French Friday (3)

Bonjour à tous !

Welcome to this third French Friday, written from my little Parisian flat! It's a grey day today in Paris, and on monday I'll be leaving the city for a month, visiting family and friends in the south west of France, organizing an exhibition and performing the play I've been acting in for a year now. A busy month, which will probably won't help me participating in NaNoWriMo... I'll give it a try though!

Today I'd like to share with you the French covers of our beloved Harry Potter books.
The illustrator is Jean-Claude Götting, and you can find other sketches and early projects about his Harry Potter covers here.

Like Audrey from Brizmus Blogs Books, I tend not to be a fan of French covers' adaptations in general. They are often basic, simple and when it comes to children's books they often look a little too 'childish' to me. I am not fond of these Harry Potter covers, but I think they've got a little something. I think the covers of book 1, 2 and 3 are a little simple and not very exciting, and Harry's eyes creep me out a bit... Covers 4 and 5 are also not very representative of the books in my opinion, but I read an interview of the illustrator in which he says that he wasn't allowed to read the books (so that the story remained secret) and wasn't aware of the plot except the main themes, so that explains it ! I love the last two covers though, especially the one for the last book. It really catches Harry's loneliness and I love the colors. What do you think ?

And I'd also like to show you the French cover for Graceling by Kristin Cashore. That was a big deception for me, I love the original so much !

You can check out Audrey's blog at Brizmus Blogs Books for her French Friday participation !

A la semaine prochaine !

The Undead Next Door (by Kerrelyn Sparks)

THE UNDEAD NEXT DOOR
(Love at Stake : Book 4)
by Kerrelyn Sparks
Release date : January 2008

Three signs that something is very different with your new man:1. He sleeps all day . . . which would be annoying except he's so attentive at night.
2. He's attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.
3. He never seems to age.
Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There's something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she's never been with a man so charming, so attractive . . . so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn't after them, they might get their happily-ever-after. (HarperCollins)

MY THOUGHTS : I haven't read the previous books in the series, so I'll just talk about this one without comparing it to them. I didn't really enjoy reading this book, and was disappointed by it, expecting something better after having read the summary. I though there were some time-related problems, with many things happening too fast and too quickly (the ending for example, that we're waiting for during the whole book and ends up being described in one sentence). I didn't really have any notion of the time passing. I also found the plot rather unbelievable, and the love story between Heather and Jean-Luc kind of bored me, and was full of repetitions. Jean-Luc is THE perfect guy, and I found this flawless character irritating. I didn't get attached to the characters, that in my opinion lacked development. This said, I didn't find the book terrible enough to lose interest in it. But it didn't make me want to read the oher books. If you like vampire romance, you may find The Undead Next Door entertaining even with the weaknesses I saw in it, but it didn't work for me.

French Friday (2)

Bonjour à tous !

Today I'm going to share with you a few titles' translations from English to French.
Most of the time I am either amazed or amused (either in a good or in a bad way) when discovering French translations of book titles. So here's a selection.

I'll start with Stephenie Meyer's books, since the New Moon movie comes out in a month. 

Let's call it a celebration. In French, the Twilight saga is translated as the Fascination saga.

Twilight : Fascination (Fascination)

New Moon : Tentation (Temptation)

Eclipse : Hésitation (Hesitation)

Breaking Dawn : Révélation (Revelation)

Ok, I think the translations make sense. But I really prefer the original titles.
I find the French version less poetic and more, I don't know, obvious? Realistic? What do you think?

As for The Host, it was translated as Les Âmes Vagabondes (Wandering Souls).
I like both versions, although I think The Host is more catchy.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman was translated as L'Etrange Vie de Nobody Owens (The Strange Life of Nobody Owens). This came as a surprise. I love the original title, and the French one makes me think of The Nightmare Before Christmas's translation : L'Etrange Noël de Monsieur Jack (Mr Jack's Strange Christmas). We French people tend to transform short titles into long ones sometimes, don't we?

A is For Angst by Barbara Haworth-Attard (which I reviewed here) became Adam à Tout Prix (Adam At All Cost). And it was released in America as My Life From Air Bras to Zits. Talk about differences...! And the three covers have nothing in common. Confusing, huh? I like that! What's your favorite?

Last but not least, The Vampire is Just Not That Into You by Vlad Mezrich (which I reviewed here and definitely recommend) can be encountered in France as Comment Séduire un Vampire (sans y laisser sa peau), meaning How To Seduce a Vampire (without dying in the process).

 That's it for this week!
A la semaine prochaine!

What do you think of all these translations?  Good? Bad? Weird?

Grim Hill : The Forgotten Secret (by Linda DeMeuleester)

GRIM HILL : THE FORGOTTEN SECRET
The Grim Hill Series : Book 3
by Linda DeMeulemeester
Release date : April 2009

During the season of romance, an easterly fairy wind blows through town. For months our heroine, Cat Peters, has been wishing to live the normal life of a thirteen-year-old, and finally things seem to be going her way. She has once again helped her town escape the evil clutches of Fairy, and now she can’t wait to turn her attention from magic to the upcoming dance. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so it seems only natural that Cat’s friends, her sister, and even her soccer coaches have all been captivated by romance. But don’t be fooled ! Valentine hearts, charming decorations, and high school dances can have a sinister side in the town with Grim Hill at its epicenter. When an enchanting girl named Lea moves into the neighborhood with her eccentric aunt, Cat thinks she’s finally found her true BFF. Unbeknownst to Cat, Lea is actually the tragic “sweetheart fairy,” doomed to work for a notorious banshee intent on devouring the souls of lovelorn men. Will Cat's misguided match-making and Sookie’s untrained talent with magic lead everyone right into the banshee’s trap? Or can fast-thinking Cat battle the potentially lethal love potion? (Taken from Lobster Press)

MY THOUGHTS : Ouch again. This third book in the series disappointed me like the previous one did, and the comments I made about the second book work for this one too. I found the story predictable (since each book follows the same structure, it's hard to be surprised) and Cat still waited until the 170th page (out of 192) to realize what was happening. And this time it really bothered me. I thought that Sookie's character (which was the best thing of the books in my opinion) lost her fun and became annoying. The sister's naïvety worked well in the first book, but now it's just not understandable and logic for them to still be surprised by things they have already encountered.

I really wanted to enjoy this series, especially after the first book which I found original, funny, full of mystery and adventure. Alas the sequels didn't live up to my expectations. I loved the idea of each book revolving around a seasonal celebration (Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day). I loved the folk stories and creatures and found the characters unique and amiable (until the point where I had trouble sympathising with them). I think the Grim Hill series is well-written, but the main thing that bugged me was linked to the plot. The stories are great, but the fact that they became expected ruined the fun for me. But I still think that the target audience will enjoy following Cat and Sookie on their magical and dangerous adventures. And oh how I love the covers !

You can check out my reviews of the other books in the series :

Grim Hill : The Secret Deepens (by Linda DeMeulemeester)

GRIM HILL : THE SECRET DEEPENS
The Grim Hill Series : Book 2
by Linda DeMeulemeester
Release date : September 2008

After a soul-shaking Halloween, things have finally gotten back to normal for Cat Peters. Now the big drama in her life isn't a battle against diabolical fairies, but a battle of the sexes on the soccer field. Meanwhile, ever since escaping her imprisonment in Grim Hill, Cat's little sister Sookie has only been interested in one thing : magic. When the aspiring conjurer takes her discoveries too far, it is up to Cat to set things straight. Can she really bear to return to the dreaded Grim Hill for a final confrontation with the powerful beings that dwell there ? (taken from Lobster Press)

MY THOUGHTS : Ouch, the disappointment... After having read and thoroughly enjoyed the first book, I expected the sequel to be as exciting and maybe even more developped that its predecessor. But I found quite the opposite. While the first book was full of twists and surprises, I found this one predictable and repetitive.

Cat's naïvety kind of got to my nerves : the link between Sookie's magic and the problems the town is facing is obvious, and yet Cat does't get it until the last part of the book. In spite of her latest adventures, Cat does't realize the troubles might come from the same source as in the first book. I thought the chapters were repetitive and lacked development.

I found Sookie's character as interesting and funny as in the first book though. She almost steals the spotlight actually, which in my opinion is not a bad thing considering the fact that I thought Cat became a bit irritating. I found the ending weird, lightly described and not strong enough for my taste. It actually made me laugh, when it should have been full of suspense and spookyness.

Overall I got a little bored at some point. I found the writing more evasive and less polished than in the first book. But this series still is interesting, I like the author's voice and I think the story has a unique thing going on. And I'm definitely in love with the covers !

You can check out my reviews of the other books in the series :

The Secret of Grim Hill (by Linda DeMeulemeester)

THE SECRET OF GRIM HILL
The Grim Hill Series : Book 1

by Linda DeMeulemeester

Release date : May 2007

Cat Peters just transferred to Darkmont High and is already desperate to get out. When she hears that Grimoire, the private school nearby, is offering scholarships to the winners of a Halloween soccer match, Cat jumps at the chance. Her little sister, Sookie, and their bookworm neighbor try to tell her there’s something ... just not right about the old school on the hill, and their worries are confirmed when they uncover a mystery about an entire soccer team that disappeared many years ago. Further investigation leads Cat to a book about ancient Celtic myth and fairy lore, and she soon realizes that there is something truly wicked at work inside the walls of Grimoire. (taken from Lobster Press)

MY THOUGHTS : I really enjoyed reading this book ! It's full of magic, action, and the intriguing characters make the story even more mysterious and thrilling. Cat's character is amiable right from the start, and her little sister Sookie is an amazing "second role".

I thought the plot was cleverly constructed, and most of the twists and events were unexpected. Although we understand that magic is involved, we have no idea what kind of magic it is and what or who Cat will have to confront.

I found the descriptions clear enough and the story easily understandable, there are not blurry passages and I stuck to the characters throughout the whole book. All in all, an exciting magical, mysterious, unpredictable and fresh story, that made me want to read the sequels without hesitation. And how cute is the cover?!

You can check out my reviews of the other books in the series :

Blog Awards

Thank you to my fellow bloggers who passed these awards on to me and my blog !

The Superior Scribbler Award

Given by Elnice at Ellz Read.

The Heartfelt Award

Given by The Ladybug Reads

and Morgan at BLT

Your Blog is Adorable !

Given by Juju at Tales of Whimsy

One Lovely Blog Award

Given by Cindy at Simple Life and Reading
Mary E. Cambell at Writers Butt Does Not Apply To Me
Justine at A Bookful of Thoughts
Velvet at vvb32reads
Paul at Gossiping About Books

Who Loves You Baby !

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Honest Scrap

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Honest Scrap

Given by Andrea at Loud Words and Sounds

Ohh la la ! J'adore your blog !

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Humane Award

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

and Stella at Ex Libris

Happy 101 Award
Given by Nina at J'adoreHappyEndings
and La Coccinelle at The Ladybug Reads

Super Comments Award

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Over The Top ! Award
Given by Jo at Once Upon a Bookcase
and Nina at J'AdoreHappyEndings

Splash Award

Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

and Andrea at Loud Words and Sounds

Your Blog is sooooo Kewl!
Given by MG at Loud Words and Sounds

Zombie Chicken Award
Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Your Blog is Fabulous

Given by Shy at The Bibliophile's Journal

Love Your Header Award
Given by Velvet at vvb32reads

Blogger Buddie Award
Given by Amelia at Imagination in Focus

Prolific Blogger Award

Given by Nina at J'AdoreHappyEndings
and Andrea at Loud Words and Sounds

Oh My Blog! Award
Given by The Ladybug Reads

30 followers + 500 visits = Yay !

Dear fellow bloggers,

I started this blog not even a month ago, and can't tell you how thrilled I am ! I'm having so much fun blogging, meeting amazing people, discovering wonderful blogs and reading great reviews on the blogosphere. When I started this blog I couldn't even imagine how this book-blogging thing would be exciting, fun and instructive. A month ago I would never have believed it if someone had told me that I'd be writing recipes related to Alice in Wonderland, attending Pemberley Ball or reading Sophocle.

Today I discovered that I reached 30 followers. Thank you so much to you all ! And 500 visits, what ? How exciting is that ?!

I'd like to thank the academy all the nice bloggers I met since the first post of The Book on the Hill was published. Instead of feeling lost I have been guided and warmly welcomed. There are still a lot of things I have to learn, and that's more exciting than terrifying. I can't wait to meet more people and I sincerely hope that my blog will entertain you and guide you book-wise.

I'm kind of a multi-tasking girl, juggling between my acting life, reader job (and maybe soon translator), designing and webmastering things and so on, and I was scared that starting a blog would be too much, that I wouldn't be able to cope and that I would have to give up at some point. Well, I guess for the moment I'm still managing, and I'm taking so much pleasure in it that I already can't imagine myself stopping.

Being French and living in France, it's thrilling to be able to chat with bloggers on the other side of the Atlantic and discovering both our differences and common points. Plus, blogging really helps me perfecting my English.

I'm currently thinking about adding some features to my blog. French Friday is a new one. There will probably be another one coming (that includes giveaways...), but I won't tell you anything about it until it's clear in my mind (and technically doable !). November's going to be a busy month for me (acting-wise), so it'll have to wait a little...

But enough rambling. Thank you all again for your support and your nice and fun comments. The book bloggers' community is amazing and I'm honored to be part of it !

Cheers !