Esta sexta-feira é um dia particularmente especial, especialmente se também fore fan d' O Hobbit e d' O Senhor dos Anéis - é dia de ler Tolkien!! E a pensar nisso achei que era o dia perfeito para partilhar a minha paixão pelos livros do autor.

This Friday is going to be a very important day specially if you're a fan of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - it's Read Tolkien day!! With that in mind I thought it was the perfect date for me to share my love for Tolkien books.



The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings (Fellowship of the Ring, Two Towers, Return of the King)
O Hobbit e O Senhor dos Anéis (A Irmandade do Anel, Duas Torres, Regresso do Rei)


Estas são as minhas primeiras edições d' O Hobbit e d' O Senhor dos Anéis. Adoro as ilustrações da capa (apesar de se perder um pouco os detalhes das mesmas na capa do livro). De momento ando à caça de umas versões em inglês. Especialmente porque a seguir a ouvir as versões audio do livro fiquei com imensa vontade de reler tudo mas em inglês.
Por norma não sou a favor de voltar a comprar livros que já tenho - e às vezes até livros que já li e não tenho, excepto alguns livros (Trilogia Mundos Paralelos do Philip Pullman e O Ciclo de Terramar de Ursula K. Le Guin).

These are my first editions of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. They are in portuguese and have beautiful artwork on the cover. I'm currently on the hunt for some pretty english versions. Specially since I've heard the audiobook version in English that I want that my next re-read of these books to be done in English. 
Although by norm I'm against of re-purchasing books that I already own there are a few exceptions (His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman and Earthsea Cycle series by Ursula K. Le Guin)

The Lord of the Rings - movie adaptation (extended version)
O Senhor dos Anéis - adaptação cinematográfica (versões extensas).

Nem todos gostamos de ler, e para ser honesta Tolkien não é para qualquer leitor. A minha paixão por esta série/mundo começou com os filmes. A caixa arquivadora das versões extensas dos filmes é linda e parecem-se livros! Estou ansiosa para que as adaptações extensas d' O Hobbit saiam (um preço mais simpático) para as adicionar à minha colecção de Tolkien.

Not all of us like to read books, and to be honest Tolkien is not for all readers. My passion for this series started with movie adaptations. The box set of the extended version are beautiful and actually look like books! I can't wait for all the extended versions of The Hobbit movie adaptations are released (in a more suitable price) so I can also add them to my Tolkien collection.




The Art of the Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Recentemente descobri que Tolkien não só escreveu O Hobbit e O Senhor dos Anéis, mas que também os ilustrou da capa à contracapa. Fiquei sem palavras, e nas minhas pesquisas acabei por encontrar estes dois livros que tem desenhos originais e que desvendam um pouco mais sobre o processo criativo do autor.

Recently I discovered that Tolkien didn't just write The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but also had initially illustrated them from cover to back cover. My mind was blown away, specially when I start to research and found out these two books that have the original drawings and analysis of his creative process.



The Art of the Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien



Não são fantásticos estes livros? E vocês também são fãs de Tolkien?
Aren't amazing these books? What about you, are you a Tolkien fan too? 

Estes oito clássicos chegaram nos últimos tempos às minhas prateleiras (o único que é novinho em folha é o Animal Farm/ Triunfo dos Porcos do George Orwell, os outros todos são em segunda-mão). São todos em inglês e da editora Penguin (excepto o Gone with the Wind/ E tudo o vento levou). All of these eight classics are recent ones in my shelf. (but the only one that it's actually a brand new book is the last one, the others are second hand.). Also they are all from Penguin (except Gone with the Wind).

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Durante o mercado de Natal que fiz contactei com algumas pessoas amigas que gostaram imenso de ler. Eu soube logo que o tinha que ler. Infelizmente esta coisa de compras online não são instantâneas e o livrou demorou algum tempo a chegar e na altura estava a ler outras coisas. Ainda não peguei nele, mas é leitura para breve. Os dois livros seguintes foram adquiridos na mesma altura e com a mesma ideia em mente. During Christmas market that I attend I contacted with some friends that really like this book. I knew at the spot that I had to read it. Unfortunately it took a lot to get to me, and by then I was reading other books. I hadn't the change to pick yet, but will soon. The next two books were also bought at the same time with the same thing in mind.

2. Wuthering Heights (O Monte dos vendavais) by Emily Brontë

3. Gone with the Wind (E tudo o vento levou) by Margaret Mitchell

4. Moby-Dick and the whale... by Herman Melville

Este livro é gigante! Depois de ouvir e ler tantas referências à Moby-Dick achei que estava na altura de ler o original. (Agora só preciso de ganhar coragem para o começar). This book is huge! After reading and seeing so many books and movies with references to Moby-Dick I think it's time to read the real thing. Now I only need to have some courage to start it!

5. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Este foi o único livro que comecei! Mas estou a demorar o meu tempo com ele.Todos conhecem ou já ouviram falar do Frankenstein, mas e a história original escrita pela Mary Shelley? Será que as duas coisas são uma só? This is only one that I actual started. But I'm taking my time with it. It's not a fast paced book, so I'm not forcing myself to binge read it. Everybody and their mother have heard about Frankenstein, but what about the original story wrote by Mary Shelley?

6. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror (O estranho caso de Dr. Jekyll e Mr. Hyde) by Robert Louis Stevenson

Estas personagens e livro sempre me fascinaram. Está na hora de ler o livro. (Espero continuar a gostar das personagens quando acabar o livro). This book and characters always have fascinated me. It's time to (again) to read the real thing. I hope when I finish it I still love them a lot...

7. Dracula by Bram Stoker

Não é a minha capa favourita, mas não encontrei outras que gostasse (e para livro em segunda mão está quase como novo). Outra história que toda a gente acha que conhece. Já li algumas coisas sobre Dracula e vi os filmes também (gosto particularmente da adaptação cinematográfica de 1992 com os actores Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins e Keanu Reaves). Mas não há nada como ler o original. Not my favourite cover, but there aren't many that I like. For second hand book this one looks almost brand new. Another story that everybody thinks that they know. I've read a few things about Dracula, and I've saw movies too (I particularly like the 1992 movie adaptation with the actors Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reaves), but there's nothing like reading the original.

8. Animal Farm (O Triunfo dos Porcos) by George Orwell

Procurei por este livro durante meses! Os meus pais diziam que tinham um em português, mas está perdido entre as nossas prateleiras (ou então foi emprestado a alguém e perdeu-se). É daqueles livros que oiço falar há imensos anos. Tentei encontrar em segunda mão, mas não consegui. E mesmo dos novos não havia muito por onde escolher. Anda toda a gente a ler este livro? I searched for months for this book. My parents said that they had copy in portuguese, but it's lost somewhere in our shelves (or it was lend to someone and lost track). It's one of those books that I have been heard about for years. I try to find a second hand one, couldn't find. So I grab this one, and even so wasn't that easy to find one. Is everybody reading this book?

Já leram algum destes livros? Que outros clássicos me recomendam? Have you read any of these books? Leave your recommendations for other classics in the comments!

Agradeçam aos Óscares por este post. Tenho este post semi-alinhavado desde o final de Janeiro. Imagens escolhidas e os livros organizados pela ordem que os li. Mas faltava uma pequena review dos mesmos. E quando digo pequena, é mesmo pequena. Se quiserem ler mais sobre os livros basta clicarem no nome deles e podem ler uma pequena sinopse no Goodreads. Mas se no domingo não tivesse ficado pela madrugada fora a ver os Óscares não tinha avançado com este post.

You can thank you the Oscars night for this post. I had started to write this post in the end of January. The images were choosen, and the books organized by reading order. But one thing was missing, and that was a little review about each book. (just a couple of lines about them). If you're interest in reading a sinopses of the book click in the book name and it will lead you to Goodreads page of the book. But if on Sunday I had went sleeping I wouldn't had write the rest of this post.

1) Hiten / Flying Universe: The Art of Yoshitaka Amano (1989)
É um livro sobre arte/ilustração. Apesar de não perceber nada do pouco que estava escrito no mesmo, fiquei impressionada com a beleza da arte. E fiquei ainda mais perplexa ao descobrir que a arte é dos anos 80 e não contemporânea.
It's a beautiful art book. I didn't understand a word in it. But the art/illustrations are so beautiful. I was seriously surprised specially because the art was from the 80's and to me they looked more modern than that.

2) Walt Disney's Little Mermaid: The Sketchbooks Series by Applewood Books, Walt Disney Company
É um livro interessante para quem gosta de desenhar e gosta de ver os esboços para os filmes de animação. Não sou grande fã da Pequena Sereia (ou das princesas da Disney) mas gosto imenso dos desenhos dos primeiros filmes da Disney.
It's an interesting book specially if you like to draw and see the behind the scenes. I'm not the biggest fan of Little Mermaid (or even the most of Disney Princess) but I really like the old drawings and the making of the animated films from Disney.

3) Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman (Author), Dave McKean (Illustrator)
É uma das minhas bandas desenhada preferidas, um dos meus bens mais preciosos e uma das bandas desenhadas mais bonitas que já vi e li. A arte do Dave McKean é fantástica! A mistura de imagem desfocada sombras e imagens focadas.... A história é do Neil Gaiman, mas esta personagem pertence ao mundo do Batman/ Gotham City.
This is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I've ever seen and read. The artwork Dave McKean is absolutely stunning, the colours and the mix between blurred image, shadows, defined images... The story was imagined by Neil Gaiman, but the character belongs to Batman/Gotham world. It's one of my favourite books and one of my precious books too. (re-read)

4) Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison, Dave McKean (Illustrator)
Até parece que sou fã do Batman, mas na verdade sou é fã do Dave McKean. Este livro passa-se no mítico asilo Arkham, onde os vilões são enviados depois de serem presos pelo Batman. O livro é completamente louco - do desenho à história! E põem-se a questão durante o livro quem é que é mais doido - o Batman ou os vilões?
Although I'm not the biggest fan of Batman, here's another book in his world. In this book the action happens in the famous Arkham Asylum where all Batman villains are arrested. It's such a crazy book, from the artwork to the storyline - it's trippy and makes you question who is craziest - Batman or his villains? (re-read)
5) Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick (Author), Valentine De Landro, Taki Soma (Artist), Robert Wilson (Author) (Artist)
Este banda desenhada têm um conceito interessante. Mas a história ainda se está a desenvolver. Estou a gostar e espero continuar a ler.
This graphic novel has a very interesting concept. It needs to develop a bit more, but I enjoyed it so far. I'm looking forward for next single issues or maybe vol.2

6) Postal: Volume 1 by Matt Hawkins (Author), Isaac Goodheart (Illustrator), Bryan Hill
7) Postal Volume 2 by Matt Hawkins (Author), Bryan Hill, Issac Goodhart (Illustrations)
8) Postal: FBI Dossier #1 by Matt Hawkins
É uma das bandas desenhadas mais brutais e surpreendentes que li recentemente. A história passa-se numa cidade criada por criminosos para criminosos. A personagem principal chama-se Mark Shiffron é muito peculiar e sofre de Asperger. Quando uma mulher desconhecida aparece morta na rua principal uma série de acontecimentos são postos em acção. Esta banda desenhada é violenta, e não recomendável a todos as audiências.
This comics are one of the most brutal and unexpected that I've read recently. The story is placed in a town created by criminals for criminals. The main character is Mark Shiffron, he is a quite peculiar guy who suffers from asperger.  When a unknown woman appears death in the main street a whole lot of events are set in motion. This is not a graphic novel for the faint of heart - it's violent and sometimes gory too. I'm so looking forward to keep reading it.

9) The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring by Gary Russell
10) The Art of The Two Towers by Gary Russell
11) The Art of The Return of the King by Gary Russell
12) The Art of The Lord of the Rings by Gary Russell
Se ainda não sabiam que adoro a saga d' O Senhor dos Anéis, bem agora já sabem. Tudo começou com os filmes, demorou um pouco mais a entrar na história dos livros. Recentemente andei a procurar outros livros relacionados com a saga. Estes quatro são sobre design e conceitos das personagens, caracterização, cenários e outras detalhes dos filmes. Os livros estão cheios de detalhes interessantes e muitas imagens para estimular a imaginação dos fãs da saga.
If you don't know by now that I'm a fan of The Lord of the Rings, well now you know. The movies started it, it took me a little while to get in the books. Recently I've been exploring other books related to them. These four books are related with design and art concepts for characters and other details of the movies. They are very detailed and interesting.



13) The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles #1) by Tess Gerritsen
14) The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles #2) by Tess Gerritsen
Gosto imenso de thrillers e livros sobre detectives/crime. Estes dois livros fazem parte da série Rizzoli and Isles. Rizzoli é uma detective dos Homicídios de descendência Italiana e que está sempre a tentar provar que é melhor do que os seus colegas apesar de ser mulher. Isles é médica legista mas só aparece no segundo livro. Estes dois livros estão ligados e, na minha opinião, não precisavam de continuar. A história centra-se num homicida em série. Para mim a parte mais interessante é o desenvolvimento da personagem Rizzoli e a maneira como ela resolve os crimes. Não estava à espera de gostar tanto como gostei.
One of my favourite genres of books are thrillers and detective/crime books. In this two first books of Rizzoli and Isles series we met Rizzoli which is an Italian descent Homicides detective who is always trying to proof herself better because she is a woman. Isles is the medical examiner but only appears in the second book. These two books didn't need to continued. Both are related to one serial killer. It's quite interesting to see how Rizzoli struggles to solve these crimes. I wasn't excepting to enjoy these as much as I did.

15) The 5th Horseman (Women's Murder Club #5) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
17) The 6th Target (Women's Murder Club #6) by James Patterson
Eu estava a gostar desta série de livros até ler estes dois. Sinceramente não me impressionaram. Mas o pior dos dois foi  segundo. Não é que não tenha gostado da história, o que não gostei foi a maneira como foi contada.
I was enjoying these series before I read these two books. None of them impress me. But the second one was the worst of them all. It's not that I didn't like the story, but more I didn't enjoy the way it was told.

16) Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) by Agatha Christie (re-read)


18) Hannibal (Hannibal Lecter #3) by Thomas Harris
Cinco estrelas de cinco estrelas. Adoro esta trilogia. E o final? SIM!! (não é brilhante, mas eu adorei!). Thomas Harris não escreve finais felizes. Mas a suas personagens são sempre reais, corrompidas e tangíveis. Não pude deixar de comparar os livros com as adaptações cinematográficas. E apesar de gostar imenso dos filmes, a minha preferência recai nos livros que estão cheios de detalhes que nos filmes passam completamente ao lado.
This one is a 5 stars out of 5 stars. I love this trilogy. And the twist in the end? YES! (it might not be brilliant, but I loved it). Thomas Harris doesn't write happy endings. But his characters seem real, broken and tangible. I couldn't help myself in comparing the books with the movies adaptations. Although my passion for this stories started with the movies I prefer the books. The details, the going inside characters mind is extraordinary.

19) Vision in White (Bride Quartet, #1) by Nora Roberts
20) Bed of Roses (Bride Quartet, #2) by Nora Roberts
21) Savor the Moment (Bride Quartet, #3) by Nora Roberts
22) Happy Ever After (Bride Quartet, #4) by Nora Roberts
Depois de tanta violência, loucura e brutalidade, quis ler algo leve, fofo e diferente. Estes são quatro livros são romances sobre quatro amigas que trabalham na indústria da organização de casamentos.
After so much craziness, brutality and violence, I want to read something lighter and different. These are some light hearted romances about four friends who work in wedding planning and their love stories. (re-read)

23) Bilbo's Last Song by J.R.R. Tolkien, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

Na verdade li estes livros todos em Janeiro... excepto o último livro. Durante Fevereiro mal li. Talvez porque no início do mês estava meio adoentada e dois livros que li deram-me pesadelos... ou talvez esteja a gostar tanto deles que não quero que eles acabem.
Actually I've read all of these books in January in exception of the 23rd book. I didn't read at all during February... maybe because I was sick at the beginning of the month and two books gave me nightmares... or maybe I just din't want to finish the books that I'm reading.

Livros que estou a ler e quero acabar brevemente | Books I'm reading and looking forward to finish soon:
- The Killing by David Hewson
- From Hell by Alan Moore (Author), Eddie Campbell (illustrator), Pete Mullins (illustrator)
- Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Há mais de 10 anos atrás apaixonei-me por uma capa de um livro. Esse livro era O Telescópio de Âmbar escrito pelo Philip Pullman. Demorei algum tempo a perceber que afinal aquele livro era o terceiro de uma trilogia (Mundos Paralelos), especialmente porque o via sempre sozinho sem os outros dois. Eu não queria ler os outros dois, apenas queria ler aquele. Acabei por ceder e comprei o primeiro em português. Li-o. Foi ok. É um bom livro de ficção, mas tinhas tantas questões ficaram no ar, além disso eu queria era ler livros com acção rápida. E esta trilogia não é assim. Tens que ler com tempo para compreender todos os detalhes. No entanto apesar dessa experiência continuei a ter uma paixão pel' O Telescópio de Âmbar e recentemente decidi voltar a pegar na trilogia.
Excepto que este "recentemente" foi há um ano atrás. Ouvi o livro audio e adorei. Mas estes livros eram daqueles que queria mesmo ter em objecto físico e palpável. Há qualquer coisa de diferente nisso, em vez de apenas uma versão digital.

Como decidi que agora queria a trilogia em inglês comecei a procurar pela mesma. A capa por que me apaixonei já desapareceu das livrarias à imenso tempo, e até mesmo a edição que tenho d' Os Reinos do Norte (editado pela Editora Presença, colecção Via Láctea) já não existe à venda.
Tinha preferência por livros em segunda mão. Apesar de ser mais barato comprar livros em Inglês do que em Português, em segunda mão ainda ficam mais em conta. Na primeira procura encontrava o segundo e o terceira livro na mesma edição, mas não o primeiro. Em outras edições faltavam outros livros. Confesso que comecei a sentir-me um pouco frustrada. Por norma não sou tão esquisita com as edições dos livros. A única coisa em sou esquisita é que prefiro livros de capa mole aos de capa dura. Mas nestes livros queria mesmo que a as capas estivessem em sintonia.
Encontrei estas edições, comprei-os, mas não estava convencida. As fotos dos livros não eram as melhores, e também não havia muitos detalhes sobre os livros. Mas estes eram os únicos que eram da mesma edição e foram estes que acabei por escolher.

continuem a ler para ver fotos com mais detalhes e os meus pensamentos finais sobre os livros.

More than 10 years ago I fell in love by a book cover. That book cover was The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman. It was the first time that I actually remember to fall in love for a book cover. And I didn't found the book in a fancy place, it was just the supermarket. It took me some time to actually realise it was the third book of a trilogy, specially because the book was usually alone and without the other two. I didn't want to read the other two, I wanted to read that one. I bite the bullet and bought the first book in Portuguese. I read it. At the time it was ok. I mean in terms of fiction was good, but so many things we're answered and at the time I only wanted to read fast paced books. And this trilogy is not like that. You have to take your time to understand all the details. My love and curiosity for The Amber Spyglass continued and recently I decided to give a go to this trilogy again.
Except that this was a year ago. I listened to the audio book and love it. But these books were one that I really wanted to have in my shelf, and that I wanted to grab the book and read. There is something different in doing so, instead of just reading it on digital device or just listen to it.

Since I wanted to now have some English editions I was searching to have the three books in the same edition. The cover I love in portuguese as long disappeared from the market, and even the one edition that I have of the the Northern Lights in portuguese is from a different edition from the one's that I liked.
I was on a hunt for these books and I would prefer to have them in second hand, depending on the final price, or even depending if all the covers were in the same edition. The first one that I liked I wasn't able to find first book, in another one I couldn't find another. I was getting frustrated. I'm not very picky, but one thing I was sure, I didn't want hard cover books (one day I have to write something about hard cover books versus paperback ones). I wanted all the covers to sort of match.
I found these editions. I wasn't very convinced, the photos of them weren't the best, and there were not many informations about the edition it self. But there were the three books and that's what I wanted.

keep reading to see more photos of the books and my final thoughts on them.

1. Northern Lights (also know as The Golden Compass)
     Os Reinos do Norte (ou a Bússola Dourada no Brasil)


Estou tão contente por ter escolhido estas edições. Quando abri a caixa em que eles vieram até dei pulos de alegria. As capas são LINDAS! Parecem desenhos feitos em linogravura ou até mesmo gravura (técnicas que são manuais e difíceis de chegar ao nível de perfeição que estas capas têm). A quantidade de pequenos desenhos e detalhes é fantástica! E até no início de cada capítulo há um pequeno desenho.
Descobri que estas edições são de coleccionador!! As capas são em papel com textura (que apesar não ser o mais resistente ao manuseamento) é um dos meus acabamentos preferidos nas capas de livros. Além disso os títulos tanto na capa como na espinha do livro são em tinta metalizada (um outro detalhe que não tinha conseguido perceber pelas fotos).

I'm so glad that I've picked up these books in these editions. The covers are beautiful! They look like the drawings were made in lino-cut or maybe wood engraving by hand. But despite that they are full of details! And even on the beginning of each chapter there are small drawings.
I even found out that these editions we're some collector's edition! Which makes sense. The cover is in textured paper which is something isn't very usual, but it's one of my favourites sort of covers.
There is no other treatment to the paper, except the title of the books are in metallic colours (another detail that I wasn't able to see in the photos when I purchased the books).

 2. The Subtle Knife
 3. The Amber Spyglass

Estas edições foram publicadas em 2007, no Reino Unido pela editora Scholastic Children's Book e são de capa mole.
A trilogia em Portugal chama-se Mundos Paralelos (o que conta um pouco do que se vai passar nos livros, mas enfim, o nome em Inglês é bem mais misterioso). Nas capas dos livros está presente o nome da trilogia, o que é extremamente raro (e uma chatice quando a pessoa não conhece o livro ou a ordem da trilogia ou série).

These editions were published in UK by Scholastic Children's Book in 2007, and are paperback
This trilogy is called His dark Materials (I don't know why yet...) but I found this little detail in the covers with the name of trilogy which I found lovely, specially because most of the times in series and trilogies you never know the name of it unless you make a research on it.

This year I surprised myself by reading around 100 books. I never though it would be possible.
Last year I read around 50 and thought it was a lot. This year the goal was that. But as soon I got in the 50 goal I set it up, more 10 books, more 5 books, more and more until I reached the 100 mark.

I've read 29 Graphic Novels/Comics, heard 15 audiobooks, read 26 physical books and 59 digital ones. 11 books were in the Fantasy genre, 5 were romances, 19 were either Thrillers or Crime novels and 30 were related with art, illustration or design.

The most surprising one in the graphic novels genre was Locke & Key by Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodríguez (Artist)
At first I wasn't convinced with  the artwork and wasn't sure about the story. But then I got hooked!
I'm only missing one issue to finish the series. But my favourite is the Guide to the Known Keys.
Anya's Ghost, This one Summer and Through the Woods were my favourites in terms of illustration. Each one with it's own style. This one Summer artwork become one of my favourites artwork of all time!
In a more gory, brutal and violent style (which I also like) were The Strain; Southern Bastards and Outcast. These are ongoing series that I haven't continued yet. The Strain I've changed to the book trilogy. I will finish the comics after the books.

In the fantasy genre the bests were - The Strain, Coraline (I already knew the movie version, which make it hard to visualize something else while I was reading, but enjoy it a lot, and the illustrations by Dave McKean in this version are spot on). You might already know that I'm big fan of The Lord of Rings trilogy, more I read it more I like it. This time I've listened to the audiobook version of the Fellowship of the Ring and Two Towers and loved it! (I'm almost finished with The Return of the King, but I'm adding it already because I'm only a couple chapters away of finishing it).


I finally read three classical thrillers - Red Dragon and The silence of the lambs by Thomas Harris about the infamous Hannibal Lecter, and The Shining by Stephen King. I enjoy them all!


In the Crime genre these four books were a pleasant surprise - The Cove, 4th of July, The Redbreast and The Ice Princess.

and at last but not the least - four inspiring books that art/illustration related:
- Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
- The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook by Alan Lee
- The Art of DreamWorks Animation
- I Love Paper: Paper-Cutting Techniques and Templates for Amazing Toys, Sculptures, Props, and Costumes by Fideli Sundqvist


What about you? Which books were you're favourites of 2015?

illustration by a outra mafalda | nuts for paper

This year was a year full of readings and new books.
These are some of the books that I've added to my shelves during this year.

From the Drenai Saga by David Gemmell
- Legend
- The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend
- The Swords of Night and Day

From Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark-Hunter series
- Dance with the Devil
- The Dream-Hunter
- Acheron
- Styxx

The Strain trilogy by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
- The Strain
- The Fall
- The Night Eternal

From Avalon series by Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Lady of Avalon
- Ancestors of Avalon
- Priestess of Avalon

The Killing trilogy by David Hewson

Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson
- 1st to Die
- 2nd Chance
- 3rd Degree
- 4th of July
- The 5th Horseman
- The 6th Target
- 7th Heaven
- The 8th Confession
- The 9th Judgment
- 1oth Anniversary
- 11th Hour
- 12th of Never
- Unlucky 13

I binged in Stephen King books
- Cujo
- It
- Bag of Bones
- Salem's Lot
- Nightmares and Dreamscapes
- Pet Sematary
- The Dark Half
- Night Shift
- The Shining
- Different Seasons
- The Tommyknockers
- Full Dark, No Stars
- On Writing
- Under the Dome
- Duma Key
- Just After Sunset
- Insomnia
- The Mist
- The Green Mile
- Boleia Arriscada

I also give in to Anne Rice books (specially in The Vampire Chronicles and also the Lives of the Mayfair Witches)
- Blood Canticle: The Vampire Chronicles
- Merrick
- Blackwood Farm:
- Lasher
- The Witching Hour
- Taltos
- The Queen of the Damned
- Interview with the Vampire
- The Vampire Lestat
- Blood and Gold: The Vampire Marius
- The Vampire Armand
- Pandora and Vittorio the Vampire
- Memnoch The Devil
- The Tale of the Body Thief

I also got in my hands all the books about Hannibal Lecter written by Thomas Harris
- The Silence of the Lambs
- Red Dragon
- Hannibal
- Hannibal Rising

From Jo Nesbo I started to collect the Harry Hole series.

- The Devil's Star
- The Redbreast
- The Redeemer
- Nemesis
- The Snowman

From Fjällbacka series or Patrik Hedström series by Camilla Läckberg

- The Stonecutter
- The Gallows Bird
- The Hidden Child
- The Ice Princess
- The Preacher

From Tess Gerritsen I went with the Rizzoli & Isles series

- The Surgeon
- The Apprentice
- The Sinner
- Body Double
- Vanish
- Mephisto Club

I collected some classics too:

- Dracula by Bran Stocker
- The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Moby-Dick: or, The Whale by Herman Melville
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The goal for 2016 is to read them!

1) The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo
Although this was the third book in this series about Harry Hole police detective/investigator of Norwegian Police, I started to read these series with this one. I enjoy it quite a lot, although I had to get use to the way the story was told.

2) 4th of July by James Patterson
Another book of the Women's Murder Club Series. I'm enjoying this series a lot, I just have to refrain myself of reading them all in (almost) in one sitting.

3) 20 ways to draw a tree by Eloise Renouf
Fun book with many ways to draw trees. It's good to remind myself that are many different ways to represent things.

4) Frank Miller: The Art of Sin City by Frank Miller
Perfect for fans of Graphic Novels and Sin City.


5) How to Make Book by Esther K.Smith
It's a pretty book, but some times is not that easy to follow the step to step guides.

6) The Art of Kung Fu Panda by Tracey Miller-Zarneke
7) The Art of DreamWorks Animation by Ramin Zahed
8) The Art of Megamind by Richard von Busack

Three books about the artwork and the work behind the scenes of animation films.


9) Pride and Prejudice by Nancy Butler (Graphic Novel - Marvel)
Beautiful covers, can stand the artwork inside.

10) I Love Paper: Paper-Cutting Tecnhiques and Templates for Amazing Toys, Sculptures, Props, and Costumes by Fideli Sundqvist
AWESOME book! Not just the design and photography of it, but the projects in it too. Great book for any paper lover.

11) The Walking Dead, Vol.01: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman
I've never been very fan of zombies. This was a re-read of this comic book. Although I like the artwork and the story in the volume, I was never curious enough to continue read it.


Still reading:
1)The Killing by David Hewson
I'm reading this one since February. Still haven't finished. It's a very long book, but I'm enjoying it.

2) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
I decide it was time to read some classics. This one was the first one that I've picked up.

3) From Hell by Alan Moore, Eddie Campbell and Pete Mullins
I wanted to read a quick Graphic Novel, unfortunately the one that I've picked was not that little or quick read. From Hell is about the Jack the Ripper case. As most of Alan Moore Graphic Novels is full with long and amazing text, which doesn't make it the quickest of the reads. Besides that it has around 500 pages.

4) The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Yes still reading this one.

5) The Ice Princess by Camilla Läckberg
I've started this one already in December and I'm almost finishing it. So far I'm really like it. More about in the end of December.