matilde_mero's reviews
41 reviews

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I need a hug. 

This book isn’t for everyone, and it’s definitely not perfect. The pacing feels off - it’s slow for most of the book, with longer chapters that can get repetitive. 
However, as someone with three sisters, I felt seen. It truly captured the essence of sisterhood, at least my experience of it. I loved the writing style and the different perspectives. Some parts were emotionally triggering, especially the grief; it made me worry about being in the characters' shoes one day. 
This book made me feel everything, and I cried not once, but twice (and I've never cried with a book before!). 

It’s just beautiful.

Verões Felizes 3: A fuga | As Giestas by Zidrou

adventurous funny lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

 Estes livros são um abraço com muito amor  Estes livros são um abraço com muito amor 

The Tailor by Leigh Bardugo

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

 Nice extra chapter to the collection (I don't think I can give a proper rating because it's so short) 

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

 Netflix knew what they were doing mixing the Crows into the show because this book doesn't have much content plot-wise. Even though I liked the characters they didn't have enough development and they were stereotypical YA.

I love the Grishaverse, but I've read the Six of Crows first, I think if I had read this book first, I wouldn't have been interested in reading the other ones. 

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

challenging funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.75

Okay, this is bad, this is horrible, it is one star rating material, but after surviving the first 4 or 5 chapters I was enjoying it a little bit, I think??

The book could be half the size if they just communicated like normal people, and they are so so dumb even though the book really tried to show how intelligent the characters are in the STEM academia setting. And everything is just so predictable.

Is the plot good? No.
Are the characters interesting? No.
Is the writing good? No (if I have to read one more time how Adam is tall with large shoulders and humongous hands I will gag).
Did Olive have to sit on Adam's lap, a professor, because the auditorium was full? Hell no.

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

There are books like fast food - easy, uncomplicated, predictable, good but never mind blowing, but we still crave for them from time to time.
This is one of those books, very straightforward, idealistic and predictable, but I still enjoyed it! It's fun, the banter and references are good, the characters are loveable and the relationships between them have some depth, and the plot is entertaining enough.
It's a light reading with holiday vibes

O Enigma do Quarto 622 by Joël Dicker

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Fiquei indecisa entre 4 ou 5 estrelas.

Adorei o livro, cheio de reviravoltas. Contudo, a certo ponto foram reviravoltas a mais, o que acabou por estender o livro um bocado para além do necessário e o tornou cada vez mais irrealista (na minha cabeça tinha o meme do Scooby Doo quando tiram a máscara ao vilão do episódio, mas isso repetido 20 vezes).

Gostei muito da escrita que, apesar das várias linhas temporais, a história não ficou confusa. As personagens são complexas (excepto a Anastasia que o autor não lhe deu nenhum traço de personalidade para além de ser uma mulher apaixonada que ignora red flags) e claramente precisam de ir ao psicólogo e levar os seus pais e mães consigo.

Era cinco estrelas até ao último capítulo, porque a mudança de personalidade repentina de uma personagem secundária me irritou profundamente.

Recomendo imenso o livro, agarra bastante e uma pessoa fica mesmo investida na história que tem camada atrás de camada!

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Did I wish this book was shorter because I was a little bored at the beginning, wanted to understand the plan as soon as possible and reach the (hopefully) happy ending as soon as possible? Yes. 
Did I wish the book was longer because I didn't want to say goodbye to (or let go) the amazing characters of the book? Also yes. 

I absolutely loved the first book and this one didn't let me down. At first, I wasn't so into it (there were 8 chapters before the first Kaz one! Outrageous!), but it got better and better. As with the Six of Crows, I really enjoyed the pace of the book and how each character's backstories intertwined with the main plot. Also, we can't forget this is a fantasy book, because most of the plans wouldn't be doable in the real world, but it's highly entertaining, especially with the little plot twists that made me gasp from time to time. 

I have to say that I liked Six of Crows more, but this one is still a great sequel overall. They all need a little therapy (and the readers too). 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It took me a while to get into this book, like more than half the book, I wasn't getting all the hype. My twelve year old self obsessed with greek mythology was really disappointed with my present self.

I was bored even when they went to war, maybe because everything is written by Patroclus and I didn't really like him until much later (or maybe because I have a goldfish memory and there are so many names of kings and heroes I kept forgetting). By the time Briseis shows up it got a little bit more interesting for me, but I was only fully committed when the beef between Achilles and Agamemnon started to get hot. The last few chapters had me in a chokehold, especially the last 4 ones had me screaming in my head the entire time (now the twelve year old me was proud). 

I just have to say that the 2004 Troy movie did us dirty by having Achilles and Patroclus being cousins instead of lovers. And I really hate Pyrrhus.

The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country by Helen Russell
Did not finish book. Stopped at 57%.

It's a good book, but I lost interest when I moved out of Denmark.
Loved the sense of humor