[REVIEW] O vício dos livros

O Vício dos Livros by Afonso Cruz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alguns ensaios melhores do que outros, mas para quem gosta de ler livros e de coleccioná-los, é um prazer viajar nestas paginas!

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[REVIEW] Educated

Educated by Tara Westover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now I get why this book is on everyone's TBR or everyone's favourites.... It's a memoir that reads like a thriller, which makes it even more creepy!!!
"holy guacamole, this is not fiction, this lady really lived through this"

I am not summarising the book, many people did that already and in a much better way.
What I will say, however, is that I've been thinking for a long time that education is the solution for most of humanity's problems, but I never quite understood why most people don't like to learn, are not curious, don't use the amazing source of knowledge we have today in the tip of our hands! (yep, I am from the pre-cell phone era, guys)
But this book showed me a glimpse of the isolation people feel when they start changing, shifting, learning and questioning... at some point, in your learning process, you have to decide if you step out of your comfort zone into the unknown (alone, probably you will suffer some of aggression), or if you stay where you are...
Today, I think differently, but the idea is not completely settled in my head... I would say something like this "most world's problem would be solved by the willing of brave people to be educated..."

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[REVIEW] Blue Horses

Blue Horses by Mary Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“There couldn’t be a more splendid world, and here l am existing in it”
How can someone not LOVE Mary Oliver’s words?


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[REVIEW] Unshakeable

Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook by Anthony Robbins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this one!
Don’t buy it for poetic words on how to start planning for your financial freedom, he writes the same way as if he was in a coffee shop across the table from you.
But, if you are just starting to think about the money topic, start here!
Then, if you want to know more, there are plenty more books that deep dive in.
Last pages are really precious!

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[REVIEW] The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful drawings, beautiful messages about friendship. A book to revisit once in a while!

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[REVIEW] The Great Alone

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy Guacamole...
What this book does so well is to describe the decay of Leni's father mental health with the reduction of sun light... It also shows how difficult it is to live in extreme weather, but humans are amazing creatures and adapt...
Respect for Alaska, honestly. By reading this book I felt like a city girl (which I am), screaming at the smallest spider (which I also do) and completely unable to adapt and survive in temperatures below -10C (also true).
I am curious now, is it possible for anyone in Alaska to be vegetarian?


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[REVIEW] Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money - That The Poor And Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked it, the message opens up a few "windows" and lets you understand that mindset and drive are key for success.
But if the neoliberalism typical of some Americans irritates you, skip this one --> it's all me, me, me at all costs.
Also, not the best language ever, but the topic is not literary fiction or poetry, so don't expect more than a coffee table talk.

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[REVIEW] Faithful Place

Faithful Place by Tana French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What I think Tana French does really well in this Dublin Murder Squad series is the fact that we´ve met all protagonists in the previous books, so it´s like we already have a relationship with them and in each book we get to know them better...
In this particular book, I cared for Rosie and Francis, I cared for the whole Mackie family who has been trapped in the consequences of alcoholism for their entire lives...
I won´t give away anything from the plot, just say that it is a nice entertaining story to read on raining sunday afternoons or at the beach.


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[REVIEW] Good Talk

Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations by Mira Jacob
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was excellent! Super easy to read, engaging, original and addressing the hot topic of race. Really loved and recommend it to everyone!

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[REVIEW] NW

NW by Zadie Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first novel from Zadie Smith and I have seen many reviews stating that Smith's best work are essays not novels. I think I understand why -- this book is not completely easy, in particular for a non-native. It changes structure several times, it introduces us to a character that we end up liking, to later not referring to him again at all... Was that really needed? Maybe yes, to show how everyone knew everyone in that NW neighbourhood...
It also explores the lives of 2 girls, best friends, where 1 is able to be herself with her best-friend, but the other ends up having a (somewhat weird) parallel life. All this is shown, not told, so I think I understood the reasons, but I'll never be sure. Also, the end of the book does not bring closure to many topics and I got the feeling of something almost done but not completed... I cannot explain it better than this...
Basically, I think I got it (but I am not sure LOL) still, I really liked it, enough for a 4 stars rating :-) however, I would definitely NOT recommend this book to everyone.

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