Título em Português: Guardiões da Galáxia vol. 2 Realização: James Gunn Argumento: James Gunn, Dan Abnett (based on the Marvel comics by) Elenco Principal: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista Ano: 2017 | Duração: 2h 16mins
Sinopse:
Guardiões da Galáxia Vol. 2, da Marvel, continua a acompanhar as aventuras da equipa enquanto atravessa os limites do cosmos. Os Guardiões devem lutar para manter a sua família recém-descoberta unida, enquanto tentam desvendar o mistério do verdadeiro parentesco de Peter Quill. Antigos inimigos tornam-se novos aliados e as personagens favoritas das bandas desenhadas clássicas irão ajudar os nossos heróis, continuando a expansão do Universo Cinematográfico Marvel.
Opinião:
Que eu sou fã de Marvel acho que já nem é preciso dizer, pois é evidente… por essa razão é óbvio que iria querer ver Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. O primeiro é um dos meus filmes favoritos da Marvel, pela aposta na comédia e no comic relif e isso voltou a acontecer neste segundo filme.
Podemos facilmente resumir este filme a: daddy issues, o que parece simplório, mas não tem que o ser. Não vou escrever muito sobre este filme porque apesar de ter sido um filme muito divertido (e cheio de easter eggs), acho que saí da sala de cinema mais satisfeita com o primeiro filme do que com este. No entanto, tenham em mente de que gostei bastante e diverti-me imenso! Eu recomendo, sem sombra de dúvida, este filme.
Title: Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2 Director: James Gunn Writers: James Gunn, Dan Abnett (based on the Marvel comics by) Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista Year: 2017 | Duration: 2h 16mins
Synopsis:
The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill's true parentage.
Review:
It’s pretty evident that I’m a Marvel fan, so there is no need to say it again… for that reason it’s obvious I would want to watch Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2. The first movie is one of my favourites from Marvel Cinematic Universe, due to the comedy and comic relief; and that has happened again in this second movie.
We can easily summarize this movie as daddy issues, which may seem simplistic, but it doesn’t have to be. I won’t write much about this movie; although it’s a really funny movie (and full of easter eggs), I think I enjoyed the first movie more than this one. Nevertheless, have in mind that I really liked this movie, and I would always recommend this movie to anyone.
Título em Português: -- Série: World of Aluvia #3 Autor(a): Amy Bearce Editora: Curiosity Quills Press Páginas: 220 Data de Publicação: 23 de Maio de 2017
Sinopse:
Four years have passed since a fairy swarm released the voice of prophecy in Nell Brennan. In that painful moment, a skilled warrior became a reluctant leader and defender of Aluvia’s magic. Now a new enemy threatens their still-fragile lands, one Nell feels powerless to stop even with help from the voice within her. A mysterious dark alchemist from the Ice-Locked Lands is rising to power on the strength of his sword arm and an ice-breathing dragon obedient to his command. He promises unlimited magic to his followers and death to those who defy him. If he takes over the ports, his corrupt elixirs will disrupt the delicate balance of peace between Aluvia's people and all magical creatures. The voice of prophecy sends Nell and her friends to their enemy’s treacherous domain to find a sword of legend. Only the sword’s magic can prevent a return to a world of dying fairies and caged merfolk. But Nell’s up against the toughest foe she’s ever faced. In order to defeat him, she must master the unimaginable power of the sword―and the unwanted magic inside herself.
~ Recebemos este eARC directamente da editora Curiosity Quills. Obrigada! ~
Opinião:
Este é o terceiro e último livro da série World of Aluvia. O primeiro era sobre Sierra, o segundo sobre Phoebe e o terceiro é sobre Nell, ainda que todos eles tenham personagens tão importantes como estas heroínas.
Nell é uma guerreira e sente que a sua vida está um pouco fora do seu controle desde que (no primeiro livro) foi picada por fadas e uma magia no seu interior foi desperta, tornando-a uma profetisa pela salvação de Aluvia. Apesar de perceber a importância desta função e o quanto a sua vida melhorou, Nell sente falta de...não é bem de lutar, mas de ter uma espada na mão, por assim dizer. E Corbin, o seu apaixonado e fairy keeper, não percebe esta ânsia de algo mais.
Quando Aluvia se vê confrontada com um novo vilão que quer roubar a magia e fazer com que todas as criaturas mágicas lhes obedeçam, Nell, Corbin, Sierra, Micah, Phoebe e Tristan vêem-se numa nova missão por terras de gelo.
Nell é assombrada por magia negra que puxa pelas suas piores características e tem de lutar não só uma batalha física por ela e pelos seus amigos, mas também uma batalha emocional por quem ela verdadeiramente é e pelo quanto evolui desde que a conhecemos no primeiro livro.
Não querendo de todo estragar o enredo para quem queira ler o livro, direi apenas que a magia continua o tema frequente, com relações interpessoais a passarem por vários testes. Tive pena que praticamente só a Nell (e o Corbin) tivessem mais importância aqui, porque apesar de ser o livro deles, foi quase como se o resto do grupo não fizesse ali falta, o que não senti nos outros livros. É verdade que há momentos que a magia de Micah e Tristan é imprescindível mas...não é tanto a magia deles (indivíduos) mas a magia da terra e do mar, que poderia ser manuseada por outras personagens (se estas tivessem sido criadas, claro). Sierra ainda foi a que para mim esteve menos presente, o que foi uma pena. Gostava de ter visto mais interacção entre o grupo e não só a Nell e o Corbin e a Nell e o Dragão (o homem que quer roubar a magia de Aluvia).
Gostei de ler a luta interior de Nell e como a voz que fez dela uma profetisa se manifestou ao longo do livro, e gostei principalmente do final, com uma história de redenção e evolução. Foi um bom final para esta série, apesar de ter falhado nalguns pontos.
Title: Dragon Redeemer Serie: World of Aluvia #3 Author: Amy Bearce Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press Pages: 220 Publication date: May 23rd 2017
Synopsis:
Four years have passed since a fairy swarm released the voice of prophecy in Nell Brennan. In that painful moment, a skilled warrior became a reluctant leader and defender of Aluvia’s magic. Now a new enemy threatens their still-fragile lands, one Nell feels powerless to stop even with help from the voice within her. A mysterious dark alchemist from the Ice-Locked Lands is rising to power on the strength of his sword arm and an ice-breathing dragon obedient to his command. He promises unlimited magic to his followers and death to those who defy him. If he takes over the ports, his corrupt elixirs will disrupt the delicate balance of peace between Aluvia's people and all magical creatures. The voice of prophecy sends Nell and her friends to their enemy’s treacherous domain to find a sword of legend. Only the sword’s magic can prevent a return to a world of dying fairies and caged merfolk. But Nell’s up against the toughest foe she’s ever faced. In order to defeat him, she must master the unimaginable power of the sword―and the unwanted magic inside herself.
~ We received an eARC from the publisher Curiosity Quills. Thank you! ~
Review:
This is third and final book of the series World of Aluvia. The first one was about Sierra, the second one about Phoebe and the third one is about Nell, although all of them had characters almost has important as these main female characters.
Nell is a warrior and she feels that her life is a bit out her control, since (in the first book) she was stung by fairies, survived and awakened the magic inside her, which made her a prophetess who spoke for Aluvia’s salvation. Although she understood the importance of her mission, and how much her life had improved with it, Nell misses… not really fighting, but the feel of having a sword in her hand, so to speak. And Corbin, her love and fairy keeper, doesn’t understand her hunger for something more than just being a prophetess and a healer.
When Aluvia finds itself confronted with a new villain than wants to steal magic from magic beings and make them all obey him (in his mind giving the power to humans – meaning him), Nell, Corbin, Sierra, Micah, Phoebe and Tristan find themselves in a new mission through iced lands.
Nell is haunted by dark magic that pulls to the surface her worst traits and she has to fight not only a physical battle, but an emotional one as well – not just for who she really is, but for her friends too. I really liked seeing how much she had evolved since the first book.
I don’t want to spoil the plot for those of you who might want to read this book, so I’ll just say that magic is still the main theme, with interpersonal relationships going through several tests. I was a bit sad that most of the book is just Nell (and Corbin), and I missed the rest of the group – they were there, but it was almost like they weren’t missed or needed, which I didn’t feel in the previous books. It’s true that are moments when Micah and Tristan’s magic is indispensable, but it’s not really their magic (as individuals) but Earth and Water magic, which could have been used by other characters (had they been created, of course). Sierra was probably the least important and present character for me, which was a shame. I wanted to see some bonding time between these enemy-to-friends girls, and maybe have Sierra support Nell a bit more. I wish there had been more interaction between the whole group of friends and not just Nell and Corbin, and Nell and the Dragon (the villain, the man that wants to steal Aluvia’s magic).
I liked Reading about Nell’s interior fight and how the voice that made her a prophetess manifested itself throughout the book and I enjoyed the ending particularly, which included a story of redemption and evolution. It was a good ending for this series although it missed some crucial points.
• Fairy Keeper , by Amy Bearce (World of Aluvia #1) (Joana)
• Mer-charmer, by Amy Bearce (World of Aluvia #2) (Joana)
SOBRE A AUTORA/ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Amy writes stories for tweens and teens. She is a former reading teacher with a Masters in Library Science. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they’re raising two daughters and are currently living in Germany, though they still call Texas home. A perfect day for Amy involves rain pattering on the windows, popcorn, and every member of her family curled up in one cosy room reading a good book.
Título em Português:-- Série: Rogues to Riches #2 Autor(a): Erica Ridley Editora: Webmotion Páginas: 350 Data de Publicação: 2 de Maio de 2017
Sinopse:
In the Rogues to Riches historical romance series, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Sigh-worthy Regency rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind romance with rollicking adventure.
Nondescript “good girl” Miss Camellia Grenville only ever opens her mouth when forced to sing at her family’s musicales. That is, until the night she infiltrates the ton’s most scandalous masquerade ball on behalf of her sister, and finds herself in the arms—and the bed—of the one man she’d sworn to hate.
Irresistibly arrogant and unapologetically sensuous, infamous rake Lord Wainwright always gets his way. When he accepts a wager to turn his rakish image respectable in just forty days, he never anticipates falling for an anonymous masked lover...or that discovering her identity would destroy them both.
~ Recebemos este livro directamente da autora Erica Ridley, em troca desta opinião honesta. Obrigada! ~
Opinião:
Lord of Pleasure foi muito melhor que Lord of Chance.
Desde logo senti uma empatia muito maior com as personagens, tanto com Camellia como com Michael.
Camellia é uma irmã protectora e amiga que sente que tem de compensar o comportamento das irmãs, sendo por isso “ a boazinha”. Já Michael é visto como um playboy que basta entrar numa sala para as senhoras desmaiarem – o que ele não gosta particularmente. A maneira como as pessoas o vêem faz com que as suas palavras sejam distorcidas e isso é o que ele mais odeia.
Cada um deles sentia-se preso a um papel e é interessante ver como máscaras físicas permitem que as máscaras emocionais que usam no dia-a-dia possam cair. Gostei da evolução da relação deles, apesar de achar que, se calhar, não iria durar pois eles conhecem-se só como aquelas pessoas que estão atrás das máscaras, praticamente e, na realidade, eles são como que uma união do que mostram ao mundo e do que mostram um ao outro.
Apesar disso, foi uma leitura super rápida e de que gostei bastante, sempre curiosa para saber mais sobre as personagens. Achei que o “entrave/problema” não existia na realidade e poderia ter sido usado algo melhor, mas para o enredo que se desenrolou, algo simples chegou.
Foi um livro que foi difícil de pousar e que me deu bastante prazer a ler mas que, ao escrever esta opinião, percebi que tinha pequenos problemas, daí a pontuação não ser tão alto como as 4 bolachas inicialmente pensadas.
Title: Lord of Pleasure Serie: Rogues to Riches #2 Author: Erica Ridley Publisher: WebMotion Pages: 350 Publication date: May 2nd 2017
Synopsis:
In the Rogues to Riches historical romance series, Cinderella stories aren’t just for princesses… Sigh-worthy Regency rogues sweep strong-willed young ladies into whirlwind romance with rollicking adventure.
Nondescript “good girl” Miss Camellia Grenville only ever opens her mouth when forced to sing at her family’s musicales. That is, until the night she infiltrates the ton’s most scandalous masquerade ball on behalf of her sister, and finds herself in the arms—and the bed—of the one man she’d sworn to hate.
Irresistibly arrogant and unapologetically sensuous, infamous rake Lord Wainwright always gets his way. When he accepts a wager to turn his rakish image respectable in just forty days, he never anticipates falling for an anonymous masked lover...or that discovering her identity would destroy them both.
~ We’ve received this eARC in exchange for an honest review directly from the author, Erica Ridley. Thank you! ~
Review:
Lord of Pleasure was much better than Lord of Chance.
From the start, I felt a much bigger empathy with the characters, both Camellia and Michael.
Camellia is a friendly and protective sister and she feels like she has to compensate her family for her sisters’ behaviour – making her the “good girl”. Michael on the other hand, is seen as a rake/rogue/playboy, someone that walks into a room and makes all the ladies swoon – which he doesn’t particularly appreciates. Why? Because how people see him makes them change and twist his words, and he hates that.
Each of them felt stuck to a roll and it’s interesting to see how real masks allow for emotional and fake personality masks to fall and disappear. I liked the evolution of their relationship but, to be honest, I don’t know if it would last long, because they only know each other like the person behind the masks and, in truth, they are a bit of both – the ones behind the mask and that they show each other, and the ones they show the world.
Still, it was a fun and fast paced read that I quite enjoyed. I was always eager to know more about the characters. In truth, I think the “problem” didn’t really exist and something better could have been used to twist the story a bit but, for the kind of plot, this simple ruse and scheme worked fine.
It was a book that was hard to put down and gave me quite a lot pleasure to read, but, as I started to write this review, I concentrated a bit more on the problems that I was seeing, and that’s why the rating isn’t as high as I thought it would be (4*).
Título em Português: -- Série: Disney Beauty and the Beast #2 Autor(a): Mallory Reaves Editora: TokyoPop Páginas: 160 Data de Publicação: 28 de Março de 2017
Sinopse:
A tale as old as time ... told in timeless manga style
Disney's much-anticipated live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" hits theaters in March 2017, and it stars Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. This original two-part manga series is based upon the upcoming movie... but you've never seen this classic love story told quite this way before.
The "Beauty" manga delves into Belle's deepest thoughts as she's taken prisoner by the Beast in his majestic castle. Where the "Beast" manga explores Beast's deepest thoughts as he captures Belle in his castle and finds himself falling in love with her feisty attitude and adventurous spirit.
~ Recebemos este eARC através do NetGalley. Obrigada! ~
Opinião: Beast's Tale é o volume que se segue a Belle's Tale, que já escrevi uma review e podem ler aqui. Neste segundo volume temos a estória d'A Bela e do Monstro contacta pela perspectiva do Monstro e, sem qualquer sombra de dúvida, foi muito mais interessante de ler. Como já referi na minha crítica ao Belle's Tale, a estória d'A Bela e o Monstro não é a minha favorita, mas está no TOP de favoritas, daí a minha curiosidade por estes mangas (e também pelo filme que ainda não tive oportunidade de ver).
Tal como disse anteriormente, neste volume temos a perspectiva do Monstro, não só vemos os mesmos acontecimentos pelos olhos desta personagem, como temos o seu background e o que aconteceu para que a maldição fosse lançada. Achei este volume mais interessante, pois consegui, muito mais facilmente, criar ligação com o Monstro, coisa que não aconteceu no primeiro volume com a Belle com muita pena minha.
Foi uma excelente leitura, e que veio complementar da melhor forma (sendo que até supera) o volume anterior. Não falei da arte até este momento, pois está mantém-se fiel ao estilo manga e ao mesmo nível que o volume anterior. Beast's Tale foi uma boa leitura, melhor que o volume anterior, e eu recomendo para quem gosta do género e d'A Bela e o Monstro.
Title: Beast's Tale Serie: Disney Beauty and the Beast #2 Author: Mallory Reaves Publisher: TokyoPop Pages: 160 Publication Date: March 28th, 2017
Synopsis:
A tale as old as time ... told in timeless manga style
Disney's much-anticipated live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" hits theaters in March 2017, and it stars Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. This original two-part manga series is based upon the upcoming movie... but you've never seen this classic love story told quite this way before.
The "Beauty" manga delves into Belle's deepest thoughts as she's taken prisoner by the Beast in his majestic castle. Where the "Beast" manga explores Beast's deepest thoughts as he captures Belle in his castle and finds himself falling in love with her feisty attitude and adventurous spirit.
~ TThis digital arc was sent by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ~
Review: Beast’s Tale comes after Belle’s Tale, which I already reviewed here. In this second volume we have the Beast’s point of view of Beauty and the Beast, which was, without a doubt, way more interesting than the first volume. As I already wrote in my Belle’s Tale’s review, Beauty and the Beast is not my favourite Disney fairy tale, but I really like it and it’s in my TOP favourites, hence my curiosity for these mangas (and also the movie,which I haven't had the opportunity to watch yet).
As I already said, in this volume we have the Beast’s point of view; we see the same events from the first volume through this character’s eyes, but also what happened before. I think this volume is way more interesting than the first volume, since I connected more easily with the Beast than I ever felt wit Belle – which is a shame for me.
It was an excellent reading, and it complemented in a really good way (and it’s actually better) the first volume. I didn’t write about the art, because it’s faithful to its style from the previous volume. Beast’s Tale was a good reading, way better than the first volume, and I really recommend it for those who like Beauty and the Beast.
Título em Português:-- Série:-- Autor(a): Mariah Stewart, Terri Brisbin, Cara Marsi, Kate Welsh, Martha Schroeder, Gwendolyn Schuler, Georgia Dickson Editora: Luckenbooth Press Páginas: 426 Data de Publicação: 25 de Abril de 2017
Sinopse:
BRANDYWINE Brides ~ A Blackwood Legacy Anthology. One Family – Seven Generations – A Legacy of Love
Almost three centuries ago, a Scottish convict was sold into indentured servitude in Philadelphia and given a second chance at a life far from the country of his birth. In the years since, the farm secured by Finlan Blackwood’s efforts would grow and thrive in the Brandywine River valley just as his family and descendants did. Today, Blackwood Farm is one of the largest and most successful farms in Chester County. But it took the sacrifices and best efforts of each generation to make it so.
1721 – In A Traitor’s Heart by Terri Brisbin, a convicted traitor from the Jacobite Rising must find a way to rescue a widow from an unscrupulous man’s plans for her. . . and for the lands she holds.
1779 – In A Patriots’ Heart by Gwendolyn Schuler, a wounded British officer hiding a secret puts the daughter of Blackwood Farm’s owner in danger by his presence in their home.
1865 – In Wounded Heart by Martha Schroeder, a damaged Union soldier arrives home to find his childhood sweetheart is the one trying to save his family’s farm.
1919 – In Heart’s Song by Georgia Dickson, when the current owner of Blackwood Farm returns from the Great War, everything looks different to him, even the possibility of love.
1943 – In Painted Promises by Kate Welsh, the Blackwood heir, working for the war effort at home, is the only one who can help a woman who fought with the resistance in Europe before she escaped the horrors of war.
1971 – In We’ve Only Just Begun by Cara Marsi, the Blackwood son, suffering from the effects of Vietnam, meets exactly the kind of woman he needs, even if she doesn’t want to be the one.
2017 – In Finn’s Legacy by Mariah Stewart, when a writer comes to Blackwood Farm to interview the family matriarch, the last thing she expects is a reunion with the man who broke her heart before he left for Iraq four years ago.
Seven Blackwood generations. Seven loves worth fighting for!
~ Recebemos este livro através da autora Terri Brisbin, obrigada! ~
Opinião:
É um pouco difícil falar de uma antologia sem falar das histórias individuais. Para não me alongar muito, vou dizer algumas palavras sobre cada uma e depois fazer uma opinião mais geral.
A única autora que conheço das que escreveram esta antologia é a Terri Brisbin, e com ela estou habituada a romances históricos na época da Regência em Inglaterra, romances medievais ou com guerreiros escoceses na Escócia, por isso esta primeira história foi um pouco diferente. Em A Traitor’s Heart, Finlan Blackwood é enviado para os EUA depois da revolta jacobita, como castigo pela sua traição ao rei. Aqui, conhece um quaker, um Americano que faz parte da Sociedade dos Amigos. Como tal, ele compra Finlan mas acima de tudo é um amigo e um patrão, não um dono. A sentença de Finlan é de 5 anos. Depois desse tempo, é um homem livre para começar uma nova vida na América. E é quase no fim dos 5 anos que Finlan, é forçado a tomar uma decisão. Elizabeth, uma viúva que ele conhece e para quem fazia pequenos trabalhos, tem uma dívida enorme e vai perder a sua casa e o seu terreno. Finlan oferece-se para a levar para outra zona dos EUA e deixá-la com familiares escoceses enquanto acaba o seu tempo. Desesperada e sem outra opção, Elizabeth aceita e é visível a luta interna tanto de Finlan como de Elizabeth sobre o quanto gostam um do outro mas cada um acredita não ser bom o suficiente um para o outro. Richard Montgomery, o quaker, tem um papel importante, que não vou contar mais, mas tudo acaba por se desenrolar da melhor maneira possível, e Finlan e Elizaebeth têm o seu final feliz. O meu único ponto negativo neste enredo foi conhecer tão pouco da história do casal, como se conheceram, como começaram a gostar um do outro... Achei um pouco repentino, mas tirando isso, é um conto com um romance muito, muito leve.
Em A Patriots’ Heart, de Gwendolyn Schuler, temos uma história que tem por base o efeito Florence Nightingale, ou seja, uma médica/enfermeira que se apaixona pelo seu paciente (e vice-versa). Apesar disso, esta foi a minha história favorita. Tudo porque mostrou um crescer de emoções, de conhecimento mútuo. Conseguiu prender muito mais a minha atenção e fui interessante ver como alguém que tinha aprendido de Finlan Blackwood os ideais da Sociedade de Amigos, ainda que não fizesse parte dela, lida com uma guerra à porta de casa, tentando manter-se neutro sem deixar de lado as suas convicções – Elias Blackwood é um homem complicado mas honrado e generoso. Gostei de Margi e de como esta mulher forte ajuda mesmo achando que a pessoa que está a ajudar poderá estar “do lado errado” da guerra. O Capitão Hamilton é charmoso e acaba por conquistar toda a família com bastante facilidade, o que, por sua vez, conquista o leitor. Foi sem dúvida a minha história favorita.
Em Wounded Heart,de Martha Schroeder temos uma história também interessante, que nos traz uma família separada pela guerra e uma jovem que é enganada pelo próprio irmão. A história revolve à volta de um drama familiar, intrigas e coscuvilhices que ajudam o leitor a simpatizar com as personagens principais, Charles Blackwood e Tessa. Lê-se bem, mas gostava de ter sabido mais sobre a irmã de Charles, Louisa Blackwood e de como esta casou e manteve com um homem tão horrível como o irmão de Tessa. Gostava de ter visto alguns pontos mais desenvolvidos e, apesar de repentino, gostei do romance de Tessa e Charles.
Em Heart’s Song de Georgia Dickson, Ethan Blackwood volta de guerra com uma amputação e apesar, de ter uma prótese e conseguir fazer praticamente tudo, tem medo de ser um homem incompleto para a mulher por quem se apaixona, Serena Jordan, uma professora de música e também música ela própria. Ethan e Serena apaixonam-se à primeira vista e, para mim, isso não é das coisas mais atraentes numa história... Luxúria, atracção, sim, agora amor? Hum... não. Se pusermos isso de parte, eles vão-se conhecendo e criando oportunidade para o romance florescer, com a ajuda da amiga de infância de Ethan e amiga de Serena, Lillie. É um romance rápido e sem muitas complicações, que levam algumas escolhas pessoais mas nada de muito extraordinário.
Já em Painted Promises de Kate Welsh, temos um herói que queria ter ido para a guerra mas serve o seu país criando mantimentos para as tropas, e uma heroína que foge da guerra e viu horrores. Meri é uma pintora incrível que se expressa através da sua arte e Callum é um jovem que já viu outras pessoas lidarem com o stress pós-traumático (SPT) que a guerra causa à maioria destas, e acha que não consegue ajudar Meri mas, na verdade, acaba por ser o único com quem ela se abre. A história deles é interessante e acaba por se continuar a desenvolver durante as próximas duas histórias.
Continuando em We’ve Only Just Begun de Cara Marsi, Stephen Blackwood, filho de Meri e Callum, volta de guerra do Vietname não a mesma pessoa que foi. Aqui é ainda mais visível os efeitos de STP e a maneira como a guerra pode mudar a visão de alguém do mundo. Stephen quer, acima de tudo, salvar vidas e isso implica deixar a quinta e o terreno de Blackwood com o pai e afastar-se da sua história familiar. Mas ele quer fazer o seu próprio caminho e, após alguma resistência inicial, os pais apoiamno incondicionalmente. Durante esta jornada, Stephen conhece Elena, uma jovem designer de jóias que está afastada da família. Com muitas referências à época em que este conto se passa, a história acaba por se tornar um pouco repetitiva, com muitas descrições das roupas usadas como que para nos orientar nos 70. Gostaria de ter sabido mais de como Elena resolveu as coisas com a família e, sinceramente, não gostei muito que ela e o pai conseguissem com tanta facilidade, voltar a darem-se bem, tendo em conta as razões pelas quais se afastaram. Mais não digo, excepto que esta história soube a pouco, muita paixão e pouco romance, sinceramente.
Por fim, In Finn’s Legacy de Mariah Stewart. Finn (Finlan, pessoal?) lutou no Médio Oriente e agora que voltou a casa tem de lidar com as decisões que tomou antes de partir. Antes de mais, de referir que Finn e Sophie são netos super atenciosos que adoram os avós, Meri e Callum. E Finn, para manter o legado da família vai-se tornar “agricultor” e gestor da propriedade. Mas tudo isto é descoberto à medida que vamos conhecendo Finn e a sua relação com Abby, a jovem escritora que Meri pede para ir escrever sobre os seus quadros. Finn e Abby conheciam-se e estavam apaixonados desde o sétimo ano. Já tinhama até planos de casamento combinados quando ele decide, do nada, dizer que vai para a guerra no Médio Oriente e que é melhor separarem-se. Abby, obviamente fica muito magoada e quando o volta a ver, é difícil para os dois. Depois de algum esforço das duas partes, lá conseguem falar e explicar o porquê das suas decisões e reacções e Abby e Finn voltam-se a juntar-se e, provavelmente a vão viver felizes para sempre.
Uma das peças-chave que une todas estas histórias é o luckenbooth, um objecto tipo pregadeira que foi passado de geração em geração e dado às mulheres dos homens Blackwood e usado pelos bebés no seu baptizado. O luckenbooth da história é dado por Finlan a Elizabeth e tem ametistas, sendo semelhante ao que a mãe dele teria originalmente na Escócia. É um belo elemento de ligação, além de toda a genealogia das histórias.
Em geral, foi um livro bom, que teve para mim alguns pontos que podiam ter sido melhorados e, por azar, teve uma leitora que não é muito fã de coisas de guerra - mesmo não se passando DURANTE alguma guerra, todos os contos revolvem à volta de guerras. Gostaria de ter visto menos espaçamento de datas nas épocas mais antigas e saltos temporais mais pequenos mas percebo que nem todas as autoras se sentissem confortáveis a escrever nas diferentes épocas. É um livro para os amantes de romances curtos e rápidos, com ligações entre eles. Fãs de histórias familiares ficarão agradavelmente agrados.
Title: Brandywine Brides: A Blackwood Legacy Anthology Serie: -- Author: Mariah Stewart, Terri Brisbin, Cara Marsi, Kate Welsh, Martha Schroeder, Gwendolyn Schuler, Georgia Dickson Publisher: Luckenbooth Press Pages: 426 Publication date: April 25th 2017
Synopsis:
BRANDYWINE Brides ~ A Blackwood Legacy Anthology. One Family – Seven Generations – A Legacy of Love
Almost three centuries ago, a Scottish convict was sold into indentured servitude in Philadelphia and given a second chance at a life far from the country of his birth. In the years since, the farm secured by Finlan Blackwood’s efforts would grow and thrive in the Brandywine River valley just as his family and descendants did. Today, Blackwood Farm is one of the largest and most successful farms in Chester County. But it took the sacrifices and best efforts of each generation to make it so.
1721 – In A Traitor’s Heart by Terri Brisbin, a convicted traitor from the Jacobite Rising must find a way to rescue a widow from an unscrupulous man’s plans for her. . . and for the lands she holds.
1779 – In A Patriots’ Heart by Gwendolyn Schuler, a wounded British officer hiding a secret puts the daughter of Blackwood Farm’s owner in danger by his presence in their home.
1865 – In Wounded Heart by Martha Schroeder, a damaged Union soldier arrives home to find his childhood sweetheart is the one trying to save his family’s farm.
1919 – In Heart’s Song by Georgia Dickson, when the current owner of Blackwood Farm returns from the Great War, everything looks different to him, even the possibility of love.
1943 – In Painted Promises by Kate Welsh, the Blackwood heir, working for the war effort at home, is the only one who can help a woman who fought with the resistance in Europe before she escaped the horrors of war.
1971 – In We’ve Only Just Begun by Cara Marsi, the Blackwood son, suffering from the effects of Vietnam, meets exactly the kind of woman he needs, even if she doesn’t want to be the one.
2017 – In Finn’s Legacy by Mariah Stewart, when a writer comes to Blackwood Farm to interview the family matriarch, the last thing she expects is a reunion with the man who broke her heart before he left for Iraq four years ago.
Seven Blackwood generations. Seven loves worth fighting for!
~ We've received this eARC from the author Terri Brisbin, thank you! ~
Review:
It’s a bit hard to talk about an anthology without addressing the individual stories. I’m going to try not to elongate too much, just say a few words about each of them and then a general appreciation.
The only author I had read before is Terri Brisbin, and with her books, I’m used to reading Regency romances, medieval romances or romances with Highlanders, in Scotland, so this first story was a bit different. In A Traitor’s Heart, Finlan Blackwood is sent to the USA after the Jacobite rising, as a traitor to the king. Here, he meets a Quaker, an American part of the Society of Friends. He buys Finlan but above all else, he’s a friend and an employer, not an owner. Finlan’s sentence is for 5 years. After that time, he’s a free man, available to start a new life in America. And it’s near the end of his 5 years sentence that he’s forced to make a decision. Elizabeth, a widow he knows and for whom he did small jobs, has an immense debt and is going to lose her farm. Finlan volunteer to take her to his Scottish relatives far away, where no one knows her, until he finishes his time and meets her. Desperate and without any other options, Elizabeth says yes and the internal struggle they both fight to accept how much they like each other, but both think they don’t deserve one another is very visible. Richard Montgomery, the Quaker, has an important role, which I’m not going to talk about, but everything works the best possible way and Finlan and Elizabeth have their happy ending. The only negative point in this plot was the fact that we didn’t get to see them falling in love, we don’t know a lot about their story, how they met… I thought it was a bit sudden, but apart from that, is a very soft and sweet romance.
In A Patriot’s Heart, by Gwendolyn Schuler, we have a story that has a base in the Florence Nightingale effect, meaning the nurse/doctor falls in love with the patient (and vice-versa in this case). It was, despite it, my favourite story. All because it showed a crescendo of emotions, of mutual knowledge. It hooked my attention much more than the previous story (and the next ones); it was also quite interesting to see how someone who had learned from Finlan Blackwood the ideals of the Society of Friends (even though he was not part of it) deals with a war at his door, trying to stay neutral and yet stay true to his convictions – Elias Blackwood is a complicated yet honourable and generous man. I really liked Margi and how this strong woman helps even though she thinks the person she’s helping might be on the “wrong side” of the war. Captain Hamilton is very charming and ends up winning over the entire family, which by consequence wins over the reader fairly easily. It was without question my favourite story.
In Wounded Heart, by Martha Schroeder, we also have an interesting story, a plot that involves a family torn apart by war and a young lady who is tricked by her brother. It’s all about family drama, intrigue and gossip that helps the reader to sympathize with the main characters, Charles Blackwood and Tessa. It’s an easy and likeable read, but I wish I could have learned more about Charles’ sister, Louisa Blackwood and how she ended up marrying Tessa’s brother, a horrible man. I wish I could have seen a few more plot points developed, still, even though it was a bit sounded, I liked Charles and Tessa’s romance.
In Heart’s Song, by Georgia Dickson, Ethan Blackwood comes back from war with an amputation and, even though he had a prosthetic and could pretty much do everything, he’s afraid of being an incomplete man for the woman he loves, Serena Jordan, a musician and music teacher. Ethan and Serena fell in love at first sight and, for me, that’s not the most interesting thing in a story. Lust, attraction, yes, but love at first sight? No… If you put that aside, Ethan and Serena get to know each other and the romance blooms, with the help of Ethan’s childhood friend and Serena’s friend Lillie. It’s a quick romance without a lot of complications, that has some personal choices being made but nothing very extraordinary.
In Painted Promises, by Kate Welsh, we have a main male character that wanted to go to war but stayed home and helped with supplies for the army, and a female main character that witnessed the war and saw horrors. Meri is an amazing painter who expresses herself through her art. Callum is a young man who’s seen other people deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and doesn’t think he can help Meri but, in the end, he’s the only one with whom she opens up. Their story is quite interesting and continues to develop through the next two stories.
Carrying on to We’ve Only Just Begun by Cara Marsi, we have Stephen Blackwood, Meri and Callum’s son, back from the Vietnam War – and he’s not the same person as he was before. Here it’s quite visible the effects of PTSD and the way the war can change someone’s view of the world. Stephen wants, more than anything, to save lives, and that implies leaving the Blackwood farm, and stepping away from his family’s story. He wants to trail his own path and, after some initial resistance, his parents stand behind him unconditionally. During this journey, Stephen meets Elena, a young jewellery designer that is estranged from her family. With several references to the 70’s, the story ended up being a bit repetitive, with several descriptions of the clothes worn at that time, almost as a guide to the 70’s. I would have liked to know more about how Elena sorted things out with her family and, honestly, I didn’t like that her reconciliation with her father was so easy, after the way he had treated her. This story felt a bit short, with a lot of passion but not enough romance.
Lastly, In Finn’s Legacy by Mariah Stewart, we have Finn (Finlan homage, right?), who went to fight in the Middle East and is now back home and has to deal with the decisions he made before leaving. First of all, I would like to mention that Finn and Sophie are extremely thoughtful and caring grandchildren to Meri and Callum. And Finn, to keep the family’s legacy, is becoming a “farmer” and running the estate. But all of this is discovered at the same time that we learn about his relationship with Abby, the young writer Meri asks to write about her paintings. Finn and Abby new each other and were in love with each other since the seventh grade. They even had wedding plans made when he, out of the bloom, decides to go the Middle East and that they should break up. Abby, with reason, is very hurt and when they meet again it’s very hard for both of them. After some effort on both parts, they talk it out and they each explain their actions and reactions. Abby and Finn get back together and, probably, will live happily ever after.
One of the key pieces of these stories is the luckenbooth, a jewellery piece that was handed down from generation to generation starting with Finlan. He bought one with amethysts similar to the one his mother originally had in Scotland and gave it to Elizabeth. It is given to women the Blackwood man love, as well as their children on their christening. It’s a fine element of connection between the stories, besides the obvious genealogy.
In general, it was a good book, that for me had a few plot points that could have been improved and, bad luck, this was read by someone who doesn’t really like war stories - and even though it isn’t DURING a war, all stories revolve around wars. I would have liked to see stories without so many years apart in the beginning but I can understand that not all authors would feel comfortable with it. This is a book for readers that like short and sweet romances, with connections between the stories. Fans of family sagas will be pleasantly pleased.
Título em Português: Ladrões com Muito Estilo Realização: Zach Braff Argumento: Theodore Melfi (argumento), Edward Cannon (baseado na estória de 1979 de) Elenco Principal: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine e Alan Arkin Ano: 2017 | Duração: 1h 36min
Sinopse:
Desesperados para pagar as contas, três amigos ao longo da vida decidem arriscar tudo, embarcando numa tentativa audaciosa para derrubar o próprio banco que fugiu com o seu dinheiro.
Opinião:
Sabem aquele momento em que querem ver um filme, mas não sabem qual, só sabem que querem algo leve e divertido? Ladrões com Muito Estilo é uma óptima opção.
Em Ladrões com Muito Estilo seguimos três reformados, Joe (Michael Cain), Willie (Morgan Freeman) e Albert (Alan Arkin), peripécias depois de descobrirem que vão perder as suas pensões. A solução que encontram para isto? Assaltar um banco. Na verdade, o enredo é isso mesmo: eles vão assaltar um banco, mas também não é preciso mais do que isso. O filme não pretende ser mais do que realmente é: uma comédia ligeira, com uma pequena hint de crítica social.
Não tenho muito mais a dizer sobre o filme, sem ser que me diverti imenso e é um filme excelente para domingo à tarde, para descontrair e rir um bocado. Tem interpretações excelentes, não estivéssemos nós a falar de actores extraordinários como estes três (isto sem desfazer o restante cast).
Title: Going in Style Director: Zach Braff Writers: Theodore Melfi (screenplay), Edward Cannon (based on the 1979 story by) Stars: Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine & Alan Arkin Year: 2017 | Duration: 1h 36mins
Synopsis:
Desperate to pay the bills and come through for their loved ones, three lifelong pals risk it all by embarking on a daring bid to knock off the very bank that absconded with their money.
Review:
You know that moment when you want to watch a movie, you don’t know which one, but you know that you want something light and funny? Going in Style is an amazing option for that!
In Going in Style we follow three retired men, Joe (Michael Cain), Willie (Morgan Freeman) e Albert (Alan Arkin), who just found out that they are going to lose their retirement. What is the solution they came up with? Robbing a bank. To be honest, that all the plot: they are going to rob a bank, but you don’t need anything else. The movie doesn’t try to be anything else than what it is: a light comedy with a tiny hint of social criticism.
I don’t have much to say about it. I had fun, and it’s an amazing movie for any Sunday afternoon, to relax and laugh. It has amazing interpretations. I mean these three men are extraordinary actors (I’m not undervalue the rest of the cast).
Título em Português:Puro Prazer Série:Mistress Matchmaker #2 Autor(a): Jess Michaels Editora: Quinta Essência Páginas: 284 Data de Publicação: 4 de Outubro de 2016
Sinopse:
Uma amante nunca deve ter a ingenuidade de se apaixonar pelo seu protetor nem de lhe confiar o seu futuro financeiro. Mariah Desmond fez as duas coisas e o seu amado protetor morreu e deixou-a sem nada. Obrigada a procurar outro protetor, está decidida a agora guiar-se pelo instinto de sobrevivência e não pelo coração. Mas quando assiste a uma das escandalosas festas de Vivien Manning, o rosto familiar do melhor amigo do seu falecido amante apanha-a desprevenida. Um passado doloroso ensinou John Rycroft que não tem tendência para ser o príncipe encantado de ninguém. O seu fraco por Mariah – melhor dizendo, o seu forte – é precisamente o motivo por que se manteve à distância. Contudo, ao vê-la namoriscar com um enxame de homens que competem por se tornarem o seu próximo amante, algo dispara no seu íntimo. Quando John a arranca aos seus pretendentes, a indignação de Mariah derrete-se no calor da ardente química entre os dois. Mas rapidamente descobre que não é fácil.
Opinião:
Os livros da Jess Michaels são sempre um pouco diferentes e para um público um mais circunscrito. Mais que um romance histórico, é um romance erótico.
Mas o que admiro e gostei particularmente neste livro foi que, apesar de ao fim de 10 páginas (se tanto) já termos cenas de sexo explícito, estas foram tão bem enquadradas, tão bem descritas que não me incomoda minimamente – aliás, até é bom, porque mostra que a autora consegue escrever bem o suficiente uma cena de sexo e de emoção.
Mariah Desmond não foi, de todo, das minhas personagens femininas favoritas (para não dizer que não gostei nada dela). Achei muito mais interessante (e fiquei curiosa em saber a sua história) Vivien Manning,que é uma mulher que tem as festas mais escandalosas e ajuda casais a juntarem-se (isto é, amantes) mas que é mais do que a fachada que mostra ao mundo. Já John Rycroft foi uma personagem mais interessante, qque me prendeu durante a leitura do livro.
Apesar de ter sido um bom livro, achei que a história por vezes era um bocado inverosímil e isso acabava por me distrair. Daí não chegar a uma pontuação mais elevada. Foi, no entanto, uma leitura agradável e rápida.
A mistress should never be foolish enough to fall in love with her protector, nor trust him with her financial future. Mariah Desmond did both, and now her dearly departed protector has left her with nothing. Forced to seek another protector, she’s determined that this time, she’ll lead with her survival instinct—not her heart. But when she attends one of Vivien Manning’s infamous parties, the familiar face of her late lover’s best friend throws her for a loop. A painful past taught John Rycroft that he’s not fit to be anyone’s knight in shining armor. His soft spot—make that a hard spot—for Mariah is precisely why he’s kept his distance. Yet the sight of her flirting with a bevy of men vying to become her next lover makes something inside him snap. As John hauls her bodily away from her suitors, Mariah’s indignation melts away in the heat of the sizzling sexual chemistry. She quickly finds it isn’t easy to navigate John’s stormy emotional waters. Especially when his abusive father’s quest to get his son back under his thumb puts her life in danger.
Review:
Jess Michaels’ books are always a bit different and for a specific audience. More than a historical romance, it’s an erotic romance.
What I really liked, especially in this book, was that even though after maybe ten pages, if not less, there were already explicit sex scenes, but these were so well framed, and so well written that it didn’t bother me at all – it’s actually a good thing because it shows that the author can write a good sex scene as well as an emotional scene.
Mariah Desmon wasn’t, at all, one of my favourite female characters (just trying not to say that I didn’t like her at all!). In fact, I though Vivien Manning was way more interesting and it made me curious to know her story. Vivien is a woman that has the most scandalous parties and helps couples get together (as in lovers, not married couples), but there’s more to her than the front she shows the world. John Rycroft, on the other hand, was a more interesting character, which hooked me during the time I was reading the book.
Although it was a good book, I felt like the story was sometimes a bit… improbable, and that ended up distracting me. Therefore, the book couldn’t rise to a better score with me. It was, however, a pleasant and quick read.
