Some decent reads in August...
Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter #1) Author: J.K. Rowling Publisher: Scholastic Press Publication Date: June, 1997 Paperback: 310 pages Genre: Young Adult Rating: 10/10 Description: Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility. All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley—a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry—and anyone who reads about him—will find unforgettable. For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him... if Harry can survive the encounter. My Thoughts: For those who don’t know me and my reading habits, I never re-read. My philosophy has always been that re-reading is a waste of time when I have so many books waiting to be read for the first time. I first heard about Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone back in 2001 when the first movie was preparing for release. To be honest, I had no interest in reading the book and couldn’t understand the hype. I mean, come on! It’s a children’s book! What’s the big deal? All of my online book groups were raving about the books and now were happily chattering about the upcoming movie. So I gave in and borrowed the audio book from the library. I figured that listening to the book would be killing two birds with one stone. I could continue to read the books from my monstrous to be read mountain and listen to this book during my daily commute. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting that much and I figured if the book didn’t work for me, I wouldn’t be out anything or have wasted valuable reading time, right? The audio blew me away and my now ex-husband who hated to read jumped all over the books too after we watched the first movie. I quickly went after all of the audio books and was so thoroughly entranced and entertained by Jim Dale’s talented narration of the books. Even with the creative differences between book and movie, I was hooked on the movies too. So now, here we are ten years later. The last Harry Potter movie has been released and the Harry Potter saga is complete. No more books, no more movies. So, why, you may be asking would I want to re-read the books? I mean, reading, as in turning pages, not listening to audio. I broke my biggest rule about reading and re-reading because I wanted to experience the magic of Hogwarts and Harry’s world all over again. I went out and started purchasing the paperbacks (hardcovers are too heavy to carry around) and began back at the beginning. One very important thing I have learned is that the perspective between listening to an audio book and reading the book is greatly different. I listened to the unabridged edition back then so I thought that it would be the same as reading the book. I was greatly mistaken. Maybe it’s the way we process information we are receiving, maybe it’s my memory, maybe my mind wandered somewhat during the original listening but reading the book this time felt like I was reading it for the very first time! I didn’t think it was possible to feel that way when re-reading a book. J.K. Rowling does a marvelous job of creating a world so unlike ours but so similar in many ways. The witches and wizards in Harry’s world are not that unlike us when you think about it. They have the same feelings, fears, hopes, dreams and disappointments. There’s a social hierarchy in their world, much like ours. There’s a political structure in their world too, complete with a governing agency, ruling officials and laws and regulations. They go to school, hold jobs, get married, raise families, get old and die. They love sports and entertainment as well. There’s good and evil in Harry’s world too. Harry is your typical boy for the most part, but having never known his parents has left him missing out on that most important relationship. He’s being raised by his mother’s sister and her husband, living with them and their bully of a son, Dudley, but not really wanted. I got angry all over again at the way they treated him and at his living conditions. One thing that amazed me then and still does is why the Dursley’s put up such a fight to keep Harry from going to Hogwarts. They made it abundantly clear every day that they didn’t want Harry, barely tolerating his presence in their home. Going to Hogwarts would get him out of their home and ultimately their lives. They should have been kicking up their heels in joy when the first letter arrived. Perhaps, I will never understand why. Fortunately, the lack of bonding and family love does not turn Harry into a sociopath, bent on destroying lives. Harry adjusts remarkably well to his new life and the excitement of it all. Once again, I found myself wishing I could go to Hogwarts. Going away to school in a castle with moving staircases, ghosts, magical creatures, and interesting characters may seem like a lot for an eleven year old boy to deal with, but Harry does. Finding out his parents were actually murdered by a very evil wizard who also tried to kill him is a lot to take in, as well, but Harry soon learns that those events are a part of who he is and the world he is now a part of. I wanted to savor each page of the book, but I couldn’t put it down. Even knowing what was coming next, I discovered things I had missed before or perhaps forgot. I had forgotten what a strange and unusual girl Hermione was in the beginning. I had forgotten that Ron is very brave. I had forgotten how troublesome Peeves was and how stern Professor McGonagall could be. So whether you are a fan who loves to re-read this series or someone who is reading it for the first time, embrace the story fully and enjoy the ride. It is an adventure not to be missed. Title: Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1) Author: Richelle Mead Publisher: Kensington Publication Date: March, 2007 Paperback: 343 pages Genre: Urban Fantasy Rating: 8/10 Description: Succubus. An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic. A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid. When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical? But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't. But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny... My Thoughts: I can’t recall having read a book where the leading character is a succubus before. By the very definition, a succubus isn’t someone a guy should be getting intimate with, so there goes any chance of a happily ever after with Mr. Right for our succubus heroine, in my opinion. At any rate, Georgina manages to make her job as a succubus interesting. She has a lowlifes only policy so the souls she’s taking aren’t innocent to begin with, though her demon supervisor would rather she expand her criteria. The upside to this life that I really enjoyed is that Georgina can shape shift into anything and can become invisible. She gets to choose her body and appearance, the persona others will see. Georgina will never have to worry about having to buy larger size clothing because her craving for ice cream has gone to her butt. She can just shape shift herself into a size 4. She also works in a bookstore and seems to have access to an unlimited quantity of white chocolate mochas and free books. Not a bad arrangement at all… I also found Georgina’s past intriguing. The reasons she became a succubus were interesting and though she seems happy with her life and choices for the most part, Georgina still mourns her old life and the people in it. I do hope she doesn’t spend a lot of time dredging up the past, though. There are a lot of interesting characters in this book and it was a little bit overwhelming trying to keep everyone straight. Vampires, angels, and demons are among Georgina’s friends and associates. Georgina also has an attraction to a couple of mortal men, Roman and Seth, but she is trying to be careful as she doesn’t want to hurt them. The simple act of kissing can take years from their lives. The villain in this story is a different type of character for me as well. It didn’t take me long to figure who the villain was, but finding out what the villain is came as a surprise. This kind of character in my reading is also a first for me. The villain is targeting immortal creatures and Georgina, unfortunately, is one of the victims when she is viciously attacked and beaten. Luckily, she survives and heals quickly, but other immortal creatures are not so lucky. With the help of her friends, Georgina is trying hard to solve the puzzle of who is behind the attacks and why before she loses her life or someone close to her dies. I very much enjoyed the way this story played out and learning why the villain was attacking immortal creatures proved to be very interesting. I will be looking for the next book in the series to see what Georgina and her friends get involved in next. I recommend this book if you enjoy paranormal themes but are looking for something a little bit different in your characters. Title: ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy (Bombay Assassins #1) Author: Leslie Langtry Publisher: Leisure Publication Date: July, 2007 Paperback: 336 pages Genre: Cozy Mystery Rating: 6/10 Description: YOU CAN'T PICK YOUR FAMILY... Death by Chocolate is her favorite dessert. And those knitting needles aren't just for craft projects. To most people, Gin Bombay is an ordinary single mom. Then again, they don't know she's from a family of top secret assassins. Somewhere between leading a Girl Scout troop for her kindergartner--would nooses count for a knot badge?--and keeping their puppy from destroying the furniture, Gin now has to take out a new target. BUT YOU CAN PICK THEM OFF Except this target has an incredibly hot Australian bodyguard who knows just how to make her weak in the knees. But with a mole threatening to expose everything, Gin doesn't have much time to let her hormones do the happy dance. She's got to find the leak and clear her assignment...or she'll end up next on the Bombay family hit list. My Thoughts: The next time you think your family is awful, spend a day with Ginny Bombay and her family. Hopefully, you will get out alive. Being a member of this family brings a whole new meaning to family reunions. This family really takes care of their own. Miss a meeting or family reunion and they will take care of you…permanently. Growing up in this family, Ginny learns very early what is expected of her. At age 5, she is initiated into the family business to begin the training program. At age 15, our young assassin is assigned her first hit. The danger is high but the perks are lucrative. No retirement plan or health benefits with this job, though. For Ginny, it’s a way of life and unfortunately, her 5 year old daughter is expected to join the ranks, much to Ginny’s dismay. When the family gathers on their remote tropical island for the annual family reunion (more like a staff meeting to me), Ginny is summoned by the Council, which consists of Ginny’s grandmother and the other most senior members of the Bombay family. Ginny is told there is a traitor in the family who is planning on bringing the family down and exposing them to the authorities. Ginny is assigned the task of finding out who the traitor is and taking them out. This assignment doesn’t give Ginny a lot of time or opportunity to explore the attraction she feels towards hunky Australian bodyguard Diego. Of course, he doesn’t know about her true profession or the fact that the man he is paid to protect is on Ginny’s hit list. This will make for a very awkward dating moment. I keep picturing a romantic dinner setting with both of them armed to the teeth and the waiter reciting the wine list… Though this story didn’t knock my socks off, I did enjoy the snarky humor and the family dynamic Ginny is a part of. The story introduces a lot of interesting characters, though not all of them were likeable. This is the first book in the series and I’m intrigued just enough to be curious about what happens to Ginny and her family next. If you like cozy mysteries that have wacky characters and don’t mind far-fetched storylines and enjoy humor, give this book a try. Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) Author: J.K. Rowling Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: September, 2000 Paperback: 341 pages Genre: Young Adult Rating: 10/10 Description: The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart; a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girls' bathroom; and the unwanted attention of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny. But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone—or something—starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects . . . Harry Potter himself? My Thoughts: The second book in the Harry Potter saga starts out with Harry back at the Dursley’s for summer vacation with a few changes. He has his own bedroom now instead of being relegated to the cupboard under the stairs. It’s actually Dudley’s second bedroom (don’t get me started on the degenerate waste of space this kid is) and out of the grace and goodness of their hearts, Harry is now using it. This entire attitude demonstrated by the Dursley’s resulted in major eye-rollage on my part and activated my gag reflex. These people are truly despicable. Not sure which is the lesser of the two evils for Harry…living with the Dursleys or being attacked by Voldemort. After a very interesting and exciting first year at Hogwarts, we now find Harry very melancholy as he hasn’t heard from his friends all summer and is feeling very lonely. Harry meets Dobby, a mysterious house elf who comes to Privet Drive to warn Harry not to return to Hogwarts, which is not an option for Harry as he considers Hogwarts his true home. Dobby demonstrates very strange and self-loathing behavior by frequently assaulting himself with inanimate objects to punish himself for saying anything, which is a little bizarre because he doesn’t really tell Harry much of anything, other than to not return to Hogwarts. Fortunately for the fans of this series, Harry does not listen to Dobby and through a series of misfortunate events manages to return to Hogwarts to discover an evil creature attacking students. Sadly, Harry is thought to be the one behind the attacks so he has to find out who is behind it before the next attack results in another death, like the one that occurred fifty years prior. In this book, we get to meet a lot of interesting new characters in addition to Dobby. The new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher is best-selling author Gilderoy Lockhart who gives arrogance a whole new meaning. He was quite entertaining but very annoying, except the female students think he’s wonderful. Harry meets Draco Malfoy’s father, Lucius Malfoy who we quickly learn is quite evil and now see where Draco gets it from. Ron’s sister, Ginny is now a first year at Hogwarts and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and the rest of the Weasley family better. Many new magical creatures are introduced in this book such as Fawkes and Aragog, to name a few. A new ghost is introduced to Harry and his friends. Moaning Myrtle haunts one of the girls’ bathrooms and though she can be quite annoying proves to be a very interesting character. I enjoyed learning more about Hagrid and Voldemort’s past in this story and getting a bird’s eye view, if you will, of major events at Hogwarts fifty years prior with the help of an enchanted diary. I loved the scenes with Harry and Ron in the enchanted car; there’s more than one and one of them is quite intense so be prepared. Overall, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets proves to be entertaining on every level. There are a few intense scenes that may be too graphic for young readers and may cause nightmares but older age groups will be thoroughly pulled into this story as Harry navigates the perilous hallways and dark corridors of Hogwarts to stop the evil creature lurking within. Title: Pale Demon (Rachel Morgan #9) Author: Kim Harrison Publisher: Eos Publication Date: February, 2011 Genre: Urban Fantasy Rating: 6/10 Description: Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after. Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passenger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail. A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her. My Thoughts: I am going to preface this review by saying that a series with nine books isn’t always going to please everyone. Me included. I love this series but had the hardest time getting through this story. There is some crazy stuff happening in this series that had me contemplating giving up and walking away. I’m glad I stuck it out because the events I feared did not happen and I pray they don’t. I saw Trent and Al differently in this story and I struggled with that with great difficulty because it has been relatively easy for me to despise both of these characters for the last 8 books. If they are able to be somewhat likeable or at the very least, tolerable in this story then how does that bode for Rachel? Will there be a truce between her and Trent? We already know they have history and there are definitely feelings that always seemed to run to the hate side of things. But you know what they say about there being a fine line between love and hate right? I just don’t know if I’m ready for Rachel and Trent to explore that line. I absolutely do not want her to explore any lines of any kind with Al either! I get the definite impression in this story that Al’s feelings for Rachel are definitely changing. He seems to be softening towards her. He’s still a demon, he’s still repulsive and I may be completely off base here, but my impression is that he’s developing feelings for her. Jenks is still my favorite character in this series and even he surprised me in this story by taking a less aggressive stance with Trent and even helping him on his quest. Jenks does get into a little bit of trouble that I’m sure he would have been able to extricate himself from, but it’s always good to have friends there who have your back and Rachel and Ivy certainly do have his back. I love the way Kim Harrison creates characters that evoke large reactions from me. Especially the villains. In addition to Trent and Al, there are some villains in this book that made my blood boil with their appalling behavior. The day walking demon, Ku’Sox is terrifying. A day walking demon is bad enough but he eats people. Literally…gobbles them up…ewwww… Rachel has a lot on her plate. Between battling the big bad Ku’Sox and convincing the witch’s coven to reverse her shunning, she has her hands full. Keep your eyes on the ball, Rachel and your mind out of the gutter and you may just make it out of this mess in one piece. The fans of this series are eagerly awaiting the next book. Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter #3) Author: J.K. Rowling Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: September, 1999 Genre: Young Adult Rating: 10/10 Description: For twelve long years, the dread fortress of Azkaban held an infamous prisoner named Sirius Black. Convicted of killing thirteen people with a single curse, he was said to be the heir apparent to the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Now he has escaped, leaving only two clues as to where he might be headed: Harry Potter's defeat of You-Know-Who was Black's downfall as well; and the Azkaban guards heard Black muttering in his sleep, "He's at Hogwarts . . . he's at Hogwarts." Harry Potter isn't safe, not even within the walls of his magical school, surrounded by his friends. Because on top of it all, there may well be a traitor in their midst. My Thoughts: The third installment of the much beloved Harry Potter series has been my favorite from the beginning and continues to be. With the Prisoner of Azkaban, the reader is given a glimpse of the dark direction this series will take, but this book still manages to be a lot of fun. From Harry’s reckless lashing out at Aunt Marge to his crazy ride on the Knight Bus, from Harry’s first encounter with the dementors on the Hogwarts Express (not fun at all) to obtaining the Marauders Map, from meeting Buckbeak, or battling boggarts that look like Professor Snape to conjuring a patronus charm to ward off dementors and finally learning that everything is not as it seems may make your average thirteen year old more confused than ever, but not Harry. I love how Harry, Ron and Hermione seem to take it all in stride and just get on with it. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are two of my favorite characters in this series. Finally, Harry meets people who actually knew and were friends of his parents. I don’t count Dumbledore, I guess because he’s a given and he’s not of their generation. Professor Snape knew Harry’s parents and his revulsion towards Harry and James Potter are all too apparent so meeting Professor Lupin and Sirius Black and learning of their connection to James and Lily make it all the better. I very much enjoyed the brewing conflict between Ron and Hermione regarding Crookshanks and Scabbers. Hermione has bitten off more than she can chew, it seems, with her extra full class load and seems to be barely managing it so she isn’t her usual analytical self. Of course, knowing already how these two end up by the end of the series doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of watching these characters grow and develop. The Prisoner of Azkaban provides countless hours of reading entertainment. Numerous intense and suspenseful scenes where long hidden secrets and truths are revealed to the amazement of the reader. When the story comes full circle and the last page is turned, I was left with a feeling of euphoria and a rush of adrenaline, akin to an exciting ride on a fast moving roller coaster. I wish I could pick one favorite moment from the book, but I fear I would do the story a great injustice if I tried. I was pulled into this story almost immediately, my sense of excitement and anticipation growing as I turned each page. I love each story in this series, but this one holds a very special place in my heart. Sherri Currently reading THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett & listening to SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN by Janet Evanovich Up Next: INSATIABLE by Meg Cabot What am I babbling about? 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