Recenzie: Căutând-o pe Alaska de John Green

Recenzie: Căutând-o pe Alaska de John Green

                        


Primul prieten.
Prima iubire.
Ultimele cuvinte.
ÎNAINTE. Miles Halter – un adolescent singuratic pasionat de cuvintele rostite de personaje celebre în ultimele lor clipe de viaţă – pleacă la şcoala cu internat Culver Creek în căutarea a ceea ce Rabelais numea „Marele Necunoscut".
Acest Necunoscut se dovedeşte mai tulburător decât şi-ar fi imaginat vreodată când în noul său cerc de prieteni îşi face intrarea seducătoarea Alaska Young. Inteligentă, amuzantă, imprevizibilă, Alaska îl atrage într-o lume misterioasă de lumini şi umbre, ce stă sub semnul ultimelor cuvinte ale lui Simón Bolívar, faimosul general imortalizat de Gabriel García Márquez: „Cum o să mai ies eu din labirintul ăsta?"DUPĂ. Nimic nu va mai fi la fel.

Fetele vor plânge, iar băieţii vor găsi dragoste, atracţie şi dorinţă în parfumul de vanilie şi ţigări pe care îl răspândeşte Alaska. -- Kirkus Review

Căutând-o pe Alaska surprinde perfect intensitatea trăirilor şi disperarea care definesc adolescenţa. -- teenreads.com

Frumuseţea acestui roman stă în faptul că nu ascunde nimic. -- The Guardian


"Iar acum cred că e momentul prielnic să spun că era frumoasă. În întunericul de lângă mine, Alaska mirosea a sudoare şi a raze de soare şi a vanilie, iar în acea noapte luminată de o lună firavă vedeam doar silueta ei, excepţie făcând momentele în care fuma, când tutunul aprins al ţigării ei îi învăluia faţa într o lumină roşiatică. Dar, chiar şi pe întuneric, îi vedeam ochii — două smaralde arzătoare. Avea acel soi de privire pătrunzătoare care te făcea să i cedezi."

Vreau să mulţumesc sponsorului nostru Editura Trei pentru şansa de a citi această carte! Ea poate fi comandată AICI alături de multe alte titluri!

                                          

Gândurile mele (Roxana):


“When adults say, "Teenagers think they are invincible" with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don't know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are. We cannot be born, and we cannot die. Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations. They forget that when they get old. They get scared of losing and failing. But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail.”

Nu pot spune ca sunt o mare fană a lui John Green, știu ca ceea ce spun ii va revolta pe foarte mulți fani ai autorului, dar eu nu am fost 'vrajită' de Sub Aceeași Stea, iar asta este ceea ce caut atunci când citesc o carte, să trăiesc sentimentele personajului principal, ceea ce s-a întâmplat, dar și simt o anumită conexiune cu respectiva carte...
Acestea fiind spuse, nu pot spune că așteptam cu sufletul la gură 'Căutând-o pe Alaska', despre care nu știam decât faptul ca este scrisă de John Green și atât.

Pe parcursul lecturii, am citit o poveste despre un grup de adolescenți: Miles, Colonelul, Alaska, Takumi și mai apoi, Lara și am aflat secretele, iubirile, visele și regretele lor, dar totul se schimbă în mod subit, exact atunci când te aștepți cel mai puțin. Iar, în ciuda problemelor mele cu carțile sale, trebuie să recunosc că John Green te ia prin surprindere exact când nu te aștepți, exact când începusem să mă obișnuiesc cu personajele lui...

“The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.”



“When I look at my room, I see a girl who loves books.” Dacă, până în acel moment, romanul fusese relaxant,amuzant, oferindu-mi o notă de bună dispoziție, totul se schimbă brusc, iar mie, ca cititoare mi-a fost destul de greu sa accept ceea ce s-a întâmplat, iar personajele descrise ca niște adolescenți lipsiți de griji, acum sunt prinși într-o furtună de sentimente precum vină, regret, disperare, furie,teamă și singurătate, încercând să se regăsească pe ei inșiși, dar și să descopere ceea ce s-a întâmplat în realitate. Trebuie să recunosc că i-am înțeles, cel puțin am înțeles disperarea și furia pe care o resimt față de tot, față de sine, dar mai ales necesitatea de a reconstrui acest puzzle, pentru ca aceasta era singura soluție pentru eroii noștri de a merge mai departe, de a nu rămâne prinși în trecut și chiar dacă ei continuă să își petreacă împreună timpul, însă singurătatea  și fantomele trecutului nu ii părăsesc...
Poate că unii cititori nu vor înțelege cum acești prieteni atât de buni se pot îndepărta atât de mult, cum hotărăsc sa-și păstreze emoțile în înteriorul lor și să se ascundă unii de ceilalți, dar după tot ceea ce s-a întâmplat nu exista o altă soluție...

“I wanted so badly to lie down next to her on the couch, to wrap my arms around her and sleep. Not fuck, like in those movies. Not even have sex. Just sleep together in the most innocent sense of the phrase. But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was hurricane.”
 



“Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present.”

Decizie Finală- 'Căutând-o pe Alaska' este o carte complexă ce prezintă mai mult decât un simplu proces de maturizare al unor adolescenți, de fapt aș îndrăzni să spun că este un test de viață care își lasă amprenta asupra eroilor noștri și implicit asupra noastră ca cititori. Așa cum am menționat deja, deși nu am fost tulburată de lectura cărții 'Sub Aceeași Stea', 'Căutând-o pe Alaska' a fost experiență cu totul diferită pe care aș dori să o repet din nou.

Nota mea: 4,5/5




“At some point, you just pull off the Band-Aid, and it hurts, but then it's over and you're relieved.

Despre Autor

John Green s-a născut la 24 august 1977. Cărţile sale au fost publicate în peste douăzeci de limbi şi figurează constant în topul celor mai bine vândute titluri al publicaţiei New York Times.
Căutând-o pe Alaska, romanul de debut al lui John Green, i-a adus autorului premiul Michael L. Printz acordat de American Library Association şi nominalizarea la Los Angeles Times Book Prize.Foarte activ şi pe platformele virtuale, John Green a creat, împreună cu fratele său, Brotherhood 2.0, cel mai popular proiect video online, accesat pe YouTube de peste 30 de milioane de fani Nerdfighter din întreaga lume.
De acelaşi autor, la Editura Trei a apărutSub aceeaşi stea, roman care a primit numeroase distincţii şi s-a bucurat de un imens succes de public.

Review: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead

Review: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5) by Richelle Mead



Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.
In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.
Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

For my romanian readers, you can buy it from here.



My thoughts: (Roxana):



From the first moment when I finished to read The Fiery Heart I wanted to put my hands and start reading the Silver Shadows, because let's face it, the cliff hanger at end of book 4 it was horrible and brilliant at the same time, because I just wanted Adrian and Sydney to be happy...

So, you can see way I was so anxious and scared to read this book, but like always, Richelle Mead delivers everything that you want in a book: action and romance, but this time we have so much angs and pain on our hands that we have to prepare ourselves for this crazy ride. Unfortunate for us, it doesn't get better, even more we see both of our characters having to fight on their own and trying to survive to their new life and while one of them does, the other not so much...

“What is it with you and girls, Adrian, dear? Why do they either mean nothing to you or everything? It's always an extreme."
"Because I don't do things in halves, mom. Especially when it comes to love.” 




Yes, people... it's all about Adrian, because I was really loking forward to see him grow up, now that he learned so many lessons during the previous books in the Bloodlines series, but he still messed up. I know that he has some issues with spirit and all that jazz, but I was really looking forward to a new version of Adrian...

Even though, I wanted to strangle him many times during this book, I also wanted to hug him, because it's a dificile situation, something that he didn't have to confront until now, but maybe I'm not so objective because of my love for him... yes, I'm Team Adrian all the way...
But, he DOES redeem himself until the end of the story when he takes some dangerous actions to save Sydney.
“Out of old habit, I put my hand on my collarbone, touching a cross that was no longer there.
Don't let them change me, I prayed silently.Let me keep my mind. Let me endure whatever there is to come.”



“I took a deep breath and said: “I fell in love with a vampire.”
And like that, I was blinded by light.”


Sydney... Oh my God, Sydney... this girl doesn't give up, even though the Alchemist are trying to break her again and again, using every dirty method they know, and I cheered her every time, because she's a strong and smart girl. If you remember, some readers has said that she's weak and can't compare with Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy series, and while I'll admit she's not Rose, I wouldn't want her to be, because in rehabilitation survives the smart one, and while Rose is smart, she's also very impulsive, acting on the moment kind of girl. But here is pure Hell and  the Alchemist organization have all the power it takes to make them see their 'truth'.



We also got to see in action Marcus and his Merry Men, for those of you who didn't think they are good for something, they will are joining their forces with Adrian and together they use their ressources to save Sydney from the Hell she is in.
We also got to see old characters and new ones, from Nina or Duncan to Rose and Co., and I loved every freaking moment, because it reminded me from Vampire Academy age, with their humor and wit, but we also see Adrian and Dimitri really talking for the first time, and while their interactions doesn't end very well, it's still something because it shows how much Adrian overcome his past with Rose and how strong his feelings are for Sydney...

“As amusing as it was to see him lovestruck, we had to stay on track. I snapped my fingers in front of Marcus's face. "Focus," I said.”
Final Decision- I can't speak higly enough to convince you to buy and read this wonderful book, because it deserves every penny. It has everything you want in a book: love, desire, action, fantasy, evil organization and vampires. But what is so addictive about it is the fact that it doesn't seem like you're reading a fantasy book, the feelings of the characters are so raw, and described in a completely realistic way that you can't help yourself and fall for them, even feeling their pain...

My rating : 5/5



“You’re better than this, Adrian. Whatever the reason, you’re better than it. Don’t trick yourself into thinking you’re weaker than you are”

The Bloodlines series...

Adrian's Lost Chapter (Bloo...
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Bloodlines (Bloodlines, #1)
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The Golden Lily (Bloodlines...
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The Indigo Spell (Bloodline...
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The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines...
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Silver Shadows (Bloodlines,...
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The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines...
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About the Author 



Scorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.

A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.

Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7) by Ilona Andrews

Review: Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7) by Ilona Andrews



No matter how much the paranormal politics of Atlanta change, one thing always remains the same: if there’s trouble, Kate Daniels will be in the middle of it…
As the mate of the Beast Lord, Curran, former mercenary Kate Daniels has more responsibilities than it seems possible to juggle. Not only is she still struggling to keep her investigative business afloat, she must now deal with the affairs of the pack, including preparing her people for attack from Roland, a cruel ancient being with god-like powers. Since Kate’s connection to Roland has come out into the open, no one is safe—especially those closest to Kate.
As Roland’s long shadow looms ever nearer, Kate is called to attend the Conclave, a gathering of the leaders from the various supernatural factions in Atlanta. When one of the Masters of the Dead is found murdered there, apparently at the hands of a shapeshifter, Kate is given only twenty-four hours to hunt down the killer. And this time, if she fails, she’ll find herself embroiled in a war which could destroy everything she holds dear..

For my Romanians readers, you can buy it from here.


My thoughts (Roxana):


When I put  my hands on this book, I thought I just got a meeting with God or the president or with a rock star, I simply canțt put in words how excited I was to start reading this book, no, not excited, but completely freaking out and jumping all over the place like a mad, mad woman! Seriously, people, if you didn't read this series what in the name of all that's holy, are you waiting for? Because that's one of the best series in the paranormal genre, and if I could write songs and odes for it, declaring my eternal love, I'll do it every freaking day! You simply can't stop yourself and not fall in love with the Beast Lord or Kate, or every other character from this amazing series...

“Maybe I should add some graffiti to spice it up. For a good time call the Consort. Beast Lord eats your food and turns into a lion in his sleep. Mahon has hemorrhoids. Boudas do it better. Warning, paranoid attack jaguar on the prowl…”
If you are afraid you'll not understand this series, or you'll have problems  with it, then I can assure that's not going to be a problem, because almost every Kate Daniels novel can be read as a stand-alone, but I don't recommend it since this series it's worth reading it from the start. But, like I said this series begins with Barabas'account on everything that has happened till this moment (every excruciating, angst-filled, funny, sad or just-a-moment in this series) and I adored to see how others perceive Kate, so if you were afraid to read it, then don't be! Once, we see the recap, we find ourselfes (like so many other times) trapped in a murder. Well more like the people and the shapeshifters are trapped in this murder, and both of them are on the break of a war! And Kate, being the Consort or the Beast Lady, can't just walk way from this freaking disaster, can she? Even more so, because she's alone, without Curran, her mate. Now, Kate has to find the murder and resolve this crime, before this war begins, but, fortunate for her, she can do it with her most helpful shapeshifters, but, like I said the clock is ticking and her dear father will make his presence known...

“Because that's what it would catch in the wild, a boar, right? I can't wait to see a pack of bunnycats take down a wild hog with those short tiny legs. Wouldn't the boar be surprised?"
Everybody was a comedian.
"May be if I oink loud enough, it'll leap across the beam and try to devour me.”

About her father...most of you already knows who he is, for those who don't- well he's Roland, and for those of you who has read the book 6, you know that he is coming for her, now that her secret is out in the open, and even though Kate had some spectaculars opponents, some of them her family, some her stalking obssesed right hand warrior of Roland. Well, neither of them can't compare with The Big Wolf, and while I was excited to find out how he is, I was also scared out of my mind, because let's face it- he's Roland, the greatest challenge Kate will ever have, not to mention her father...

From the others novels, I was always conflicted about him, on one part he's evil because Voron, her adoptive father has said it so many times, but we know now that Voron it's not to be trusted, at least not completely, if we count what had happened to him, but we also know that Roland can be merciful and he DID loved his other children, but all of them have gone crazy, somewhere along their life. Besides he loved Kate's mother and she loved him, so if there has been some love between them, can this so powerful, more than life, demi-god be this cruel and horrible. Well, the answer is somewhere in the middle, because we can't simply box him in one category or the other. I'll admit that I was hoping to see more of him, but like the authors already said it: THIS IS NOT THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES, so we'll see more of Roland in the next books. Besides, you just know it in your bones that it will be an amazing fight, and while we want Kate to be the winner, she's not quite ready for this confrontation. Yes, she was brilliant in her fight with Hugh, but her powers are not as Roland's who had so much time at his disposal and has made so many creatures...

“Curran's eyes went gold. His voice dropped into a rough growl. "If you're going to shoot, make sure to empty the clip, because after you're done, I'll shove that gun up your ass sideways."
Blue Jacket blinked.
"Can you even do that?" I asked.
"Let's find out." Curran stared at the thug. "Well? Shoot, so we can start this experiment.”



I know that many of you are going to be dissapointed with the absence of our Beast Lord but I was somewhat happy, and it's just my opinion, so don't kill me, but I think that it was essential for Kate to grow more as a character, and find out she can survive without him. I think she will love him more and be a great team further, but when her life will be at stake, she'll ask for his help because she wants him to be with her, not for her...
Besides, you don't have to worry because when Curran makes his appearance... he makes it in great style.
“Desandra shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, Kate? Have you thought of walking up to Hugh and telling him that he's got the biggest dick ever?" She spread her arms to the size of a baseball bat.
"No, you think it would work?" I asked.
"It's worth a try. May be he'll be so happy you noticed his pork sword, he'll forget all about trying to kill us."
Pork sword. Kill me now. "I'll think about it."
Ascanio began patting his clothes.
"What?" Derek growled.
"Looking for something to take notes with.”


“Quick, Derek, it's your chance to shine," Ascanio said.
Derek gave him a withering look.
"Desandra is a mother, Robert is married, Kate's affianced, and I'm an old soul. You're the closest thing to a virgin we've got. Get on with growing some flowing locks.” 


This series it's not just about fighting and romance (we have them in spades), but it's also about friendship the power you have to find it in you to put someone else's life before you, and it's not easy since the human's nature is selfish, but this series speaks more about it, and we see how Kate goes from a mercenary all alone in the world, designed to be the figuratively speaking 'bullet' to kill Roland, and now she has a fiance, friends that we'll do anything to save her and more allies that she can count. So, this book has almost everyone of them has  role to play in this book, and yes we find out more about Ghastek, or Rober the Alpha of Clan Rat, and I know that not many of you are Ghastek's lovers, but once some of his past comes out you'll understand him more.
Not to mention Derek and Ascanio who are the perfect team for Kate, their wit and sarcastic's replies will have laugh so many times though the book even when the world seems to come to an end for Kate's crew.




“You know, if you have certain frustrations," Ascanio said, "I would be happy to help you work them out."
Derek looked at me, pointed at Ascanio, and punched his left palm with his right fist a few times. I shook my head. No, you can't pummel him.” 




What I don't regret are the losses of Kate's enemies, some of them who I hate them with all my being and I can't express my whole gratitude for their deaths and maybe I'm a little like Kate, but I was so invested in this series it become like a new family, and every loss it was like a punch at my gut, so I understood Kate's desire of vengeance.

Final Decision- If you want to read a wonderful book that we'll have on the edges of your seat on this whole crazy ride then read Magic Breaks, or even better read the whole series, because it's worth it. It's so worth it...

My rating: 5/5


Kate Daniels series:


Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)
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Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)
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Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels...
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Must Love Hellhounds (Sooki...
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Magic Mourns (Kate Daniels,...
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Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels,...
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Hexed (Kate Daniels, #4.5; ...
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Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels,...
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Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)
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An Apple for the Creature (...
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Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels, ...
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Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniel...
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Hex Appeal (Phoenix Chronic...
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An Ill-Advised Rescue Part 1
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An Ill-Advised Rescue Part 2
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Magic Rises (Kate Daniels, #6)
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Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels,...
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Night Shift (Kate Daniels, ...
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Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels,...
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Untitled (Kate Daniels, #9)
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Untitled (Kate Daniels, #10)
by 

About the Authors 

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. author2sm“Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

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