Book Traveling Thursdays

Hi guys! How are you doing? I'm really tired so I'm thankful this is a short post. I'm back with another book travelling Thursday because I had a lot of fun last time. I love looking at covers! Today's theme is: Choose a book with your favorite bookish mom.

And although it's not mother's day here in Argentina yet, I though it was a fun theme. 

This is what it consists of: Pick a book that fits the theme, explain why I chose it and then include pictures of the original cover, the cover from my country, my favorite cover, and my least favorite cover.

Let's do this!

My favorite bookish mom has obviously got to be Molly Weasley. And, who doesn't love her? She has an unending love for her children. And food. Lots of food. Who wouldn't want that?

So let's see the original Harry Potter cover:

Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.

Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.

Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

Now the cover available in Argentina: 

It's ugly, I know. 

My favorite cover is hard to pick because there are a lot of gorgeous ones. My top 2 are:

The first one is a leather bound edition, which I find stunning. And the second one is the 2014 illustrated edition. The artwork in that one is just too beautiful to ignore.

Lastly, the ugliest cover has got to be the Persian one. It's just so creepy.

Okay, that's all for now. See you next time!

Do you think you can find an uglier cover? Which is your fave character from the HP world? Let me know!

Book Tag: 7 Deadly Sins of Reading

Hey guys! How's everyone doing? I'm...tired. Won't lie. But I'm here anyways. It's book tag Thursday, and I chose the 7 Deadly Sins of Reading tag. It sounds really cool so...

Let's get into it!

1) Greed: What's your most expensive book and most inexpensive book?

Do dictionaries count? Because those are certainly expensive and I own quite a few... I'm so boring. I'm sorry, but translators gotta translate, you know? My most inexpensive ones are probably the 3 House of Night books by P.C. Cast I own. I paid $50 (Argentine pesos) for each one, which is like $3.50 us dollars. 

2) Wrath: What author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Hmm, I think I'll go with R.S Grey. As I've said in a previous post, I absolutely adored Scoring Wilder, but then I was left quite unimpressed with The Summer Games. I haven't given up on her yet, though. Do you have any good recommendations? 

3) Gluttony: What book have you deliciously devoured over and over again, with no remorse whatsoever?

I think I have mentioned this, but I'm not a re-reader. I prefer reading new books. But if I had to, I would re-read The Hunger Games. In fact, I'm planning on doing so. I really enjoyed those books, so why not?

4) Sloth: What book have you neglected reading due to laziness?

Which one haven't I is the better question. I'm always lazy when it's time to pick a book up. I end up enjoying them... most of the time. So, I don't know why it's so hard for me. I have been postponing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for quite a while now. Don't ask why, because I don't even know.

5) Pride: What book do you most talk about to sound like an intellectual reader?

Well, any classic, really. Or any from my lit class at university. The most complicated book I've read is Rayuela by Julio Cortázar. His books are compulsory reads in my country. His novels and short stories demand a deep analysis. Whenever you read one, you have to pause every 5 minutes to look a term or a reference up. So, if you want to feel really stupid every 5 lines, read that book. You get bragging rights after you finish it ;)

6) Lust: What attributes do you find most attractive in male or females characters?

Sense of humor. Well, that was easy. For love interests, I like it when they're dark and moody but with a good hidden heart. #basic. And for best friends, I like like honesty. And, again a good sense of humor. 

That t-shirt is 90% boyfriend material

7) Envy: What books would you most like to receive as a gift?

I'd like to get the new illustrated Harry Potter books. All of them, when they get released. They are just SO PRETTY. But, there are so many other books I want too! I can't pick.

That was it! Hope you enjoyed it. Now I can finally go get my much needed rest.

I saw this tag on Lauren Reads YA and was originally created by BookishMalayza.

What did you think? Do you agree with any of my choices? If you could ask for any one book, what would you pick? Let me know.

Book Tag #4: Literary Dinner Party

I'm one of those people who're hungry ALL THE TIME. It's not a joke. I ate a gigantic plate of food half an hour ago and I'm already considering going back for ice cream. I have no idea of how I still fit through the door. Anyway, since I enjoy food and specially dinner, I picked this interesting book tag called Literary Dinner Party. 

Imagine you are organizing a big dinner like the one Professor Slughorn hosted in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. You'll pick one book character for each question. Who will receive an invitation?

1) Someone who cooks

There's no better cook in town than Minny Jackson, ladies and gentleman. At least, that's what they say. She has been in charge of banquets in the past so I feel she would be a good choice for my dinner. Just be careful with her pies, okay? She's a very funny lady and I bet she has some great anecdotes to share.

2) Someone to sponsors the dinner

And here I was thinking that I was a millionaire that could afford her own parties. Oh, well. In that case, I guess I need someone experienced in the party scene. What better choice than Tony Stark? He is a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, after all.

3) Someone that can cause a scene

This is a no-brainer. If we want a bizarre character that loves drama, Magnus Bane is the one for the job. Not only will he catch everyone attention with his fancy clothes and makeup, but he will also put on  a great magic show. Plus, duty may call and next thing you know, there's a wounded werewolf staining the tablecloth. Sounds like a night to remember to me. Alec Lightwood could be his +1 (please.)

4) Someone who will make everyone laugh

All the 3 previous guests are already quite funny, so I guess I'll just pick another one. Wow, this dinner is going to be a blast. I identify myself with and appreciate Rose Hathaway's sarcastic humor. It's very similar to mine, which is part of the reason I love this character. 

5) Someone popular

Well, there are many kinds of "popular". What we need is someone with good contacts (but isn't a douche about it.) I think Gansey is perfect for the role. Although he doesn't like to brag about it, he comes from a successful and important family. I just love him and needed him in this dinner, okay?

6) A villain

Well, we wouldn't want maleficent's story to repeat itself, do we? We better have our enemies close. It's also a great way to add some spice to the table. This is a tough one, but in the end, I think Captain Hook is quite a lovable villain. His plans always get frustrated in some way and that makes me feel so sorry for him. I think he deserves a nice dinner.

7) A couple

I would love to have Rhys and Feyre among my guests. It adds a bit of diversity, you know? I love every aspect of their relationship: their mutual respect, balance, trust and love. Although they're a bit too pda lovers, they know when to get serious. I trust that they will actually use their mouths to talk.

8) A hero or heroin

Well, Tony Stark is already invited but, if Steve Rogers was in the room too, it could turn out to be quite a fun night. Or the whole place could get destroyed. I'll take the risks. Cap is such an honorable and respectful guy, who I bet has great manners.

9) An underestimated character

If we look "underestimated" up on a dictionary, I believe we'll find a picture of John Watson. We can't help but love Sherlock, but we sometimes forget how important John is too. I want him to feel loved and that's why he's receiving an invitation.

10) A character of your choice

A dinner is no such thing without a good debate. I wouldn't want to be the person who argues with Hermione Granger but it's a fight worth watching. I'll try not to drop too much popcorn on the ground.

There you have it! I think some great conversations could come up during the night.

I saw this tag on Butterfly Kisses.

 Should I make some souvenirs? What could be a good theme for the dinner? What are your picks? Tell me in the comments :)

Confessions

Got a secret? Can you keep it? Swear this one you'll save. Is Pretty Little Liars still a thing? I stopped watching after season 3. I may give it another go someday. Anyway, today I'm going to spill some book-related secrets. And I encourage you to do the same in the comments so I don't feel bad about mine.

Okay, let's see...

1) Deforestation is my fault!? (Oh, wait , why am I using a clickbait? This isn't Youtube)

While I like to think that I'm a pretty decent human being in terms of environmental-issues, I'm not that good at resisting the urge to get books in physical form. Sorry trees! It's just that e-books will never replace the smell and feel of a new book. Plus, you cannot brag about an online shelf, can you? 

2) I was a rebel in school

My definition of rebel is probably not the same as yours. My only acts of rebellion in school were not reading the assigned books.

Yes, I admit it. I hate it when I have to read something I didn't choose. So most of the time, I didn't. I just searched for good summaries online. I still do, on occasions (please don't tell my professors.) Luckily, after so many years of compulsory reads, one of my professors is letting us choose the books to do our research on. If you wanted know (probably not) I chose The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and 1984 by George Orwell.

3) I don't analyze books

You know how there are people who stick flags and sticky-notes on every single page? Well I don't do it. I don't usually underline stuff either on books unless I need to quote something. It doesn't really work for me, because I never go back to check what I wrote or marked as important. So why would I waste my time on it? Everyone has a different system, I don't think I've found mine yet. 

4) Potterheads probably hate me

Okay, here it goes: I haven't finished the Harry Potter saga. 

Yes, I know. I'm on book 3 and I will finish it some day. But that day is not in the near future. I loved the first two, it's just that I have a hard time reading middle-grade because I can't really connect with the characters. I have the same problem with the Percy Jackson books. 

5) Unhauling is not a word I know

I'm a book hoarder. Yeah, most readers are. But my biggest problem is I can't even get rid of the books I don't like. I keep them there, hidden behind other books. My brain knows that if I get rid of them, I'll have more room for new books. But my heart refuses to give up on them. Plus, I feel bad for the money I wasted on them. Do you have any tips to get over this? Are there any good websites to swap books? (Internationally)

Wow, that feels good. And definitely cheaper than a therapist. Question: are you tired of my gifs yet? No? Great.

See you later!

What are YOU hiding? Do you have any solutions for my problems? Please, tell me!

St. Patrick's Day Apreciation Post

Hello there! How are you? It's Saturday, which means: no classes today! Hence my good mood.

Yesterday was St. Pat's day and judging by my Instagram, lots of people had a great time. I hope you did too. In honor of this holiday, I decided to make and Irish appreciation post. I'll go through some renown authors and actors that I think are awesome. Let's get started!

Authors                                                                                     

We have a wide range of Irish authors that deserve recognition. I'll arrange them by date of birth so nobody get's jealous, alright?

Jonathan Swift

Born on November 30th of 1667 in Dublin

Most known by: Gulliver's Travels

Fun Fact: Appropriately, he was Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Oh, and Queen Anne hated him.

Bram Stoker

Born on November 8th of 1947 in Clontarf.

Most known by: Dracula 

Fun Fact: He married Oscar Wilde's ex girlfriend! What a pal.

Do you think their fight went something like this?

Oscar Wilde

Born on October 16 of 1854 in Dublin

Most known by: The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest

Fun Fact: He spent two years in prison after being condemned for having a homosexual relationship. Okay, maybe not so fun. 

James Joyce

Born on February 2nd of 1882 in Rathgar

Most known by: Dubliners and Ulysses

Fun Fact: He was on the Irish £10 banknote from 1993 to 2002.

C. S. Lewis

Born on November 29th of 1898 in Belfast

Most known by: The Chronicles of Narnia

Fun Fact: He was a close friend to J. R. R. Tolkien. Like many, he was a big fan of the Beatrix Potter's stories.

Actors/Actresses                                                                      

For this category I didn't just include any actor. I picked actors who have been involved in a book adaptation (on the "known by" part.) Let's see who we have here:

Michelle Fairley

Born in July 1965 in Coleraine

Known by: Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1 and In the Heart of the Sea.

Colin Farrell 

Born on May 31st of 1976 in Castleknock

Known by: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Winter's Tale and Daredevil.

Jonathan Rhys-Meyers

Born on July 27th of 1977 in Drimnagh

Known by: Dracula and The Mortal Instruments.

Catriona Balfe

Born on October 4th of 1979 in Dublin

Known by: Outlander.

Devon Murray

Born on October 28th of 1988 in Kildare

Known by: Harry Potter Franchise.

Evanna Lynch

Born on August 16th of 1991 in Termonfeckin

Known by: Harry Potter Franchise.

Saoirse Ronan

Born on April 12th of 1994 in New York (Raised in Dublin)

Known by: Brooklyn, The Lovely Bones, The Host, The Grand Budapest Hotel, How I Live now and City of Ember.

There you have it! Personally, I only knew about James Joyce and Saoirse, the rest were quite a shock. We learn something new every day.

Did you find it interesting? I sure did. Let me know your thought in the comments!

Book Recommendation: Fantasy

Why do people read books? Have you ever wondered about it? Does this sound like an infomercial? 

I've been a dedicated reader since I was a child. I owe it to my mom, who would buy me a box full of books every month, literally. As I grew older, and life became more complicated, books were my source of escape. I would sit all day in my room, alone, and submerge into the lives of people I didn't know. One of the best genres to do so is fantasy, where worlds are completely different from our own; worlds filled with mythological creatures and magic. So today, I decided I would recommend some of my favorite fantasy books. 

Bare in mind that I'm trying to avoid the popular fantasy series, okay? So don't get angry, Potterheads.

I'm a very organized person, or at least I like to pretend like I am. So I'm going to divide it into sections.

High-Fantasy

Any Sarah J Maas book. Go to your nearest bookstore, pick a SJM book (if you haven't already) and read it. You won't regret it.

Get lost in these worlds filled with strong, hilarious and very morally-conflicted characters. Oh, and there are some highly attractive faes in there too. 

A Court of Thorns and Roses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling. We follow Feyre, a 19-year-old huntress, who after killing a white wolf, is taken prisoner to a world of faes she's never seen before.

I didn't particularly love this book, though I was surprised at how much stuff happened in it. You'll definitely want to check book 2 (💜) but, trust me on this one, wait till book 3 is out.

Paranormal

When people say paranormal, most of us imagine werewolves and vampires (team Jacob btw). Well, guess what? There's a whole world out there of paranormal books without either. I only have one for you today, though.

I wouldn't know how to describe this book other than to say that it's amazing. So here's a short part of the premise: “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. This is book 1 of the Raven Cycle series.

This book has the more typical elements of paranormal novels, but I can assure you that you won't get bored. This is a 6-book-series that follows our main character Kylie Galen who, after a party gone wrong, is sent to a summer camp for troubled teens. It turns out, the kids are definitely troubled, but not in the way you'd think. I remember when I read these; devoured might be a better term.

Sci-fi

I have a curse

I have a gift

I am a monster

I'm more than human

My touch is lethal

My touch is power

I am their weapon

I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

Go ahead and tell me that it's not awesome. You can't, can you? I'd say that this is more of a dystopian, but it's debatable. All you need to know's that it's fantastic and so are the other 2 books.

Romance

Ironically, Delirium takes place in a world where love is considered a disease. But what'll happen when with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena, our main character, meets enigmatic Alex? Nothing too dramatic, right?

While I LOVED the first book, the second one bored me to death and couldn't get past the first 30 pages.

Mythological

This book is not only a pretty cover, it's also a great take on the Persephone and Hades myth. We follow Kate, a teenager who moves back to her old town as her mother's last wish. There, she meets the only person who might be able to help her mother, but not without something in return.

Yup, perfect description.

Magic

I've never read this trilogy, but my friends keep recommending it. It's the "Harry Potter for adults" apparently, not that there's anything wrong with reading HP in your twenties (me).

Like everyone else, precocious high school senior Quentin Coldwater assumes that magic isn't real, until he finds himself admitted to a very secretive and exclusive college of magic in upstate New York. After graduation, he and his friends stumble upon a secret that sets them on a remarkable journey that may just fulfill Quentin's yearning. But their journey turns out to be darker and more dangerous than they'd imagined.

Those are all my recommendations for today, folks. Happy reading!

Have you read any of these books? Is there any hidden fantasy gem I should read? Let me know in the comments!