Review: Now That You Mention It

I've been struggling with how to review Kristan Higgins' latest novel Now That You Mention It. I really, really enjoyed it and sometimes that makes reviews really hard to write! This novel also has a lot of layers and I think I'm still working my way through all of them.

Here's the synopsis:

One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back.
Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There's only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn't necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments.
With a tough islander mother who's always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter--a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was--Nora has her work cut out for her if she's going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family.
But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise...and the chance to begin again.

First things first. I absolutely freaking loved that Nora was a Potterhead. And that she was a thirty-something Harry Potter fan. I'm turning 31 this year, am an unapologetic Hufflepuff, and don't care if anyone thinks I'm too old to still be in love with the Harry Potter series. So, it was amazing to read a story where the main character was so much like me in that regard. Plus, it was really amusing how Higgins wove in references throughout the book (even if the Voldemort reference was heartbreaking).

There are two things that I have to bring up even though it really has no bearing on how I felt about the overall story. One is that I have absolutely no idea what the title and cover are referring to. I can figure out that the little yellow bird is Nora's mom's bird, Tweety. But as for the rest of it? I'm lost on the connection to the story. The other is getting back to Nora's love of Harry Potter. From what I gathered from the story, she's a Gryffindor but after reading this I'm pretty convinced she should be Hufflepuff. I mean, she is hella brave (as evidenced by the Big Bad Event) but she's also extremely loyal (to her friends and family) and dedicated (again, to her friends and family but also to her job).

If you were judging this book strictly by its cover (I know, back to that cover again!), you'd probably expect a super light and fun book. There are a lot of those elements in this book (which I loved) but the story goes so much deeper than the bright colours suggest. And that is why I liked it so much. I hate that Nora has had so many speed bumps and hardships throughout her life (some way more serious than others) but she is so incredibly strong and I really admired her.

Speaking of hardships, I had a feeling I knew what the Big Bad Event was but I was hoping I was wrong. I kind of was, actually, as it was almost worse than I imagined. And I had a lot of time to imagine it as it took just a little too long for Shalvis to expand on what Nora had alluded to on a number of occasions.

The story jumps back and forth from past to present. I think that strengthened the story because you really got a feel of what it was like for Nora in high school. You also got to see what other characters were like then as well. And it reminded me how glad I am not to be in high school any more and that I don't live in the small town I grew up in!

Like I said, Now That You Mention It was a hard one for me to review because it was so enjoyable for so many reasons. So, I'll just leave you with this: pick up Kristan Higgins' latest novel because you're probably going to enjoy it just as much as I did.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Can you believe I've never actually read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? My sister had the old school covers (the ones that looked like the actual textbooks which I loved) of both this one and Quidditch Through the Ages but I never did get around to borrowing and reading them. I did, like every other Harry Potter fan, go see the film when it was released in theatres and I loved it. So, when I had the chance to review the brand new version of the book I jumped at the chance. Time to finally learn more about all those magical creatures I've been reading (and rereading) about for years!

Here's the description of the new edition:

A brand new edition of this essential companion to the Harry Potter stories, with a new foreword from J.K. Rowling and an irresistible new jacket by Jonny Duddle.
An approved textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since publication, Newt Scamander's masterpiece has entertained wizarding families through the generations. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the wizarding world. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books – the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail ... Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur magizoologist. Dip in to discover the curious habits of magical beasts across five continents ...

'No wizarding household is complete without a copy' Albus Dumbledore

Because I had never read the book before, I wasn't totally sure which creatures were part of the six new ones added to this latest edition. While reading it, though, I realized many of them are from stories J.K. Rowling had shared about Ilvermorny through Pottermore. I did a bit of poking around and found this article on Pottermore that lists all the new creatures accompanied with amazing and stunning 3D paper art by artist Andy Singleton. 

I had forgotten that the Thunderbird was a Ilvermorny house and a creature in Rowling's world. Having grown up with some (pretty basic) knowledge of Indigenous cultures, I was fairly certain Rowling's description didn't mesh with the mythology from real Indigenous cultures. A quick search confirmed my suspicions and reminded me of the many articles I read about how upset Indigenous people were when the Ilvermorny story was first released. (Read this CBC article for more context.) I love Rowling as much as the next Potter fan but this was a hard thing to come to terms with...a favourite author seemingly picking and choosing the myths that suited her and changing them to work with her story. This isn't just changing a, say, vampire narrative to suit your story. It's about taking a culture's religion for the purpose of another story. I don't like to be a downer but this is part of a much bigger conversation, especially in Canada, and I feel like I can't just ignore it.

Of course, all that being said...I did have fun reading this book. Creatures popped up that I remembered Harry and friends learning about at Hogwarts and it was great to learn more about where they can be found. It was so neat to really get a better imaginary picture (or sometimes actual picture as there were some line drawings throughout the book) of what these creatures should actually look like. 

I especially liked the introduction and explanation of why Centaurs and Merpeople are considered Beasts and Magical Creatures instead of Beings (like witches and wizards are). It would have been very complicated for those wizards to sort out how to classify certain creatures. I also liked the Ministry of Magic classification system. It ranges from XXXXX ("Known wizard killer/impossible to train or domesticate") to X ("Boring"). 

I love the look of the scales and the green and gold of the cover but I'm not sold on the dragon. I like that it's a red creature (the three colours all look so lovely) but this Chinese Fireball (I think that's what it is anyway) just looks too...cute, I think. Although the Puffskein on the back really is adorable and I want one. Except it enjoys sticking its long tongue up sleeping humans' noses and eating bogies so...that's a bit odd!

Have you read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Do you have the older copies or the newer one like me? Which do you prefer? I'm happy to be adding "Newt Scamander's" title to my ever-growing Harry Potter collection!

*I received a copy of this book from Raincoast Books in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Reread: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I can't believe we've come to the final book. July was the month to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Because of crazy (but mostly good) life stuff, I didn't get to start it until July 31 (fitting since that's both Harry's and J.K. Rowling's birthday). I finished it on Saturday and I'm still reeling...again.

For more info about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter and Instagram if you'd like to follow along with our #HPreread tag. A reminder: if you haven't read this book please beware of spoilers. Since this is the last book I'll be talking about all sorts of ruinable plot points! If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books.

I didn't think I'd be as affected by this novel the second time around. I really didn't. I've read the books before, I've seen the movies, so I was kind of expecting to hold it together a little bit better. There were no tears this time but knowing what was coming didn't lessen the hurt any. I was hit with a major book hangover after finishing it and I really wanted to linger in this world for as long as I could. Did anyone else feel like that when they finished it? Either for the first time or when doing this reread?

Obviously the things that hurt the most are the deaths (again, spoiler alert). There are the big ones: Fred, Lupin, Tonks, Snape, Mad-Eye, Dobby, Hedwig. But there also deaths of characters who played smaller roles: Colin Creevey, Lavender  Brown, hell, even Crabbe. Can you imagine being Harry, at seventeen, realizing that all of these people died because of something you felt you needed to stop on your own?

Finding out more about Snape and why he did everything he did is one of my favourite parts of this book. It's also one of the hardest parts to read. We, like Harry, are not exactly fans of Snape (these feelings range from mild dislike to, as in Harry's case, raw hatred) and have held onto those feelings for the entire series. It is both wonderful and heartbreaking to finally find out what motivated Snape. Wonderful because we realize how much he truly cared for Lily and what that meant for Harry. Snape loved Lily so much that he risked his life to help Dumbledore look after Harry. In turn, it's heartbreaking because we learn everything after he is already dead. Imagine the questions Harry would have had and would have loved to be able to ask Snape. I'm glad Rowling gave Snape the closure he deserved and that we were able to see him as Dumbledore did. And that she had Harry name one of his son's after him!

Speaking of Harry's sons...let's talk about that epilogue. I didn't hate it when I first read it (still don't) but I wondered about the necessity of it. I suppose you could say I do like it because I did want to know that Harry and Ginny were together, as were Ron and Hermione. I liked knowing the names of all of their children and that Neville is teaching at Hogwarts. But what are the rest of the Weasleys up to? Luna? What are they all doing outside of their family lives? Neville is the only one who has a profession named. I know we have a lot of these questions answered now, seven years later, but if there's going to be an epilogue, why not include even more info? What about you? What's your opinion on the "Nineteen years later" epilogue?

Other things worth mentioning:
- the goodbye between Harry and Dudley. "I don't think you're a waste of space." Love.
- I can hardly stand the fact that Fred dies and George has to carry on without his twin. Especially after reading this Buzzfeed article, 29 Times Tumblr Made Harry Potter Fans Cry All Over Again, which focuses a lot on the twins. (It literally will make you cry. Not that I'm speaking from experience...)
- Hermione having to wipe her parents' memories? *sobs*
- Learning more about Dumbledore was really interesting, too. I know I held him on a pedestal just like Harry did and it was hard, but good, to learn that he really was human and discover how he became the great wizard he was.
- When the trio are discussing The Tales of Beedle the Bard:
"Ron, you know full well Harry and I were brought up by Muggles!" said Hermione. "We didn't hear stories like that when we were little, we heard Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Cinderella - "
"What's that, an illness?" asked Ron. (page 114)
- When almost every single Hogwarts student protects Harry after Pansy Parkinson yells to grab him:
"Before Harry could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors in front of him and stood facing, not Harry, but the Syltherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them with their backs to Harry, all of them looking towards Pansy instead, and Harry, awestruck and overwhelmed, saw wands emerging everywhere, pulled from beneath cloaks and from under sleeves." (pages 490-1) (I got goosebumps when I read it and when I typed it out!)

There are more quotes and pictures from my reading experience compiled in this Storify story.

So that's it. I still can't quite believe it's over. Rereading these books has been one of, if not the, best reading decisions of 2014. I always talk about how much I love the Harry Potter novels but it was good to get a refresher and confirm that they are my all time favourite books. I proudly say that I am part of the Harry Potter Generation.

Reread: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I was both looking forward to and dreading reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I wanted to do the reread because I knew how much information was given in this book and I couldn't remember all the hints. I didn't want to reread it because of the death in this one. (I'll mention it later so go away if you don't know who I mean!) For more info about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter and Instagram if you'd like to follow along with our #HPreread tag. A reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books!

I remembered early on how many deaths there actually are in this book. We met Amelia Bones in Order of the Phoenix and then, in the first few pages of Half-Blood Prince, we find out that she was killed. Sad! Of course, it's not just deaths that occur but serious injuries as well (see: Bill). There are a lot of minor characters that have popped up throughout who become more important as the series progressed. It's another nod to Rowling's excellent storytelling.

I never really saw the appeal of Draco Malfoy the first time I read the series. I didn't dislike him any more than the average person but I didn't like him either. I know a lot of people love him and I now understand it. My heart hurt when he confronted Dumbledore and explained what he had to do and why. And when he was crying to Moaning Myrtle right before Harry cursed him? Oh, so sad. I imagine this feeling of..empathy, I guess?..is a result of knowing how the series ends and what else Malfoy goes through. This feeling also applies to Snape and my feelings about him. Going into the series the first time all we know is that he's such a villain in Harry's eyes so what happens in the end is so surprising. Knowing the final ending makes rereading this book even harder because you can tell that Snape is struggling with his duties.

And let's just talk about this for a second:

Ah, young love. I love that Harry and Ginny become a couple and I love that Ron and Hermione eventually get it together and realize they should be together, too (though that's in the next book. Expect another page shot of that scene). Speaking of Ron and Hermione...reading about two sixteen year olds who are struggling with their feelings for each other? It's definitely sweet, yes. But also quite funny. Makes me glad I'm not a teen anymore :)

I had forgotten that the novel opens with the British Prime Minister and the visits from Fudge and Scrimgeour. I especially liked when the PM says, "But for heaven's sake - you're wizards! You can do magic! Surely you can sort out - well - anything!" Scrimgeour replies, "The trouble is, the other side can do magic too, Prime Minister." (page 24) This sort of sets the tone of almost helplessness that the magical community has as well as making you realize how much the Muggle world is being affected by Voldemort's return.

Finally, it's time to talk about Dumbledore. I was dreading the end of this book so much. I hate that he dies. I hated knowing going into it that he dies. All the clever little quips and thoughtful pieces of advice...all stabs to the heart. Of course, knowing that Dumbledore knew he was going to die makes a lot of things clearer. All the lessons with Harry, the knowledge he tried to impart, and so on, it was all done with a purpose. But reading as Harry had to deal with the death of his mentor...oh, it was just so hard.

For more thoughts and random quotes that I enjoyed, check out the Storify link for this month's reread.

I can't believe next month is the last book! Ah! Where did the time go? It's going to be hard to finish the series (again) but I'm looking forward to it. I've only read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows once so I can't recall some of the tinier details like I can with some of the others. Final note: is anyone else planning on bingewatching all of the movies in August like I am?

Reread: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I never liked Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as much as some of the other books. I was never really sure why, either. After doing this month's reread, however, I found I no longer disliked the book. I wonder if it's because I know the whole story now. All the little hints and information sprinkled throughout this book make sense now because I know how it all ends. Whatever the reason, I definitely enjoyed my reread of J.K. Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book more than the first time I read it.
For more info about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread if you want to follow along with us. A reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books!

I believe I've mentioned before that a lot of people are frequently annoyed by Harry. I could really see where they were coming from when I was reading Order of the Phoenix. Harry had been pretty much totally ignored all summer by everyone he considered a friend and his response to that, when he finally gets to see everyone, was to lash out. Repeatedly. The attitude continues throughout the entire book and, while it did get a tad frustrating, I just reminded myself that he's fifteen. And, really, this attitude never bothered me before. Sure, the kid is rash and should listen for all the facts before rushing off to save the world, but he's just that – a kid. Harry's only fifteen in this book, remember.

I had somehow forgotten how long and big this book was. 766 pages! And it doesn't really seem like there's a whole lot going on in this book (which may be another reason why a lot of people aren't a huge fan of OotP) but there are a lot of building blocks laid in this story. Particularly, I think, with Dumbledore's Army. Apart from the core three, we're finally getting to see some students who are committed to protecting their school, their headmaster, and their families, by coming together to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts skills from Harry. The group of students we learn more about here, most notably Ginny, Neville, and Luna, all play an important role in this book as well as the next two.

There were a couple of family moments in this book that made me tear up a bit. The first was one I had forgotten about. It happens very early on in the book (page 39), when Harry is explaining why the Dementors attacked him and what it meant. Aunt Petunia understood the severity and, as Rowling writes, "...for the first time in his life, Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister. ... All he knew was that he was not the only person in the room who had an inkling of what Lord Voldemort being back might mean." It's easy to forget, reading the books through Harry's eyes, that his aunt lost a sister. She may complain about James and how magic is a disgrace, but Lily was still her sister. The other, much more potent, family moment came at the end of the book. I hate that Sirius dies. Probably because I can't see the point of it (though, really, what is the point of any of the upcoming deaths?). I also hate it because it takes away Harry's last hope of being with family. Sure, he has an amazing surrogate family in the Weasleys' and other members of the Order, but he won't realize that for awhile. For now, we just feel Harry's pain at losing his godfather. 

Amidst all the heavy stuff, there are, as usual, some light hearted moments. Fred and George provide many of those, of course. One of my favourite lines from the entire series is in this book. Ron has been made Prefect and Mrs. Weasley has just found out: "'Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!' 'What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?' said George indignantly." (page 149)  I also enjoyed all of the variations of "Dementor" Uncle Vernon creates (Dementoids, Demenders). And this is the book where we learn that Ron has the emotional range of a teaspoon! (page 406)

Other random notes: I was happy that Tonks ("Don't call me Nymphadora!") finally shows up as I named my rabbit after her. I also liked that Luna is now part of the series (though I'm looking forward to the next books when she's a bit less Looney and more Luna). Rowling is setting up Hermione/Ron and Harry/Ginny even more though it's still all very subtle.

I'm still really enjoying the Harry Potter reread, which isn't a surprise. Though I'm finding now that, as much as I want to read the next book, I know I'm getting that much closer to the end (again). I know I know how it all ends but it's been so great to relive the series again. Next month's book, Half-Blood Prince, is another heavy one and I need to start preparing myself now for what happens!

Reread: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I knew it was just a matter of time...I finally fell behind on the HP reread challenge! I'd like to blame it totally on the fact that I started a new job but, once again, I left the reading to the last minute. And that's a problem now as Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire marks the start of some seriously chunky books. For more info about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread if you want to follow along with us. A reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books!

I know I've said it with almost all the other books, but I was looking forward to rereading book four. This book marks a turning point in the series...in a couple of ways. I know a few people who gave up reading the books once they realized how big this one was (why, people, why?). I also know that a lot of parents were worried about the violence and incredibly dark turn this novel takes. Sure, the rest of the novels are heavy and contain deaths of major characters in each of the upcoming books but...those things are necessary to tell the story properly. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I found it interesting, this time around, to notice all the teeny little hints that Rowling gave throughout this book (ok, fine, I've said that before too). But, in the case of this book, a lot of those hints actually had meaning for this particular novel instead of the series as a whole. Sometimes it was just foreshadowing or mentioning something casually that would come up again later. For example, when Harry was at The Burrow, he saw a likeness of Amos Diggory's head in the fireplace (think of it as a magical Skype). He uses that same method of communicating to talk with Sirius later on. A Portkey is used to get to the Quidditch World Cup and a Portkey is what gets Harry to Voldemort at the end of the book. Mrs. Weasley uses a Summoning Charm to get all of the cursed candies Fred and George are trying to smuggle into Hogwarts. Harry uses a Summoning Charm in the first task against the Hungarian Horntail. You see what I mean? It was nice to reread this one and notice all of those little hints throughout. You may think that would take away from the story, reading the hints and actually knowing their significance, but it doesn't!

I had said way back when I read Philosopher's Stone that I wanted to read each book in as few sittings as I could. That didn't happen with Goblet. All of a sudden the last weekend of the month was finished and I still hadn't cracked open the book. So, what resulted was reading the novel in bits and pieces over five days. Not ideal at all. I have a feeling that took away some of my enjoyment of the novel, which is too bad. To avoid this happening again I just have to make a conscious effort to set aside time during a weekend to read the next books. 

Back to the darkness. The first major death happens in this book. And, to make it even more sad, it's a student - Cedric Diggory. I was surprised when I found myself tearing up when I read the scenes when Cedric dies and then when Dumbledore honours him at the Leaving Feast. Even though I knew it was coming, it still hit me hard. Not only does this mark the beginning of many painful deaths, but it also is the beginning of Voldemort's second rise to power. Pardon my French, but that's some scary shit. And the worst and most frustrating part of it all is that the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, doesn't believe Harry or trust Dumbledore's word. Well. Won't he be sorry. 

A couple of other themes (along with the darkness) begin in this book that carry on throughout the rest of the series. First, we finally see how jealous Ron is of Harry (and rightfully so). He thinks Harry put his name in the Goblet because he was looking for more attention. Sure, that seems silly but imagine that you're the best friend of someone super popular, always getting overlooked...oh, and that you're one of many siblings and your family is very poor. You can kind of see where Ron was coming from, right? I hated reading the part where the two boys are fighting and I couldn't help but think of the last book and how a fight almost ruins their friendship forever. In this book we also get a glimpse of a not so heroic part of Harry's personality. A lot of people could tell you that Harry is a whiny, self-absorbed teen and that they don't understand why he's such a beloved character. I'm not one of those people. I can appreciate a flawed hero, even if he is a tad annoying at times (he's quite young in these books, remember). But, I found one of "Moody's" lines to be interesting. He (and by he I mean Barty Crouch Jr. as Moody) says, after wondering why Harry didn't ask everyone he knew for help with the second task, "you have a streak of pride and independence that might have ruined all." (page 588) I'm going to keep an eye on this as I read the rest of the books to see how often that part of his personality is mentioned. Finally, and more happily, this is the first book where we see a bit of an attraction between Ron and Hermione. Well, at least, Ron realizes that Hermione is a girl and has some jealousy that he doesn't know what to do with (again, they're fourteen!). 

How is it that I always manage to write more than I intend to? Amazing. I wish I could include all of the page shots I took of scenes and lines I liked but there are just too many. What I will do is include, once again, my Storify link for this edition of the #HPreread. Next...er...this month's read, Order of the Phoenix, should be a good one. I remember not really enjoying it the first time around so we'll see what I think of it this time!

Top Ten Tuesday: All the Bookish Things

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

I found this week's Top Ten Tuesday to be both easy and hard. It was easy because I just hopped over to my Pinterest boards and picked the bookish things I loved from my many pins. But, it was hard because I want so many bookish things! The criteria I used for this list was: would I want this to be gifted to me for my upcoming birthday? Would I be over the moon excited to receive it? The system worked well. I limited this list to actual things - clothing, jewellery, and other nifty items. I didn't include any prints, not because I don't have any that I love, because that would make this already over ten item list even longer. If you want to see ALL the bookish things I love, you can check out my various Pinterest boards. The links will lead to the site where the item is sold.

Three Broomsticks - I love the design and I love Butterbeer. 

Rock Stars - Obviously. Especially awesome because Austen is on the shirt.

Fuck Off, I'm Reading - Really, who hasn't thought this before?

Lined page - Simple but so unique.

Anne of Green Gables - There are many scarves out there but I love this one.

Read - I adore this necklace. Just love it.

Bookish - Really, everything from the BookFiend shop could be on this list.

Wingardium leviosa necklace - I don't love gold but I DO love this necklace.

Wizardry bracelet - I love how everything works together in this bracelet.

Ravenclaw glass - This shop has a ton of awesome stuff but I love my house's glass!

Flourish & Blotts - This is one of the HP stores I'd LOVE to go into. I'd settle for the tote.

Candles - This shop has a ton of awesome candles but I love the sound of these two scents.

Candle - Again, this shop has many choices but I chose Dauntless because it smells like cake.

Grammar teacups - As a book nerd, I hate when people mess up your/you're. So these are awesome.

Jane Austen figure - Need I say more?  

Reread: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I was very giddy as we approached month three of the Harry Potter Reread Challenge. Why? Because I absolutely adore the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I won't say (yet) that it's my favourite of the seven novels because I want to wait until I've reread all of them but it'll for sure be one or two. For more information about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post. Check out Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread if you want to follow along with us. A reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books!

I'm not totally sure what it is that makes me love this book so much. I could say that it's because we learn so much more about the wizarding world when Harry gets to ride the Knight Bus (which I love...it's "violently purple"...my favourite!) and ends up spending a great deal of time at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. But, technically, we learn more about the world in every book so that's not much of a reason. Though I do love Diagon Alley and liked being able to spend a bit more time there in this book.

Azkaban is also the last "light" Harry Potter book. I'm not saying the serious issues that come up in the next books aren't important or good (they're great, really), it's just that this is the last book where Harry is really able to keep his innocence. I know he's already faced Voldemort twice but the danger hasn't really been there yet because Voldemort isn't totally back. It's not as dangerous or real like it will be in the next books. And, for us, the reader, this is the last book without major deaths. And anyone who tells you "they're just fictional characters" should be cut out of your life immediately. Or at least ignored until they see sense. We grow to love these characters (even some of the evil ones) and reading about their deaths is like a knife to the heart.

Other little things I enjoy in this book: Hagrid being a teacher, Hogsmeade (Butterbeer! Honeydukes!), Crookshanks (damn clever feline, that one), Ron's new owl, Hermione slapping Malfoy, Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup (couldn't stop smiling), the Marauder's Map, the Time-Turner, and expecto patronum (side note: if I ever get a HP tattoo, that might be it). To really get a feel about what stuck out for me while I reread this, check out my Storify story with all my #HPreread tweets.

But the most likely reason I love this book is because we meet two characters who are extremely important to Harry: Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. The love I have for these characters is even more intense since I know what happens to them in the end. Of course, my heart broke a little during each scene with them, but that's the price you pay for knowing the end of the series, I suppose. Meeting these men, men who were Harry's father's best friends, give Harry more of an insight into his parents' lives. He is so desperate for details of them. It hurts my heart a little that he just doesn't know enough about James and Lily, the people who died in order to protect him. And knowing what I know now, reading this is just...it's hard:

"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Profession Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?"
Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name.
- page 68

And if the words don't do enough to your poor heart, check out this pin I found not too long ago. I'll give you a moment to collect yourself. Oh, and just to make it even more clear how close these friends are:

Lupin was lowering his wand. Next moment, he had walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.
- page 252

All the feels.

Once again, I was completely uplifted by spending a Saturday reading a Harry Potter novel. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is probably the last book of the series that I will read in one sitting (though I did read Deathly Hallows in about seven hours total when it was first released), which is sort of sad. I like being able to commit an entire day to read the book from start to finish and I just don't think it'll be possible to do that with the next books. Ah well. I'm looking forward to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire even though things take a dark turn. Until then, happy reading!

Reread: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

It's month two (er, well, technically three since it's now March but let's just pretend it's still February, ok?) of the Harry Potter Reread Challenge! For more information about this challenge and the idea behind it, visit Just a Lil' Lost's sign up post and check out my post on book number one. A reminder that this is a casual readalong and to check out Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread. Another reminder: if you haven't read this book, or even finished the whole series, please beware of spoilers. If you don't want parts of the story or series ruined for you, stay away until you finish the books! Month two of the challenge meant rereading book two, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 

Like a lot of people, I felt like this was my least favourite book of the series. Why? I'm not really sure. It may have something to do with the fact that, at first read, it doesn't seem to move the entire plot forward too much. However, knowing what happens at the end means that we realize how important Tom Riddle's diary actually is. It could also be because I am so not a fan of Gilderoy Lockhart, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in Harry's second year. He's not exactly evil. He's, as I tweeted, incredibly sleazy. Every scene with him in it makes me want to smack him upside the head!

I was reminded while reading this book how much I freaking love Diagon Alley. I loved being introduced to even more stores as the Weasleys, Harry, and the Grangers visited in the summer. We're also introduced to the shady side of the wizarding world - Knockturn Alley - after Harry has some issues with Floo Powder (which, by the way, I totally want....life would be so much easier). I'm sure most people can/have figured out that Diagon Alley = diagonally. However, I recently (re?)learned that Knockturn Alley = nocturnally. As the Harry Potter Wiki explains, "Nocturnally" has to do with the night and darkness, hinting at its dark nature." The more you know! Speaking of Knockturn Alley...did anyone who did the reread notice that Harry hides in a black cabinet in Borgin and Burkes (page 42)? And that Nearly Headless Nick drops an extremely valuable vanishing cabinet in the halls of Hogwarts to save Harry from detention (page 98)? Interesting to note that those important cabinets first show up so early on in the series.

I had some emotional moments while reading this book. Chamber of Secrets is when we first meet Dobby the house elf. I may not love Dobby as much as some HP fans but I still hate how things turn out for him in the end. But instead of focusing on that, let's just revisit the very first time he appears, even though we don't yet know it's Dobby:

"Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench. He had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge - and the hedge was staring back. Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves."
- page 12

Just like I love going back to Diagon Alley, I adored experiencing Harry's first visit to The Burrow, the Weasleys' home.

I also found myself getting furious that Harry was living in such horrible conditions at the Dursleys'. It's so horrible that it's almost comical. I just can't understand how nothing was done to make things marginally better. I know why he had to go back there every summer, to be with family, but still. Ugh. They're just the worst.

As most people know, J.K Rowling said in an interview a few weeks ago that she wished she had not had Ron and Hermione end up together. I'm not going to talk about the implications of this revelation. What I will say is that I never paid much attention to the relationship aspect of the stories when I first read them - that's not what was important to the overall story. This time around, however, I found myself paying a little more attention to how Ron and Hermione interacted. They're still very much twelve years old and Hermione disapproves of a lot of what Ron does. Ron makes fun of Hermione a lot. But, they're fiercely loyal to each other.

At the end of the book, the trio notes that it didn't matter that their Defence Against the Dark Arts classes had been cancelled as they had been getting quite a lot of practice in in real life. Also, they practiced disarming, which "Harry was getting very good at." Talk about foreshadowing!

Like with the first book, I tweeted while reading. You can check out my Storify story here and see what I had to say while I read book two.

Another note: I adore the Ford Anglia. I'm not sure why I love this flying car so much but it's probably my favourite part of this whole book :)

Universal in 2012. I was  SO excited to see the car at one of the rides!

There were lots of amusing and poignant lines in Chamber of Secrets, as is to be expected. I could share them all but that would get boring for you. Just read the books. But I will leave you with one of Dumbledore's many memorable quotes (that man is so wise):

"It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
- page 245

So there we have it. My thoughts on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. As jumbled and all over the place as they may be. What do you guys think of book two? I'm super excited to read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban next (er, this) month because it's one of my favourites of the series.

Reread: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

A few months ago a bunch of Toronto area bloggers got together for an event and they got to talking about how they all wanted to do a reread of the Harry Potter series. It turns out there are a lot of people who want to revisit the world J.K Rowling created! Michele of Just a Lil' Lost put together a sign up post and opened it up to other readers and bloggers. As of mid-January there were 25 people signed up, which is pretty cool. It's a very casual readalong as you can read at your own pace as there aren't any prompts or anything. We're all staying connected by posting on Twitter or Instagram with #HPreread. The goal is to read a book a month. My goal is to put up some sort of post after every reread but I haven't really decided how each month will look. Some may be longer than others and some may be more rambling. They definitely won't be "true" reviews because, hello, almost everyone has read these books. Though I'd recommend not reading each post unless you've read the entire series. It's all up in the air at this point so we'll see how the year goes! First up, my thoughts on my reread of book number one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Before starting the book I was trying to remember how old I was when I first came across Harry Potter. I know I was still in elementary school and I'm 95% certain only the first three books were released. A friend of the family, who had a daughter the same age as my younger sister, told my mom about these awesome magical books and said we had to read them too. I am so thankful for that recommendation! Goodreads tells me that Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire were both released in 1999 so that must have been the year we read them meaning my sister was 9 and I was 12. So, assuming that's correct, Harry Potter has been part of my life for about fifteen years. That's over half my life. Kind of crazy, no?

I wasn't sure what to expect with this reread. It's been a long time since I've reread all the books (at least four years but probably closer to five or even six) and I wondered if the magic would still be there for me. I knew exactly what was going to happen after all (the last time I reread them the final book had yet to be released). On a Saturday morning I settled myself on my couch, under a blanket and with a cup of tea, and found that I was amazed at how happy it made me to be rereading a favourite book. I had been having a crap week and everything seemed better after I started reading. Amazing what books can do, isn't it?

I was really looking forward to seeing what I had missed the first few times I read the series. Rowling does such an awesome job of hiding seemingly innocent details in the story that you don't realize until later how extremely important they are. The jinxed broom during the Quidditch match and the Mirror of Erised are important parts of this story and I liked rereading those scenes to see what I missed the very first time I read the book. I also found the detention scene very interesting. Draco, Harry, Hermione, and Neville have to go into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid and Fang and at one point Hagrid says, "There's nothin' that lives in the Forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang." (page 183) Is that a bit of foreshadowing, particularly with the spiders in Chamber? I had also forgotten that Hagrid gives Harry a photo album full of pictures of his family but I did consciously notice this time around that Harry had never seen his parents until he looked in the Mirror of Erised. I can't imagine what that would have been like. Something else that I had never noticed before was this exchange between Dumbledore and Harry at the end of the book when Harry is recovering from meeting Voldemort. Harry asks why Voldemort would want to kill him and this is Dumbledore's reply, "Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day...put it from our mind for now, Harry. When you are older...I know you hate to hear this...when you are ready, you will know." (page 216) Had anyone else recalled that exchange? It takes so long for Harry to finally realize the reason Voldemort wants him dead that I didn't think about what Dumbledore told him in the first book.

One of the interesting and sort of unimportant things I noted included the realization that Lily, Harry's mother, and Petunia, his aunt, are both named after flowers. I also found myself wondering what it would have been like had there been a magical sort of Google available to the students. You know how much easier it would have been for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to find Nicholas Flamel if they were just able to pop it into a search engine? Actually, now that I think about it, I bet that sort of thing would have been banned from the school and students would still be made to use the library!

Next, let's talk about the feelings. I found myself getting increasingly excited as Harry received his first letter, went off to Diagon Alley (love love love that part of the book), and finally traveled to Hogwarts. I love that we learn about the magical world right along with Harry and I wonder if that's what makes it so easy to relate to. This boy is also learning all these new things like we are but he's accepting them so we should too. Interesting thought. I was filled with mixed emotions whenever Draco showed up because, while he's a horrible boy in the first books, he eventually comes into his own, in a positive way, in the very end. Same goes for Snape. I really liked reading the parts with him because of what we learn at the end of the series. I was also reminded how much I love the chess scene near the end of the story. Ron has always been my favourite and I realized how important this scene is in setting the stage for his and Harry's friendship. He takes control of the giant chess game and Harry allows that because he realizes he can't do it alone (sure, he struggles with that eventually but let's not worry about that now). The same goes for Hermione and the potions but for some reason the chess scene stands out more for me. Finally, and most importantly, I got goosebumps during Dumbledore's end of year speech as he awarded Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Neville points and explained why he was doing so. I was surprised by that because I knew what was coming but I was still completely affected by it.

I tweeted 15 times while doing the reread. I liked this because I know I would like to read tweets from people as they reread Harry Potter and it allows others doing the reread know that I'm working my way through the book. On the other hand, it took away from the solid reading time I had set aside. Every once and awhile I would stop, pick up my phone, tweet something funny/interesting/emotional and then go back to reading again. It sort of took me out of the story too much and I wonder if I'll tweet as much as I read the other novels. I used Storify to create a compilation of all my #HPreread tweets so use this link to check 'em all out if you missed them the first time around.

The Harry Potter movies have become such a huge part of the whole universe Rowling created and I found it hard to remember how I pictured the characters when I first read the books. All I see and hear in my head now are the actors' faces and voices. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but it reminds me why I love reading so much. I love being able to create my own little picture of the characters and world in my head.

Finally, I realized what I love about this series, and the first book in particular. It's the world building Rowling does. I adore the magical world of Harry Potter and I'm able to really understand what's in it because of the way Rowling writes. She has every little bit of information about the world - even if it's not in the book - so we, the reader, know why things are the way they are, like how many Knuts are in a Sickle (It's 29 for those who forgot. 17 Sickles to a Galleon). Speaking of which, can we have that Harry Potter encyclopedia already? :)

So there we have it. My thoughts and feels and reactions to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I am surprised by how much I desperately want to move onto Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets even though it's not my favourite. I'm definitely looking forward to February!

What I've learned from this month's reread and what I'll continue to do going forward:

• I'm definitely setting aside a solid chunk of uninterrupted time to read each book. Right now I'm not working so I can read it whenever I want but eventually I'll have a job (she says hopefully) and I'll only have a lot of open reading time on the weekends. These books are meant to be savoured and that means doing a lot of reading at one time.
• I really wanted to dive right into book two so I'm hoping I can restrain myself for the rest of the year. I think it'll get easier as the months go on because I'll have time to digest each book on it's own instead of reading the series as one huge book.
• I also really wanted to watch the movie right away but I'm going to wait to watch them until the end. And will probably bingewatch all eight over a weekend!

Top Ten Tuesday: A List for Santa

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

Is it too late to add to my Christmas wish list? Probably just a tad. But Santa’s magical and can bring me anything – including these books! I know there are probably a bazillion titles I could have picked and I just know that I'm missing some but here are ten books I wouldn't mind seeing under my Christmas tree tomorrow. What books are on your holiday wish list?

Harry Potter Film Wizardry - Brian Sibley 

I got this for my sister a few years ago and I kind of want one for myself, too. Especially since they’ve updated it with new info from the final movie. (Shhh…don’t tell my sister. She’ll be annoyed.)

Any John Green

I still haven’t read any of his books. The shame! I need to get on that – especially The Fault in Our Stars since the movie will be out before we know it.

The Orenda – Joseph Boyden

I didn’t have enough time to read it when it was my turn to have it from the library. I got about 70 pages in and knew it was something I needed to read. I actually haven’t red Boyden before but I think I’ll make a point to look up his others next year.

The Best Man – Kristan Higgins

I’ve wanted to read this book for awhile because it sounded cute. I was thrilled when I saw it was at my library. I reserved it and then waited. And waited. And waited. Then I realized the copy had been lost. Sigh.

Takedown Twenty – Janet Evanovich

I stupidly didn’t put a reserve on this book and by the time I thought to do it I was number fifty something. Boo! The Stephanie Plum series makes me laugh but I do hope this is the last one. I just feel like it’s gone on for much too long.

Jessica Darling's It List: The (Totally Not) Guaranteed Guide to Popularity, Prettiness & Perfection – Megan McCafferty

I adore Jessica Darling and have for about a decade (woah…crazy). I’m interested to see what middle grade Jessica is like!

The I Heart... series – Lindsey Kelk

I know, I know. I haven’t read this series either. I have the first two, finally, but they’re really hard to find in store and I really wanted to have the same covers. I’ve given up on that and now just want the rest of the books.

Finding Colin Firth – Mia March

I just finally read March’s debut novel (The Meryl Streep Movie Club) and loved it. I need her second book now!

Hunger Games series - Suzanne Collins

I've already read and loved these books but I don't actually own them and I love this paperback box set.

Stats Canada: Satire On A National Scale - Anonymous
Their Twitter account is freaking hilarious and I've flipped through the book in store and found it amusing. I'd like to sit down and actually look at all of the graphs and charts they included in this book.

Top Ten Tuesday: The End of a Series

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

It's a sad time, finishing a series. You've invested so much time in the books, characters, and author. You hope and wish that the author will end it the way you want it to. They don't always listen (the nerve, eh?) but, for the most part, I've found that I've been satisfied with the way series I've read have ended but there have been a couple where I've been WTF? This week's Top Ten Tuesday is all about that...the best and worst series enders. What do you think? What series wrapped up perfectly and what ones left you wanting more or feeling frustrated? I realized a couple of things while doing this list. I haven't read a ton of series (especially not recently) and there are also quite a few that I'm waiting on the final book. That would be why it's not a full Top Ten! Links lead to my reviews or Goodreads.

Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating this week!

The "What the hell was the author thinking?" Series

Delirium - Lauren Oliver
When I finished Requiem I literally had to flip backwards to make sure I didn't miss something. I couldn't believe that's how it ended. I'm all for leaving things a little open ended but this one frustrated me.

Fifty Shades - E.L. James
I don't even want to say why I didn't like the ending because I know it makes me seem like a bad person. So...next!

This one might be controversial...but...Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
I added this one PURELY because I didn't think the epilogue was necessary. Prior to that I thought the ending completely fit.

The "Yay, this ended perfectly!" Series

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
I'm not talking about Forever in Blue, I'm talking about Sisterhood Everlasting. Yes, it ripped my heart out but I am so glad Brashares gave us a glimpse into the girls' adult lives. I thought it was the perfect wrap up to one of my favourite series.

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
I hated when it ended but I was happy with the way things ended. Just wish a few more characters could have stayed alive...

Jessica Darling -  Megan McCafferty
Admittedly, I can't totally recall how this series ended. (It desperately requires a reread!) But I don't remember being upset with how McCafferty finished the series.

A to Z Bookish Survey

Created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner has done it again. She's created another really fun bookish survey! On Friday Jamie revealed this A to Z survey for anyone looking to shake things up with their blog. It's a great idea because it gives us something else to do and talk about other than a review. Hopefully it'll create some fun discussions around the blogosphere! (And my personal hope is that it won't all be about YA). 

Here goes!:

Author you’ve read the most books from:

My first thought was Sarah Dessen then I checked my “most read authors” list on Goodreads…turns out it’s Sophie Kinsella!

Best Sequel Ever:

Sisterhood Everlasting - Ann Brashares. This was the final book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series and I think it was perfectly done. It broke my heart and I know a lot of others thought it was unnecessary but I thought it was amazing. 

Currently Reading:

As I write this, nothing. But I will probably start Trains and Lovers tonight. 

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Tea, for sure. I may be slightly addicted to David’s Tea…

E-reader or Physical Book?

I’ll always love physical books but e-readers definitely have their uses (gym, traveling, while eating).

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door.  This is a recently discovered book boyfriend so that’s probably why he’s top of mind. While I was reading it I texted my friend something like this (I no longer have the actual text):  “I know he’s fictional, and 18, and that I have a boyfriend but I need Cricket in my life”. He’s a bit nerdy and shy, as well as tall, and is exactly what I’d go for when I was in high school.

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

The Hunger Games. I know, I blew it off for years and finally read it before the movie came out. Amazing.

Hidden Gem Book:

Breaking the Rules – Cat Lavoie

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

Starting this blog was pretty huge as was going to my first author signing (Sarah Dessen, two years ago - reaction post here) but I think the two internships I did this year (one at Random House of Canada - wrap up post here - and the other at Project Bookmark Canada - wrap up post here) were pretty big moments.

Just Finished:

Finding My Happy Pace – Heather Wardell (one of my favourite authors!)

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

Horror. I am the biggest scaredy cat.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

Using the nifty trick of sorting my Goodreads list by number of pages…seriously? Breaking Dawn is 756 pages? Yikes.

Major book hangover because of:

There are probably several but the first I thought of was The Hunger Games series. Didn’t want to think about starting anything new after that.

Number of Bookcases You Own:

I have two, tall stuffed ones at my own house and another tall full one in my room at my mom’s plus a bunch that are on a few of her shelves in her living room.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Harry Potter. Oh, one book? ;) Ummm…I got nothing. I haven’t reread books in ages, other than all the Sarah Dessen books I’ve been rereadingthis year for a challenge.

Preferred Place To Read:

On my couch. Or any couch, really. As long as it’s long enough to fit me (I’m tall and couches don’t always like to accommodate my tallness!)

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

There are probably several but I took a picture of this one from Dreamland by Sarah Dessen that really affected me:

“I stood in front of my mirror and turned slowly, watching the skirt twirl up and fall around my knees. I wanted to be a girl that could wear a dress like this. Instead, the girl in the mirror looked back at me, and I hardly recognized her. She was just some strange girl who’d tumbled off a pyramid, falling into a dream, and now waited, in the a beautiful dress, like some princess in a forgotten fairy tale, for someone to come save her.”

Reading Regret:

Not reading more Canadian literature until this year.

Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series):

Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson. The final (I think) book was just released earlier this year (again, I think) and I have yet to read it! Part of that is because I haven’t discovered it in a store yet and I want the physical copy because I own the rest and my mom’s read them, too.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Arranged – Catherine McKenzie

The Truth About Forever – Sarah Dessen

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Catherine McKenzie. I love that she’s Canadian and I love all her books. She’s a huge supporter of other authors too, which I think is great. She’s always been so nice when I’ve emailed her and I hope to someday meet her in person!

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Longbourn – Jo Baker. Think Downton Abbey but with the Bennet’s servants. Yes, the Pride and Prejudice Bennet’s. I’ve been hearing about this one since January when I was at Random House of Canada and I NEED IT.

Worst Bookish Habit:

Skimming. I’m a fast reader but sometimes I find myself skimming and not noticing things because I just want to get to the good parts or the end.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Comfort Food – Kate Jacobs.

Your latest book purchase:

The Week Before the Wedding – Beth Kendrick. I had a gift card and a 25% off coupon! Win!

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

Oh man. Um. I’ve been very good lately and haven’t gone to bed with a book. I have no willpower so I would keep reading until I was done. I don’t know what the last one was but I do know that I stayed up past midnight on a Wednesday or something (ie a “school” night) to finish Catching Fire last fall.