Book Review #1 - The Hunger Games

For a long time I had the wish to talk about books on this blog. But there was never enough time or I didn't feel encouraged to. But the last books I've read kind of asked me for a review, for I had so much to talk about them. So, I decided to start, no matter what. I am planning to do more posts about the books I read, and I would be very thankful to have a feedback from any reader of this blog. :)


Writing about the newest launches is not my purpose, for I don't keep up with all the news on the bookstores, so I'll write about any book I read, no matter if it was published last year or two centuries ago. I hope you enjoy it!

And, for my first review...

The Hunger Games

the cover of the edition I've read

Synopsis:
In a dark vision of the near future, twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live TV show called the Hunger Games. There is only one rule: Kill or be killed.
When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister’s place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature. 
from: www.scholastic.com/thehungergames

My review:
 I must admit that when I first heard of this book it wasn't much appealing to me, so I only decided to read it because so many friends recommended me to. So, it wasn't with much expectation that I first opened the book.
While reading, what actually started to win my attention was the fact that I simply couldn't guess the plot. I always thought that the next facts would be the very obvious, but then the book surprised me with something completely different from my expectations (but please note that I'm not very good at guessing plots). Then I got involved with the plot and realized a couple of things about it.
Suzanne Collins shows us a society that worships these Hunger Games, what means they worship war and killing. They love the Hunger Games. And my first thought about that was that they were shameful brainless people.
But, as the book goes on and the game starts, many times Katniss saw an enemy on arena and all these times I thought "go there, kill him/her right away!". After some time, I realized that I had my favorite tributes and I that was hoping that they would kill the others and win the games.
Then it came to me that I had actually become one of the Hunger Games watchers! Just like all those cruel and brainless people in the Capital.
What I think Suzanne Collins does very well on this book is to show us how we, too, are thirsty for blood and war, no matter how disgusting we know that is. I think that she can address especially to Americans, her first readers, for they are a country that worships soldiers and war heros (in a way I have never seen in Brazil, for example). She also talks of oppression and builds a country that is sick, in need for justice and for freedom - ideas that are very important to every country, but that Americans widely speak of.
By realizing this I got quite involved with the book and, though some parts were kind of boring - for instance, some of Katniss's lonely moments in the arena - and some characters were too obvious - like Gale, he was useless to the plot so far -, I just couldn't wait to finish it and know how it was going to end.
So, I am very curious to read the next books, and I hope they will thrill me and teach me something about myself just like this one did.

My rate:
8/10

Help my poor English skills!

Have you ever felt like correcting someone's grammar or writing? Have you ever read a sentence and thought "this sounds SO foreign"?

Well, I sometimes think that may happen to my texts. And I don't like that. I have a goal to speak/write a perfect English, and I'm trying hard to improve it.

So, this post is basically to ask you all for a favor: would you please correct me, if you feel like? I mean, you don't have to do that, you can just keep reading my posts (please do keep reading! =D) and moving on with your life. But, if in any moment you feel like correcting me or suggesting another way of writing a sentence... please, don't stop yourself! I would really appreciate to be corrected. It's all about more and more learning to me. :)

Thank you for kindly reading this request. I'll go back to regular posts, showing you my incoming and outgoing mail as soon as possible!

The Liebster Blog Award

My dear penpal Felicia gave me the Liebster Blog award. =D Thanks, Fe!
I love to answer these forms, although I'm always quite indecisive about my replies (yes, I take things way too serious).
Anyway, let's have fun with this. :)

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have 200 followers or less.

The word 'Liebster' is German and it means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Here are the rules:

1. Each person must post 11 random facts about themselves
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you tagged
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post
4. Tell them you've tagged them. Remember, no tag backs!

11 Facts about Me

1. I eat sugar, and I love it.

2. I am a Harry Potter fan and, during about 7 years of my life, I have frequented lots of conventions and even promoted some. 

3. I love brown eyes, and I wouldn't change the color of mine if I could.

4. When I was a child, I was afraid of a monster under my bed that was a horrible hand, which could pull me for the depths under it.

5. I never sleep by day, because it feels like a waste of time to me. Nothing makes me feel worse than falling asleep during daytime and waking up when it's already dark.

6. I can't ride a bike.

7. My favorite color is pink, and I tend to choose my candies by their colors.

8. I love funny and colorful socks.

9. Rainy days make me feel happy.

10. I gesture too much while talking (this fact was pointed by my boyfriend).

11. I believe in happy endings. And in aliens.

My answers to Felicia's questions

1. What are your thoughts on superhero movies? Do you have a favourite superhero?

I love superhero movies. I only wish I had readed any of the comics, so that I would know them other than from the movies... It's hard to pick a favorite, and I'm sure this is quite polemic, but I'll say Superman, just because he's super iconic to me.

2. What kind of landscape would your dream house be in? (beach, forest, mountain, etc.) 

I love big cities, and the ocean, so, if I could combine both, I would be happy.

3. What is currently on your nightstand?

Two My Little Pony dolls, some plushes, a Volkswagen Beetle-shaped lamp, a picture of me when I was a baby, a box of Kleenex, my regular medicines and some books I am supposed to read for my thesis.

4. Were you a good kid in school, or were you the kid in detention?

I was the annoyingly good kid, that always made her homework and studied too hard. The only problem teachers had ever faced to me is that I did (and still do) talk too much.

5. What dish would you never want to try?

Cockroaches or something like that. I'm pretty open to new food, I think almost everything is worth a try.

 6. Do you have any hobbies or interests that most people don't know you have?

I'm quite open about my hobbies and tend to talk about them a lot. Maybe most people don't know that I collect different designs of Pepsi cans and bottles, and other Pepsi-related items. 

7. If you were stuck in an elevator with 3 celebrities, who would you want them to be, and why?

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Because they are part of my love for HP, and I would be happy to get to know them, even if just for one moment. If I could include one random celebrity, I would choose Elton John, because he's one of the few living musicists that I worship.

8. Why did you start blogging?

I started reading a few interesting blogs about penpalling, and that made me feel like making a new blog for me. I always loved writting and had lots of blogs before this one, but I abandoned all of them after some time.

 9. What is your favourite sport to watch in the Olympics?

I don't watch sports, so, none.

10. Did you go/are you currently in post-secondary education? What did you study?

Yes! I'm trying to finish my major in Editing/Publishing.

11. If you could go back in time, which era would you visit and why?

Does it have to be an era? I would love to visit the 50's, because I love the music, clothing and lifestyle from that time. Being back to Medieval Era could be equally interesting!

My questions

1. Which was the last good book you've readed?

2. What's your favorite season?

3. If your house was in fire and you had to live it, which non-living thing would you try to save?

4. Do you have any collection?

5. Which is your favorite Pokémon (if you have one)?

6. What inspires you?

7. What is your favorite dish for breakfast?

8. Do you have pets? How many and what's their names?

9. If you could choose any country to live, which one would you choose, and why?

10.What's your ringtone?

11. What's your opinion about lizards?

Okay, this was really fun.

And now, the hardest part, these are the blogs I'm tagging: Fab, Anna, Michi, Alex, Shannah, Weims319.

I'm sorry that I can't link 11 blogs. I'm quite new on blogging and I don't read many blogs yet (also, many of the ones I do read already have this prize). So, I was honest and selected some of my favorites, instead of only looking around for 11 random blogs.

By the way, if I'm not following/reading your blog yet, let me know, I'm eager to get to know new interesting blogs. :)

Stationery giveaway

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there were little girls that collected stationery. They did it just for the fun, and kept the stationery untouched. These little girls grew up an decided to give their collections to other girls, who would like to write letters on those beautiful papers and spread them throughout the world.

I'm one of those lucky girls who inherited lots of vintage stationery. They are most part of my supplies nowadays, and, in order to promote my new and still shy blog, and also to put a smile on someone's face, I want to give some of it for a reader!

To participate, all you have to do is:
- follow my blog;
- leave a comment on this post, with your e-mail or any other way for me to contact you.

On August 4th, I'll pick up one random winner, who will receive an envelope with:

- a selection of these vintage stationery;
- some stickers;
- a few postcards;
- a little surprise;
- love.

You must know that these stationery are the kind that has one side completely printed, so that you must use the other side to write. They're lovely, I guarantee!

The subscription is quite easy, and will surely make me happy.

So, let's start the fun!

Brand new blog!

Greetings!

Welcome to my newest blog, Hippo Mail. This is where I will post about my life, my mail and other interests.

I'm Bárbara (Penny!), a 22 years old university student (soon graduating as a book editor/publisher!) from Brazil. I love snail mail and have been into it since I was 13. I've been reading lots of penpal blogs lately and got really excited to create one of my own. Penpalling is one of my favorite hobbies, the one that makes me excited to come home everyday, looking forward to whatever some friend far far away sent to make me smile. It's a really addictive hobby. I hope I'll have much mail to show you all on this blog.

But I won't write only topic I will talk about. I also have other interests to share, such as photography, movies, video games and books. And I plan to post here many interesting things about all of my many passions!

Readers must be awared that this blog may be written on a terrible English, by a girl who is still practising this language. And, ocasionally, I may post something in Portuguese too.

Please say hello and come back soon to read me! :D

I'm Penny. Nice to meet you!