessary parts, everything fell into place as if it always
belonged there. I can’t wait to read the book that gave base to write this one,
as well as all the other volumes of this one! Highly recommended for everyone
who likes some mystery and adventure, with a touch of blood and gruesome,
passion and suspense. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-1064671837975821702014-08-17T15:36:00.000-07:002014-11-18T15:34:25.129-08:00Divergent by Veronica Roth<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> In Beatrice Prior's dystopian
Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the
cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the
selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).
On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the
faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the
decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she
can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">
<br />
<span style="background: white;">During the highly competitive initiation that
follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow
initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo
extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some
with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must
determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a
sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's
chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because
she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing
conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also
learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might
destroy her.</span></span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Meh.
This one was a little complicated because while it didn’t catch me very much, I
finished this book in three days. So, it’s kind of a dilemma here. This book
reminds me so much of Hunger Games, from the time when the story happens – in a
post-War U.S. where chaos is so strong and balance so delicate that only with a
“tyrannical” or a righteous government will survive – to the main character – a
strong willed girl – but it still had some subtle differences: comparing the
first novel of both – because that’s what I’ve read so far – HG, despite the
gruesome part of the deaths of the tributes, isn’t as visceral as in Divergent,
because in this time she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sees </i>all the
blood and loss on her party – I’m not going to tell who dies that is related to
her, but it is still pretty strong. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Also in comparison, I think that Divergent is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">much better</i> written than HG. I’m sorry,
but this one isn’t only about what is on her head, all the abstraction. It’s
still there, but not so explicit as in HG; in Divergent there was more talking,
more activity and dynamic, making this one not that tiresome. It gives you some
insight that aren’t only for the book, but actually for the future. For
example: <u>don’t ever settle for one thing or another; don’t let people label
you, you can belong and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fell belonged </i>anywhere
you want; don’t let anyone influence on your decision, but whatever you choose,
face the consequences, no matter what they are.</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">As usual, I liked the strong girl character. I think
it gives a good image to stimulate girls to be strong and face their fears. I
started to enjoy this book near the end; before that It was in a bit of a slow
motion, even though it had some pretty fearsome parts: like, jumping from a
roof into a gigantic dark hole and maybe death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">It was predictable at some parts – like, I already
knew who Four was before Tris figured that out – but all-in-all it wasn’t such a
bad thing. I liked the ending and I’m looking forward to read the sequel. My
only worry is that because writers discovered this gold mine, this goose of
golden eggs – because, guys, these books sold like water, especially to YA
readers – they won’t try to innovate it, and keep the same <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">modus operanti</i> as the writers from historical romances do –
especially the ones who likes to write about Jane Austen’s era. Please, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">please,</i> don’t do that! Don’t kill
another book gender because of greed!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rate:</span></u></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: PT-BR; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><br />
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<br />Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-40959263091311525382014-07-30T06:35:00.001-07:002014-10-15T14:50:16.212-07:00The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw<br />
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<a href="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451bcff69e20120a8bf73f2970b-300wi" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://kimbofo.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451bcff69e20120a8bf73f2970b-300wi" height="200" width="127" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">WINNER OF THE DESMOND ELLIOTT
PRIZE<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">Strange things are
happening on the remote and snowbound archipelago of St. Hauda’s Land. Magical
winged creatures flit around the icy bogland, albino animals hide themselves in
the snow-glazed woods, and Ida Maclaird is slowly turning into glass. Ida is an
outsider in these parts who has only visited the islands once before. Yet
during that one fateful visit the glass transformation began to take hold, and
now she has returned in search of a cure.</span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">"The Girl with
Glass Feet "is a love story to treasure, “crafted with elegance and swept
by passionate magic and the yearning for connection. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background: white; color: #181818;">A rare pleasure” (Katherine Dunn, author
of "Geek Love").</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Meh.
Ali Shaw gives us a romantic/fantastic novel, but there are a few (many) things
that I thought were so unnecessary. For an instance, small bull-winged moths?!?!
WHAT?!?! I mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WHAT!?!?!?! <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The only thing that kept me
going was the couple. Ida and Midas were really sweet, both trying to solve
their shit. Their romance was so pure and simple, they gave each other support
despite all things. Because of her, Midas found the strength he needed to get
free from his Father’s shadow, and from him, Ida learned that maybe the more
important things weren’t to base-jump or to dive in a lake, but to be together
with the ones you loved, especially when you needed them most. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Despite the fact that the Author
is really gifted with describing scenarios – really, it was so detailed that
astonished me – the book was a drag. I really considered not finishing at all –
just to give you guys an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Also, all those chapters about
their relatives and people around them – from an distant Henry Fuwa and his
relation with Midas’s mother to Ida’s uncle feelings regarding her mom – for me
were unnecessary. Ok, maybe one or two had a meaning because without them, a
few things would be left behind without explanation, but not all of them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The book left a few unsolved
things. For an instance, how did Ida got these “disease”? It couldn’t be like a
cold, so how? And how to make it stop? Is there a cure at all? And what about
those winged things? What’s the meaning? For me: NONE. The base of the whole
story for me was to find a cure for her, but if you don’t know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what in God’s name is it </i>and how did you
get it, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> can you find a cure?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I don’t know… this book didn’t
catch me at all, and I’m kind of glad that it ended.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rate:</span></u></b></span><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><br />
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<br />Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-82656807425759144002014-07-19T16:26:00.002-07:002014-07-19T16:26:36.420-07:00Milkrun by Sarah Mlynowski
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
"Milkrun" -- a novel about drinks, dates and other distractions -- is
the fun and compelling story of hyperactive 25-year-old Jackie Norris. Her luck
with dating is analogous to riding the bus: intending to take the express, but
finding herself on the painfully long local. In "Milkrun," we see
Jackie doing the Singles Scene: going to bars, meeting men and making up her
own -- hilarious! -- dating rules. Join Jackie on her mission as she deals with
life's many problems...and discovers what she really wants.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> I laughed my heart out on this one, I gotta tell you guys! Very, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">very</i> funny! Every page was a different
laughter. Jackie Norris is one of the most neurotic characters I’ve ever seen!
If a man touched her arm by accident – there he wants to marry her and have
kids and live in a beautiful country house with a dog. If another one offered
her a drink – there he was going to say that he fell in love with her at first
sight and was not going to lose her. I mean, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">come on! </i>You’re not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the </i>hottest
girl on the neighborhood, and even if you were, you don’t’ have to be so
neurotic about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every </i>man! LOL That
was a thing that kept me thinking for a while: she was so desperate to find a
guy to be with her that she wasn’t trying to improve herself, or to love
herself first. It seemed to me, after I finished the reading, that only by
finding a boyfriend you’ll find true happiness, reminding me of those 50’s
vision that only with a husband and kids you can call yourself a happy woman. I
think that:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 53.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You
got to love yourself<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 53.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By
loving yourself and being happy with it, whatever comes next – man, boyfriend,
husband, kids, dog and house – is just the profit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 53.25pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If
you love yourself first, your man will respect you enough. You don’t need his
approval for anything!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
book has a quick and different rhythm, always bringing different reactions. I
can’t tell how many times I screamed and squeaked while reading it – my brother
saw me and was worried with my sanity, so you can get the picture here. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jeremy
was a douche. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goddess</i>, how could
she get such a guy as her boyfriend? What kind of man makes a girl give up on
her master’s degree?! Or makes her move to Boston with him only to tell her “well,
you see, I’m going to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thailand</i> by
myself, because, you see, I’m kind of lost and need to find myself…” WHAT?! I
mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">WHAT?!?! </i>Did the doctor hit your
head on the wall when you were born and your insides got jumbled?! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From
all her friends, the one that I thought was different from everybody else was
Wendy. She is focused on her stuff and she took a lot of pressure before
breaking down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll sound self-centered
now, but I think liked her the most because she reminds me. :P<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One
of the guys Jackie dates was a pain in the ass, gotta tell ya. At the beginning
he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was </i>cute with his e-cards he sent
to her at her work, but after a while… SWEET JESUS HOW THAT WAS ANNOYING!
>:(<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
didn’t like the ending. I was expecting so much from it, and then got… that. I
wanted to know with whom she was going to hook up with, and it didn’t tell! But
it was kind of predicted, at least for me. I already had my bets on whom she
was going to get together with – and I’m not going to tell who! You’ll have to
read and see for yourselves. So the ending was expected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and </i>unpleasant. I had actually thought that it might had a sequel,
but to my despair there isn’t: what you see it’s what you get. And I was
expecting more at the end. No more complaints regarding the insides because I
had a good deal of laughs, I really only disliked the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">Rate:</span></span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" /></a>and a half</div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-87378953758443187652014-07-08T14:19:00.000-07:002014-07-08T14:19:01.885-07:00Venetia by Georgette Heyer
<br />
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<a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1402238843.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1402238843.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> SCANDAL
OF THE SEASON</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" />
At five-and-twenty, Venetia Lanyon despairs of ever meeting the handsome hero
of her romantic dreams. Then her long-absent neighbor, Lord Damerel, returns
home to Yorkshire. An infamous rake, he is the most scandalous man in all of
England and he has set his amorous sights on the lovely Venetia.<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; mso-special-character: line-break; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Determined
to woo and win the fair Venetia, Lord Damerel pursues her with a passionate
abandon that is soon the talk of the town. But Venetia has no intention of
losing her heart to the rakish lord until she is sure that beneath his
swashbuckling ways and shocking manners lies a tender heart belonging to her.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
L-O-V-E I-T! Just lovely! Damerel is a veery charming and seductive scoundrel, I
must give him that! Georgette Heyer is the Mother of Historical Romance as we
know it today, for without her and the authors before her, there wouldn't be basis for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Julia Quinn, Mary
Balough, Madeline Hunter</b> and so on, in my humble opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Julia Quinn and Georgette Heyer are compared to Jane
Austen, but I saw many differences between them. For an instance, Heyer and
Quinn don’t focus on the social matters and daily issues that were important to
Austen. On the other hand, Quinn gets the sexual a little bit more intense than
Heyer and OBVIOUSLY – since that during 1814 and everything after that, a
female author writing was scandalous enough, imagine writing about sexual
scenes! – Austen, but the romance is there all right. Another difference that I've noticed - although it's more of a statement - Jane Austen always had a head start because she <em>lived </em>in the period that Quinn or Heyer had to do their homework and <em>research </em>about it.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Heyer was a delight to read. It’s been a while since I
last cheered for a historical novel. As I said in late posts, there’s been a
pattern in these new books, so I’ve been finding difficulties to enjoy my
reading. But this time was different. Heyer was from the 20’s so the innocence was
still kept while reading it, but it wasn’t so bucolic as in the novels from the
nineteenth century. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Venetia is a strong headed girl that likes her independence.
Living in the same neighborhood for 25 years and never leaving because of her
recluse father, her only friends were her younger brother Aubrey, a sharp-tongued
17-years-old boy with a hip disability but a big brain; Lady Denny, a long
family friend and protector of Venetia; Edward Yardley, just a presumptuous
asshole that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thought</i> that owned Venetia;
Oswald Denny, nobody; the servants and no one else. But the arrival of Lord
Damerel shook things up, for he is known for having eloped with a married
woman. Their first meeting was… how can I say it… interesting. But I won’t say
why. ;P<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Anyway, as the story goes on, you realize that the
romance isn’t the focus. Yeah, I know, I wasn’t expecting it myself. Damerel
don’t try to seduce her, don’t try to get her to his bed, don’t try to “ruin”
her virtue, nothing! They become friends, her brother becomes friends with him
too, and soon they are all in such good terms, that you forget that Lord
Damerel was in the past such a “bad person”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">After all this you think “ok, they are friends now
then they fall in love for each other and then they get together, right?”
WRONG! Damerel dismisses her! And so she goes to her aunt’s house in London, to
escape from seeing him and the new Lady Lanyon that arrives in Yorkshire, with
her mother claiming that she is married <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and
</i>pregnant with Venetia’s older brother’s child.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">What I liked most were the plot, obviously, and the
couple. Damerel may be a rakish, but he has good judgment to know that a relation,
especially a romantic one – their friendship was already seen with bad eyes –
would be Venetia’s doom. But she couldn’t care less! She has her mind made, she
loves her independence, and she loves him! Look at the F**** she gives for the talk
of the town.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I really liked this. I want the rest. That’s all I’ll
say in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-26539833217597328842014-07-04T09:28:00.000-07:002014-07-04T09:28:22.201-07:00The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-mMF5twWjLOso_Gf1iyviwMYDCDKUxjLQ8cXIIOqQW_hYWgYQRc6lIW6tNnymEr3yPDhOPhd0VnyJZ2neJkgIacjfYCzUyoPpl-3i7crca0PVcXRZtJCE1nStez7jDXZemWf6ksdOgg/s1600/mysterious+benedict.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-mMF5twWjLOso_Gf1iyviwMYDCDKUxjLQ8cXIIOqQW_hYWgYQRc6lIW6tNnymEr3yPDhOPhd0VnyJZ2neJkgIacjfYCzUyoPpl-3i7crca0PVcXRZtJCE1nStez7jDXZemWf6ksdOgg/s1600/mysterious+benedict.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="background: white; color: #181818;">"Are you a gifted child
looking for special opportunities?" ad attracts dozens for mind-bending
tests readers may try. Only two boys and two girls succeed for a secret
mission, undercover and underground into hidden tunnels. At the Learning Institute
for the Very Enlightened, the only rule is - there are no rules.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> this
book talks about the adventures of four children, who must defeat Mr. Curtain
(the villain) before he wins everybody minds. The kids are: Reynie Muldoon, an
orphan boy with a golden heart and leadership; George “Sticky” Washington, a
runaway kid with the ability to stick – that’s why his name – everything that
he reads into his bald head; Kate Wetherall and her bucket, an orphan girl
whose mother died and father disappeared, making her runaway with the circus,
where she learned as many abilities as you can imagine; and last, but not
least, little Miss Constance Contraire, the most gifted of all – and the most
annoying. Together they are the Mysterious Benedict Society, the most gifted
kids and only hope for the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At first, I thought that I would
be able to draw a rank with my favorite and hated character among the children,
but now I find it impossible to do so. Simply because they are adorable and
unique, making each one, in its own way, important for the success of their
mission.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">According to booklist, this book is compared to Harry
Potter’s saga, and although I agree in most of it – the common villain that
together they must defeat, the danger to everyone if they fail etcetera – their
genre doesn’t match (in my humble opinion): The MBS has the small kids between 6
to 13 or 14 years old as their target, while The HP focus on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everybody</i> in a general matter, but mainly
juvenile people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">The book altogether was very entertaining and fun, I had
my share of laughter, surprise and caring for each chapter and each character –
except for Mr. Curtain, obviously. Despite all efforts, I couldn’t find a book
category for it, since it has adventure, mystery, a fiction, action, comedy,
differently from the other novels that I’ve read over the years – mostly of
them fits in the romance and historical romance category. So I can say, with a
certain amount of security, that it pleases all tastes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Even though it’s a childlike book, the focus, for me, wasn’t
only in the games and enigmas that the book gives you to solve together with
the heroes, but the messages within the book itself: you’re never alone if you
have friends; everyone is especial and important for something or someone, no
matter what they are like or what they do; there is no 100% right side in
politics or in everything in life, for that matter; family isn’t only the one
with blood-relations. That’s why I had such a hard time finding a place to put
them in :P</span></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;"></span> </span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="-ms-text-justify: inter-ideograph; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.4pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: black;">Here is the website from the book, with games and
everything: </span><a href="http://www.mysteriousbenedictsociety.com/"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">http://www.mysteriousbenedictsociety.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Welcome to </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; font-family: "Edwardian Script ITC"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The Mysterious Benedict Society!</span></b></span></div>
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-26681718128490139692014-06-14T18:17:00.001-07:002015-06-10T10:39:27.713-07:00Hannah Snell, The Female Warrior<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Name of Birth: Hannah
Snell<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Place of Birth: Worcester,
England<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Date of Birth: April
23<sup>rd</sup>, 1723<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Place of Death: Bedlam,
England<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Date of Death: February
8<sup>th</sup>, 1792<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Hannah
Snell, AKA James Gray, was one of the most important mariners in England’s
history. Disguised as a man for two years, this woman sailed to India
through great storms and fought in mud-filled trenches at the siege of
Pondicherry</span>. What made her go to the Marine? <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After
her baby died, her husband deserted her. She began dressing as a man, tracking
down her husband who had been executed for murder.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/HannahSnell.jpg/220px-HannahSnell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/HannahSnell.jpg/220px-HannahSnell.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Born into a large Worcester family in 1723, she
travelled to London to live with her half-sister, Susannah Gray. In 1744, at
the age of twenty-one, Hannah married a Dutch sailor, James Summs, and soon
fell pregnant. However, in mid-1745, Hannah's husband abandoned her while she
was seven months pregnant. After the baby’s premature death, Hannah decided to
pursue her deceitful lover, disguising herself in a suit belonging to her
brother-in-law, James Gray. A victim of her success at masquerade, Hannah
says she was pressed into the English army and forced to march in pursuit of
the fleeing troops of Bonnie Prince Charlie. She then joined the marines and
was sent to India, aboard the ship <i>Swallow</i>
on 23<sup>rd</sup> October, 1747. It sailed to Lisbon and after India, where
she fought against the French at Pondicherry. She claims to have been severely
injured at Pondicherry, but managed to conceal her sex by treating her wounds
in secret.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> When
she revealed herself to a comrade – right after returning to London – he suggested
that she presented a petition to the head of the British Army, the Duke of
Cumberland, requesting financial recognition. After a time debating the
veracity of her story, the Army accepted and granted a lifelong pension. In the
meantime, she became the fuss of London – and in consequence, the whole of
Britain – by appearing in her male clothes and telling her story. Her portrait
appeared on every street corner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> For
over two centuries people have been fascinated by Hannah’s life, and her story
has appeared in a great variety of forms</span>, but her life remains a mystery,
due to her lowly beginnings. In addition to these simple sources, however, is a
document that has proved invaluable in recreating Hannah’s life. In June 1750,
the printer and publisher Robert Walker made an agreement with Hannah to
publish her biography, The Female Soldier; or The Surprising Life and
Adventures of Hannah Snell<span style="text-align: start;">.</span>2 The
book was a runaway success and Walker published a much longer serialised
edition barely a fortnight later which was to ensure Hannah’s place in history.
However, it is said that her story is filled with inaccuracies, but it is due
to an era when biographies were little concerned with establishing a factually
based "truth".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> After
her “grand debut” and ascension to one of the biggest gossips of Britain, she
opened a pub that had the same name as her biography, <i>The Female Warrior</i> (or <i>The Widow
in Masquerade, </i>accounts disagree), but it didn’t last long. She remarried
to Richard Eyles, in 1759, and had two children and lived another forty years. In
1772, she married Richard Habgood of Welford, also in Berkshire, and the
two moved to the Midlands. In 1785, she was living with her son George
Spence Eyles, a clerk, on Church Street, Stoke Newington.</span> However,
after a few years, in 1791, she was admitted to a lunatic asylum, with an unknown
disease, in Bedlam, were she died six months after. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 115%;">“Why gentlemen, James Gray will cast off his skin like a snake and
become a new creature. In a word, gentlemen, I am as much a woman as my mother
ever was, and my real name is Hannah Snell.” - </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 115%;">The Female Soldier, 1750<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 1pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">References:Wikipedia; http://www.hannahsnell.com/</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-91331392775243874282014-06-07T16:18:00.001-07:002014-06-07T16:18:23.988-07:00An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQeK4USIeHNdOi9LteLUmpO2ixLyqGbYAoEpYDOf5puCVc1iRf0XmiWtxCCLxDq8GLP35HfKjjTqgboIaFA_JVnLLCMoZ75TsJmpmJQpto0ajJFvcFgWL4oN00r8pVGesVSyht2eRzyA/s1600/anofferfromagentleman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQeK4USIeHNdOi9LteLUmpO2ixLyqGbYAoEpYDOf5puCVc1iRf0XmiWtxCCLxDq8GLP35HfKjjTqgboIaFA_JVnLLCMoZ75TsJmpmJQpto0ajJFvcFgWL4oN00r8pVGesVSyht2eRzyA/s1600/anofferfromagentleman.jpg" height="200" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Sophie Beckett never dreamed she′d be able to
sneak into Lady Bridgerton′s famed masquerade ball - or that "Prince
Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl,
Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother.
But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome
Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments
must end when the clock strikes midnight.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that
magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the
attractions of any other - except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar
beauty dressed in housemaid′s garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a
most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but
this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her
his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> At first I fell in love. Hard. Benedict was
the type of man every woman would like: tall, strong, so handsome it hurts, gentleman,
rich. But near the end I kind of got uninterested. Not that the ending wasn’t
good – it was rather cute – but the pattern of historical novels is starting to
get on my nerves. Everytime is the same thing: a girl from a very different
social scale falls head over heels for a wealthy man, but she keeps inside her
head that “oh, I can’t love him because I’ll suffer if I do… blah blah blah…” I
mean, it’s cute at the first time you read it, but after the 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
book it kinds of gets annoying. And more, instead of having such a negative
behavior, why won’t she go and give it her best shot? The worst thing that could
happen is she losing her job… and if she does, London – and England - is big
enough to have other Manors looking for a chambermaid or something like that.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Because of the fact that these
novels are following a path, I kind of knew what was going to happen, so it
wasn’t surprising that she would succumb to his seductive behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lady Whistledown – a London
gossiper that knows about everything that happens in the city – was a joy, and
the only mystery I couldn’t solve in this novel, so I give that to the author.
In my mind is one person, but it could be many others. The only hint that I could
give is this: I’m almost sure that it’s from the Brigderton family. That’s all I’m
going to say, if you want to debate go on and read the novel first and tell me
what you think! ;)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I liked Eloise and I think her
novel is going to be the best of the whole family. She is sassy mouth,
charming, a true gossiper, genius and devilish in a cute manner, all that I like
in a Jane-Austen-period-based book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I hated Araminth - the stepmother - from the
beginning. She was stupid, ridiculous, childish, greedy, false and many other
adjectives that I would rather not use it here. Lady Brigderton won me when she
bitchslaped Araminth on the face, but that only happens at the end. I felt pity
of Posy, because she was indeed a good girl, but she never took a stand and
faced her mother – until the end… AS WELL. Everyone revealed itself at the end,
huh? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It’s a pastime book, something
that won’t make you think much, so I recommend it for a vacation season, a trip
or something like this. But TRUST me: if you are looking for something out of
the ordinary, don’t bother that much about this book. The only reason why I won’t
give 2 or even 1 star is because of two people: FIRST, Julia Quinn is still one
of my favorite authors – together with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jane Austen</i></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Erin Morgenstein</i></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lauren
Kate</i></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Melissa de La Cruz</i></b>… – and SECOND, because of Benedict: he is
perrrrrrfect!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7511521891317936943.post-3820049585630514262014-06-02T18:44:00.001-07:002014-06-02T18:44:11.870-07:00Austenland by Shannon Hale
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Synopsis:</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Jane Hayes is a seemingly
normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as
played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><em style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pride and Prejudice</span></em><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when
a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to
Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era
gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; word-spacing: 0px;">Decked out in
empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with
gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are
playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the
more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about
to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually
culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">My thoughts:</span></u></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> As an Austen fan, if I could die and choose a place to go to, I would
definitely choose England around the XIXth century. Why? One answer: Jane
Austen. Case closed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But
relax, you don’t have to die to have an Austen experience: just get rich and go
to Pembroke Park! LOL When Jane’s great-aunt dies and leaves her a 3-weeks trip
to someplace called Pembroke Park, Jane doesn’t have many choices but to accept
it and travel to Kent, England, to live an experience that maybe would cure her
from her <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Pride and Prejudice</u></i></b>’s Obsession, especially from Colin
Firth’s role as Mr. Darcy in the BBC series. But when she is faced with the
task to live – which includes no electronics devices – and behave like a XIXth
century lady, things get a little bit more difficult than she expected, and
perhaps she isn’t up to the challenge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What
to say about this book? Well, it’s H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S from the beginning to the
end! Every chapter began with a little talk about one of Jane’s boyfriend, each
one a bigger asshole or mistake than the other. Jane – let’s not discuss the fact
that the character has the same name as the famous author – is very funny and I
laughed a lot! I’m in love with Mr. Nobley, one of the gentlemen that were in
the experience, despite the fact that he behaved like a complete jerk/asshole
and resembled A LOT Mr. Darcy – taciturn, reserved, seemed to be borrowed with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every damn thing</i> – so you can see why I love
in – yes, I’m a Darcy fan/lover. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
wish? That this book wasn’t so short and that this place actually existed! I
hope that when I get reeeeally old and rich I’ll be able to built this place so
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> the Austen’s fans – because let’s
face it, no one will ever get tired of Miss Austen’s novels – could go there
and have their experience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
writing wasn’t that complex like the original novels, but there were many
references to Austen’s books, especially about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>P&P</u></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Mansfield Park</u></i></b>,
the only novel that I haven’t read yet. Even though I really liked the novel, I
think it lacked in the writing category, especially when this wasn’t the author’s
first novel, since she wrote child books, but as an adult’s book, the text should
be a little bit better done or better written, since the “mind’s demand” – let’s
call it that – is bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
book was published in 2007 in the U.S., but where I am it only got here now!
Yes, the press here is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that </i>slow. And
worse: a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">movie</i> was made in the
meantime and no one ever knew about it! How did this happened?! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is the movie trailer so that you can see
it for yourself:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Rate:</span></u></b></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXdOEzwrVno4TlysCWAt91admXbmkCtlziEpJv-rqvPUEfK3m0KZtFu6lTd_hfg71h8O06rP5KY4MbdSCU4ZmUbb9BAWNlOyUiERi9JdGyL9_UjjvkdDt4MmN2olcKoYO8j4FLQD8UPUeX/s1600/3stars.bmp" /></a></u></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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Gabrielle Souzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00651419629417758327noreply@blogger.com0