https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28 That place on the internet where I kind of do reviews of books I've read. Will probably feature some horrible books just for the fun of it. en-us 2019-09-13 09:32:11 UTC 2024-06-25 22:31:58 UTC hello@padlet.com raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383684297 Hello! My name's Raquel Navarro and this is my first try in Padlet. Let's hope I don't create any messes in here.

Alira: I´m pretty sure you will

Raquel: The amount of trust you put in me is overwhelming.]]> 2019-09-13 09:55:09 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383684297 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383686336 First book of Sands of Arawiya.
I absolutely loved this book. I expected it to be your typical romance cliché, but it surprised me by being completely different.

We hunt the flame is set on a dystopian world in which all the parts of the kingdom of Arawiya are dealing with a threat proposed by the growing dark forest called the Arz(kind of a Harry Potter thingy going on there. The main protagonists, Zafira and Nasir, come from totally different backgrounds and will see themselves on an unusual quest to restore the magic that ran through Arawiya a century ago.

I loved the book primarily because it introduces Arabian culture and you can find examples of vocabulary and customs that are still relevant today, so it was really nice to see a book including a culture that doesn't get that much media representation nowadays.
The characters are well constructed and the plot flows beautifully without it seeming too dense or slow at any point. The characters are complex and this allows the reader to debate about the morality of their decisions. They aren't exactly black or white, but many types of grey and that is exciting to read!

I hope you liked it and if you want to read it, or have already read it don't hesitate to comment!
The second part, We free the stars is coming out next year! 

]]> 2019-09-13 10:04:26 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383686336 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383687439 I love reading, that's not new for anyone who knows me. 
Sadly, due to the huge amount of reading I have to do for uni I don't have as much time to enjoy books that aren't meant for academic study.
So, this is my attempt at reading all the books  I've been putting on hold. Reviewing them will hopefully motivate me to read even more.
Who knows? Maybe my reviews will make someone pick up any of these books.

Don't hesitate to comment and tell me your own opinion (whether you have read them or not)]]> 2019-09-13 10:09:16 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383687439 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383689065 Some basics!
I will follor a colour scheme to both organize and mark my reviews. Here's the gist of it.

Pink: Loved the book, would absolutely recommend.
Green: Good book, maybe something is lacking but it was entertaining enough.
Purple: Didn't like it, horrible or maybe wasn't entertaining enough to finish it.

]]> 2019-09-13 10:16:55 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/383689065 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/390008381 To be quite honest, I was debating on whether I should do a review of this book. I'm still debating if it wasn't my cup of tea or if it surprised me.

All the little lights follows Elliott and Catherine through the usual cliché that is a nextdoor neighbours romance type of novel. Or so I thought. 
I was hesitant to read it but it was recommended to me and the phrase "never judge a book by its cover" had never been so true up until I started reading this one.

If you are expecting a romance novel full of clichés let me tell you this isn't it. I can't say how it differs or why it made such an impact on me without spilling the beans. 

The book isn't a masterpiece, it becomes too dense and slow-paced in the middle, only to throw the reader into a cluster of events in the ending. 
Throughout the reading I found myself feeling as if I was reading one of those Modernist works all over again. For those of you that don't remember (or don't know), Modernist literature makes you feel as if a veil was covering your eyes and you don't have all the necessary information.
That's what happened to me with this book. Nevertheless, it was a pleasantry to have that certain veil and the tingling sensation that there's something strange going on.

It's definitely what I like most about this book, it is so well constructed around that lack of information so when the plot finally unfolds everything suddenly makes sense and you end up wondering HOW could you miss everything going on?

So, do I recommend it? Yes. Did I enjoy it? I still have to think a little bit more about that.

And there's that, if you liked this review please rate it, or comment! Also, would you read this? ]]> 2019-09-26 13:02:21 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/390008381 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/390019658 First book of Historia de una bruja contemporánea.

Woo, this one's a ride! I wasn't really confident when I started reading it but I was hooked in less than twenty pages.

Una bruja sin escoba is about a witch with no magic broom (surprise!). No, I'm joking. It does deal with witchcraft, but based in a modern world.

We meet Diana, who has just broken up with her boyfriend and moved into a new apartment in a building inhabited by the most strange humans to ever grace this teeny tiny planet we live in.

Diana isn't exactly normal either and we discover that reality as we know it isn't but a lie. 

I loved that the book is set in Madrid, because I do enjoy when I recognize places where stories take place. Apart from that, the characters are well constructed, although there isn't much depth to them (which I can forgive knowing there's two other books in the trilogy)

The reason why this little buddy is getting a greenish background rating is because despite it being a good starter for a trilogy, is that I feel like the cliffhanger at the end wasn't strong enough to make me immediately start the second part.

Anyway, that's it! If you liked the review please comment and rate it (I sound like a youtuber, don't I?) See you in another one!

]]> 2019-09-26 13:19:30 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/390019658 raquelnavarro https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/393958270 First book of the All Souls Universe.

I received this book as a gift because one of my friends thought it would be a typical romance novel. It turned out it wasn't, and I'm quite thankful for that.

Time's Convert follows Marcus and Phoebe's journey through the latter's transformation into a vampire. Every new vampire has to go through an initiation period lasting ninety days. During this period, they learn how to behave and adapt to their new reality.

At first sight, this book appears as the ever-lasting cliché that is a vampire romance. The female character has become a vampire and now is to be reunited with her lover.
Or so I thought.

Thankfully, this book is not about romance. Well, it is, but it's only a minor part of the plot in my opinion. Time's Convert uses Phoebe's conversion as an excuse to explore Marcus' past. The reader is thrown into the America of the 1800s, in the middle of the  American Revolution. 

Using Marcus as a connector, the author successfully gets the reader to revisit one of America's main historical events throughout a new pair of eyes. The ones from a person that actually lived to witness it all.

Overall, the novel was well constructed, although I felt it lacked a bit of complexity in the characters. Marcus was a well-developed character, and we get to witness his evolution, but that doesn't apply to the rest of the characters.
Their personalities shine very little throughout the book, maybe because there are more installments in this universe. 

Despite the lack of complexity, I did enjoy the book because I'm a sucker for historical fiction. The plot was marvelous. However, I will probably think twice before diving into another book of the All Souls universe.

And that's all! I look forward to reading your opinions. Tell me if you've read the book or if you would consider reading it after my review.

]]> 2019-10-05 17:01:20 UTC https://padlet.com/raquelnavarro/lr4ujaegdh28/wish/393958270