Ins and Outs: February and March

Spoilers and Nuts has been very sparse in updates lately - I have said before that the new job takes much of my time, and the truth is that when I get home my head is so mushy that I do very little (to say nothing of my eyes, that after hours spent staring at a screen itch and ache and water at will). And so there was no Ins and Outs in February, and almost no reviews in March. That doesn't mean I haven't been getting more books and reading, although the latter has also been going a bit more slowly.

But here are the books I got and read in the last 2 months.

Ins

Bought

February

• El mapa del tiempo [The Map of Time] by Félix J. Palma *already read, but now I have my own copy!*
• Mi nombre es Jamaica [My name is Jamaica] by José Manuel Fajardo
• A storm of swords by George R. R. Martin
• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

  

March

• Magic bites by Ilona Andrews
• Firebirds rising by Sharyn November and more
• Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
• Fables. Vol. 2 : animal farm by Bill Willingham
• Breviário das más inclinações [Breviary of evil intents] by José Riço Direitinho

Bookmooch

March
Politically correct bedtime stories by James Finn Garner

Freebies

Won on a giveaway

February
Night reigns by Dianne Duvall
*Thanks to The Book Vixen and Dianne Duvall*

Gift

March
Mundo do fim do mundo [The world of the end of the world] by Luis Sepúlveda
Luis Sepúlveda was in Porto at the beginning of March, and my mum went to the book signing event and got me this book :)

Outs

February
The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko [Review]


Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn
A rather sweet and fun book, lent by Jen7waters. I was surprised to like it as much as I did. Great as a fast read for when you need something sweet.

Rating: 4 out 5


The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber
I wanted to like this book, I really did. But the writing just didn't agree with me, and I didn't really care about what most of the characters where doing. I did like that it had some mythology in it, but overall, it was a bit disappointing.

Rating: 3 out of 5


Caravana [Caravan] by Rui Manuel Amaral
A collection of poetry and short fiction that I don't know where I got it from. Not my kind of read, and it felt too pretentious most of the times. Here and there I could find a turn of the phrase that I like, only to be followed either by a) the end, b) something that made no sense in any way, c) something vulgar, d) all of the above

Rating: 1.5 out of 5


The woman in black by Susan Hill
Also lent by Jen7waters, because I wanted to read it before going to see the movie. Not bad, but rather predictable. It does leave a eerie feeling.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5



Fullmetal alchemist. 7 by Hiromu Arakawa
The manga is still as good as the anime! 'Nuff said.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5


March
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
It took so long to read this (I blame it for being an ebook), but I'm glad I kept reading. Very cool worldbuilding, and a nice story. I will go on reading this series and this author!

Rating: 4 out 5


Politically correct bedtime stories by James Finn Garner
A collection of retelling of the famous fairy tales, now politically correct. At first it is rather fun, but then it gets repetitive.

Rating: 3.5 out 5


Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Another that I wanted to read before going to see the movie (I have yet to see it). Reminded me a lot of Everything is Illuminated, although maybe not as wacky. At first I was loving it, both the story and the writing style. But as it went on I started to lose a bit of that love. Still, a good book, that really makes you think.

Rating: 4 out of 5


TBR change: +5 (From 220 to 225)