Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 2007
Page Count- 607 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions

Deathly Hallows (DH) makes me very sad because not only does the series come to an end, but some of my favourite characters die. It's a really action packed book and so much happens, but it ties up most of the loose strings. Usually, when I reach this point, I want to start my reread straight again, but I do have to show some self-restraint.  

Harry leaving Private Drive for the final time is a very emotional scene as a lot goes down here. Mad-Eye and Hedwig die and George loses an ear. I think it's the first time Harry realises how many people are willing to sacrifice things for him and help him. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione entering the Ministry is such a great scene, but you could tell something was going to go wrong from the beginning. It did make me sad that Ron got splinched, but at least they got the Horcrux and they rescued Mad-Eyes Eye from Umbridge and got revenge (ish) on Umbridge.

The Godric's Hollow scene is such a tender and heartbreaking scene as it's Harry going to the place where his parents died and visiting his parent's grave for the first time. I'm glad he went with Hermione as he needed someone loving to be there for him. The rest of the Godric's Hollow scene shows how everything does seem to go wrong for Harry, especially as his wand gets destroyed.  

Harry, Ron and Hermione being captured by the snatchers and taken to Malfoy Manor makes me want to be there for my favourite people. Ron screaming for Hermione makes me bawl as it shows how much he loves her. Also, Dobby coming to the rescue shows how loyal a house-elf he is.  

Dobby's death is probably the saddest thing in the entire book. It's sad because Harry made Dobby promise never to save him again and he dies in Harry's arms. Harry is just so heartbroken and Luna says lovely things about Dobby. Basically, I love Dobby and wish he had lived.  

The Gringotts scene is one of my favourites as Hermione is awful at impersonating Bellatrix. I feel so bad for the dragon, but it makes me happy that they help it to escape. Griphook is so sneaky, but it was a bit obvious that he was going to betray them. However, in the movie, I do think it's a bit extreme that he dies as he doesn't deserve to. 

Meeting Aberforth in Hogsmeade is a really difficult scene to read as you can see he is a man filled with grief as he feels responsible for his sister's death. It's also where Harry has to admit that Dobby has died. Being reunited with Neville and the other's is so amazing as Neville has sacrificed just as much as Harry has to get rid of the death eaters.  

The Battle of Hogwarts is such a huge and significant event in the Harry Potter books. It shows everyone coming together for Harry. Its where the Weasely's reunite after 3 books. It's where Harry gets one step closer to beating Voldemort. Hermione and Ron's relationship finally begins. As much as I didn't like Crabbe, I felt sorry for him when he died, even if he did try to kill Hermione. Ron punching Draco in the face is very funny.   

Fred, Lupin and Tonks death's during the Battle of Hogwarts makes me weep. The idea of George losing his brother, who is his twin, just breaks my heart. I read a quote from one of the Phelp's brothers when they were filming it, that when they saw their brother made up to look dead, they started crying because they couldn't imagine a world without their twin. Lupin and Tonks' deaths are even sadder as they've just had their son and they'll never get to see him grow up. Colin Creevy's death is also heartbreaking as all he wanted to do was to protect someone he admired. He was underage and had so much more to live for. 

Harry Potter is a wonderful person and is so selfless. To know at age 17, that his death could save the wizarding world and willingly give it up makes me love him more. The conversation he has with his parents, Sirius and Lupin makes me want to bawl my eyes out. The scene with Dumbledore and Harry in King's Cross Station is very emotional and it makes me happy to see Harry kind of confronting Dumbledore. I've seen many people criticising the way Narcissa behaves, but she is doing what she must to protect her son. Narcissa may have her flaws, but she does everything she can to protect her son. Narcissa may have her flaws, but she does everything she can to protect her son. Voldemort's death in the Great Hall makes him seem so human. In the movie where he becomes dust it just looks really rubish and makes him seem more supernatural than he is. 
   

The 19 Years Later epilogue makes me feel so sentimental. It's even more sentimental now that Cursed Child is a thing and you can go see what happens 19 years later. I do think that Harry's children's names are a bit stereotypical, I thought Ginny would have had more of a say in what their children were called. The final line makes me feel so warm and happy. Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart and I hope there will never be a day when I don't like it.   

As with all my other reviews, here are my honourable mentions:

• Bill and Fleur's wedding.
• Taking refuge at Grimmauld Place.
• Kreacher's tale.
• Ron leaving and returning.
• Ron destroying the Horcrux.
• Visiting Xenophilius Lovegood and learning about the Deathly Hallows.
• Returning to Hogwarts.
• Snape's death and memories.
• Molly Weasley calling Bellatrix a bitch and killing her.

So that concludes Spooky Weel for 2017! I'm so happy with all these posts and I hope you've enjoyed them. I won't be posting anything else this week, but next week I should be back to normal blogging!
Carenza x

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 2005
Page Count- 607 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

It is the middle of the summer, but there is a unseasonal mist pressing against the windowpanes. Harry Potter is waiting nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys' house in Privet Drive for a visit from Professor Dumbledore himself. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce one-to-one duel with Lord Voldemort, and Harry can't quite believe that Professor Dumbledore will actually appear at the Dursleys' of all places. Why is the Professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts in a few weeks' time? Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts has already got off to an unusual start, as the worlds of Muggle and magic start to intertwine...

Taken from Goodreads

Opinions

I'll be honest and say that I have mixed feelings about Half-Blood Prince. Either I love it or I hate it. There are a lot of questionable decisions, but there are moments that I love. I know that this is some people's favourites, but for me, it's somewhere in the middle. 

Harry and Ginny's relationship is probably my favourite part of HBP (Half-Blood Prince) as I always wanted them to end up together. In the books, it's written beautifully and there's a slow build in their relationship. I feel as though the movies did it no justice and it was rushed. I know there are lots of people who feel the same as I do. 

 

While I love Harry and Ginny's relationship, one relationship this book could have done without was Ron and Lavender's. I'm not sure Ron ever liked her, I just think he liked the idea of having a girlfriend. It was obvious throughout the time he and Lavender where together, he was doing it to make Hermione jealous. I did find the way they broke up to be really funny, especially in the movie with all the teachers gathered there. 

 

I have mixed feelings about Draco being a death eater. I feel as though Rowling made Draco a death eater to make him a less likeable character. I feel as though at this point Draco deserved a redemption arc and got dragged further into the mud. I think that following his actions, he will be psychologically scarred.

  

I've mentioned this in most of my reviews this week, but Dumbledore makes some questionable decisions in teacher appointing and Slughorn is no exception. While he is a good potions teacher, Dumbledore only brought him back so he could get something from him. He also appointed Snape as the Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher, which is another questionable decision. 

Dumbledore and the lessons he gives Harry are so good, and yet there was definitely the sense that Dumbledore was holding back. As interesting as it is to learn about Voldemort, I felt as though we didn't learn enough and the information wasn't that useful to Harry and the others. Dumbledore was also very pressuring and could be quite manipulative towards Harry.

Arragog's death was really sad and I felt so sad for Hagrid. Even though I don't like spiders, I felt sorry for Hagrid. It was one of his closest friends and Slughorn did use Arragog's death to get venom. The scene with Harry, Slughorn and Hagrid was really heart-warming, but it was also quite dark as Harry had to admit that he knew he was going to die and that must be quite hard to accept when you're 16.

 

Dumbledore's death made me bawl my eyes out. Following the events in the cave and finding the fake Horcrux, his death felt as though it was in vain. Harry is unable to do anything broke my heart and Draco being forced to kill him just made me an emotional wreck. It was amazing how everyone came together for Dumbledore's death and showed the resilience of the wizarding community. 

 

The Half-Blood Prince is revealed as Snape was really unexpected but it did make Harry look like an idiot. How long has he been reading potions instructions on the board to not recognise Snape's handwriting? A part of me pities Snape, but I still find him a loathsome character.

As with my other reviews, here are my honourable mentions from HBP:

• Harry, Hermione and Ron following Draco.
• Draco breaking Harry's nose.
• Harry sassing Snape.
• Harry and Ginny getting together.
• Harry and Ron's Christmas at the Burrow.
• Weasely's Wizard Wheezes.
• Kreacher and Dobby following Draco.
• Lupin and Tonks getting together.

So that concludes my review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, tomorrow my final review in this series will be up!

Carenza x 

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 2003
Page Count- 766 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermione have been very secretive all summer and he is desperate to get back to school and find out what has been going on. However, what Harry discovers is far more devastating than he could ever have expected...

Suspense, secrets and thrilling action from the pen of J.K. Rowling ensure an electrifying adventure that is impossible to put down.

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is my favourite Harry Potter book. We see a lot of Sirius and we also say goodbye to him. Hermione is the queen of badasses in this book. Minerva McGonagall is amazing and so is Hagrid. Umbridge is an evil hag. Harry gets his first girlfriend and we meet Luna Lovegood, the girl who taught me it was okay to be me.

The scene with the dementor's in Private Drive was so ominous and really set the tone for the rest of the novel. Mrs Figg is a great character and I wish they'd had her hitting Mundungus in the movie. The letter that Dumbledore sends Petunia is quite scary, but it does make Petunia stand up for Harry against Vernon. 

Meeting Tonks makes me so happy because she's such a great character and I wish we could learn more about her. She and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix rescuing Harry makes me happy because Harry now has a group of people that are there for him.

 I'm going to be honest and say Harry is a little shit in this book and is downright rude to Hermione and Ron in this book. They are trying to be there for him and he's just horrid to them. I understand that Harry is probably suffering from a condition similar to PTSD or Survivors Guilt, but they are just trying to be nice to him and show him that he isn't alone. 

Dolores Umbridge might be the evilest character in the entire series. I even consider her to be worse than Voldemort because she has direct access to the students of Hogwarts and tortures them with her magic quills. She uses her power as a ministry official and abuses it. She nearly used the cruciatus curse on Harry and used Veratisurm on Cho. I'm glad she gets chased out at the end and that Peeves made her time as headmistress hell. I hope that she didn't have a nice life after the end of the Harry Potter series as she doesn't deserve anything nice to happen to her. She also, very briefly, made me hate cats. That's how much I hate her.

Fred and George and the invention of Weasley Wizard Wheezes are another one of my favourite parts of this book. The fact that they make Umbridge's life a living hell and get Peeves to follow their orders shows how amazing they are as characters. 

As much as I love Hagrid, his decision to bring Grawp to Hogwarts is questionable. He knows what giants are like and he knows that students do sneak into the forest, so what would have happened if a student came across Grawp? I do feel sorry for Hagrid, but it was an irresponsible decision to bring Grawp back.

The D.A is an amazing idea of Hermione's and shows how she can be a total badass and still care about her education. I aspire to have Hermione's work ethic. However, surely it would have been better to keep the number smaller so that fewer people could snitch on them. Mariette seemed like a dodgy choice from the beginning and so did Zacarias Smith. 

Dumbledore escaping from the ministry is one of my favourite scenes. Despite ignoring Harry for most of the book, he takes the fall for Harry so Harry can be there at Hogwarts to take his exams. I do love the line "Dumbledore's got style" and I think Kingsley's delivery of it in the movie is amazing.

Harry and Cho's relationship was always doomed to end as they weren't that compatible and they were in an awkward situation following Cedric's death. I also feel that Cho was very emotional anyway and Harry wasn't the most supportive boyfriend to her.

Sirius's chat in the fireplace following Harry's occlumency lesson is a really bittersweet moment as it's the last time they talk face to face. He offers Harry some solid advice and is the godfather Harry needs him to be. It just makes his death even sadder.

Speaking of Sirius, his death makes me weep. Harry loses the only father figure he has known and Lupin has to watch another one of his best friends die. Lupin then has to watch his other best friends son grieving over a different best friend dying. Just imagine the pain Lupin felt when Sirius died.

As with all my reviews, it's impossible for me to include every single detail in these reviews so here is a list of honourable mentions:

• Harry, Fred and George punching Malfoy.
• Ron joining the Quidditch team.
• Hagrid returning from his mission with the giants.
• The D.A meetings.
• Cleaning Grimmauld Place.
• Kreacher being Kreacher.
• Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
• Umbridge's inspections.
• Trelawney being sacked.
• Anything I've missed off this list because this is my favourite book and let's be real I love everything in this book.

So that concludes my review of Order of the Phoenix, tomorrow I am going to be reviewing Half-Blood Prince.
Carenza x

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 2000
Page Count- 636 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

It is the summer holidays and soon Harry Potter will be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry is counting the days: there are new spells to be learnt, more Quidditch to be played, and Hogwarts castle to continue exploring. But Harry needs to be careful - there are unexpected dangers lurking ...

Taken from Goodreads

Opinions

I'll be honest, GoF (Goblet of Fire) is the book I dread reading the most when I reread this series. It's so big (I know some of the other books are bigger), but this is the one I dread reading. It takes about 200 pages to get to Hogwarts and I just wish we spent more time at Hogwarts. I love the Quidditch World Cup, but it meant we spent more time waiting to go to Hogwarts.

I love how this is one of the few books in the Harry Potter series that doesn't start from Harry's perspective. It was really refreshing and began to give us the insight into Lord Voldemort's backstory. Poor Frank didn't deserve to die or to be blamed for the Riddle's death.

While I wish we had gotten to Hogwarts quicker, I do love the Quidditch world cup. It shows us how big the magical community. I wonder how much research JK Rowling did for all the magical communities. The World Cup is so quick paced and magical. I would have loved to have seen more of it in the movie because it is a key feature of the book. 

Although I've read this book many times, it still comes as no surprise that Harry got entered into the Triwizard Tournament. On the original UK hardcover, he is on the front being chased by a dragon. I've seen people criticising the way Ron behaves in this book, but I believe that it's accurate and fair the way he behaved. He's constantly being overlooked by his brothers and he's the son they had because they wanted a daughter. He lives in Harry's shadow and never complains about it, so it's no wonder he snaps under the pressure. If anything, Harry's behaviour is out of order because he is cruel to Ron and expects a lot from Hermione. 

I love the relationship the builds between Hagrid and Madame Maxime. It's so lovely for Hagrid to have someone in a similar situation to him. I keep on banging on about it, but I love Hagrid and think he deserves better.    

Mad-Eye Moody is such a fabulous character, if slightly scary. I have no idea what Dumbledore was thinking when he decided to hire Mad-Eye Moody, but then again, I never have any idea when Dumbledore hires any teacher (apart from Lupin) as they all seem incompetent. 

I'm undecided on my feelings about the Yule Ball, as part of me loves and part of me doesn't. It's nice seeing all the students mingle, but it does lead to some animosity between the students. I do wish Hermione and Ron had gone together, but that would have rushed their relationship.

Rita Skeeter is a foul character and needs to be squashed when she's a beetle. I hate all the horrid things she writes about Hagrid and Harry. I can't believe that Dumbledore or someone with power wouldn't notice that she keeps on listening in on private conversations. 

The Maze Challenge is probably the scariest as I would be terrified of getting lost. It is also where Harry and Cedric unite, which leads to Cedric's death. I think when I first read it, I didn't imagine that Voldemort would come back so quickly. The fight scene between Voldemort and Harry is truly spectacular, but there is something wrong with it. When the dead people are coming out of Voldemort's wand, Lily arrives before James, but James was killed first so he should have landed before Lily.

This book really does set the scene for the next few books and is definitely where it begins to get darker. Each time I reread it, I'm unsure of whether I love it or hate it. 

Because these reviews would be ridiculously long if I included every little detail, here are some honourable mentions:

• The Tonne-Tounge Toffee.
• The arrival of the Beaubatons and Durmstrang students.
• Harry and Myrtle's chat in the bath.
• Dobby giving Harry his clue about Ron.
• S.P.E.W.
• Harry's dream scenes.
• The Pensive.
• Harry talking to Sirius.
• Sirius, Snape and Molly meeting.
• Barty-Crouch's reveal.

So that concludes my review of Goblet of Fire, tomorrow my review for Order of the Phoneix will be up (it's my favourite in the entire series).

Carenza x 

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 1999
Page Count- 317 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig.

As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead, he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighbourhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions

PoA (Prisoner of Azkaban) is my second favourite Harry Potter book, so rereading it was an absolute joy. It introduces us to my two favourite characters in the entire series, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. It's also the only one without Voldemort in, which is such a good change from the other books. It's also the one that starts to get darker and changes the entire tone of the series. The movie also did it great justice and the soundtrack is one of the best.

I really do hate Aunt Marge. She is beyond cruel to Harry and I don't blame Harry for losing control when she is there. I know I've said this several times, but Harry does deserve better. It makes it more bittersweet when he gets the birthday presents from Hermione, Ron and Hagrid.

The Knight Bus is one of my favourite parts of this book. It's such a unique idea and I love the added Shrunken Heads that they use in the movie. I wish the movies had included more of Stan and Earnie as in the books they're just great. I would recommend listening to this one on audiobook, especially the Stephen Fry version as the voices he does are exactly how I imagined Stan and Earnie.

I honestly wish I could visit Diagon Ally as the description in this book just makes me fall in love with it. I could honestly spend hours at Florian Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. If I could I would be at the Magical Mangerie and I would take Crookshanks home as I love that ginger moggie so much. If I ever get a cat of my own, Crookshanks is one of the names I am considering calling my cat.

The dementors are the best creature in the books. It's unthinkable to imagine a world without happiness because of the dementors. I love the metaphor behind them, that Expecto Patronum can get rid of them and that they are able to get rid of depression. They are very scary and well thought through and I never thought I'd have a fangirl moment of a dementor.

Professor Lupin is the best thing to happen to Harry at this point in his life. He tells him things about his parents and shows him kindness when he feels isolated. I just love Remus Lupin and really want a prequel series about him and the Marauders. 

Quidditch in this books is very important and I love that it's more central than in the other books. It makes me very happy that Gryffindor finally wins, but it breaks my heart when Harry's broom breaks. But it is odd that Sirius buys him a broom because surely the goblins at Gringotts would recognise his vault number.

Divination and Care of Magical sounds like amazing subjects and I would love to take lessons in them myself. Basically, I wish I was a wizard and that I could go to Hogwarts. Hagrid being a professor is really sweet, but I'm not sure how qualified he is to teach. I know this is fiction, but if you think about the logistics, Hagrid would need a teaching qualification to teach.

It is stated that Fred and George have had the Marauders Map since their first year and we know that Fred and George are 3 years old than Ron. So Ron is now in his third year and we know that the Map shows that Peter Pettigrew is in Hogwarts. So why didn't Fred and George confront Ron about having a known dead man in his bed? I mean, I understand if they're respecting his privacy, but they have a father who works in the ministry, so surely they must know who Peter Pettigrew is.

Snape is horrid in this book. He has bullied Neville so much that Snape is his worst fear. He is trying to sabotage Lupin's career. I really don't understand how people can like Snape, as at this point he is nothing more than a manipulative man, who can't let an old grudge die.

Hermione in this book has to be my favourite version of Hermione. She applies for a time-turner just so she can do more classes. She manages to save Sirius and Buckbeak and still get top grades? She is a new kind of badass, one who does amazing things and still does her homework. And when she punches Draco in the face, it makes me exceptionally happy.

Like my last two reviews, there is so much I could say, so here are some honourable mentions:

• The train to Hogwarts at the beginning of the book.
• Hagrid's first Care of Magical Creatures lesson.
• The Grim.
• Crookshanks and Scabbers fighting.
• Harry, Hermione and Ron learning the truth about Sirius.
• Sirius inviting Harry to live with him.
• Harry conjuring an amazing Patronus.
• All the trips to Hogsmeade.
• Ron getting Pig and Harry getting permission to go to Hogsmeade.

So, that concludes my review for Prisoner of Azkaban. Tomorrow I will be posting my review for Goblet of Fire.
Carenza x 

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author- JK Rowling 
Series- Harry Potter
Published- 1998
Page Count- 251 (Original UK Hardcover)
Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 4/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School 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 attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny. But each of these seems 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?
Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions

I'm going to start by saying that this is my least favourite Harry Potter book. I have never liked Chamber of Secrets for some mysterious reason. I think that it's because it is a sequel and sequels are the ones I tend to like less in a trilogy or series (not always the case, but it most frequently is). I also am not a fan of the whodunnit element of this book. It really doesn't fit the vibe of the series and I wish it wasn't a whodunnit.

While I may dislike this book, it does introduce us to one of my favourite characters- Dobby the House-Elf. Honestly, if I could, I'd have a 7 book series about Dobby's adventures and life. I think Dobby is such an amazing character and every time I read about the Malfoy's cruelty towards him, a piece of my heart breaks. However, while I love Dobby, I have spotted a flaw in this book. If the Ministry of Magic can't detect magic made by someone who is underage while in the presence of someone who is overage, then surely they can detect when a House-Elf (a creature that doesn't even own a wand and has no place in Number 4 Private Drive, a MUGGLE occupied house) does magic? It just seems like it hasn't quite been thought through and it does bring up more problems as the books progress.

I have to admit that I do love the flying car scene. It is one of my favourites in the book. It just goes to show how loyal a friend Ron Weasley is. The Weasley family are unbelievably kind and let Harry in even though they are struggling to feed and clothe their own children. I love that Arthur Weasley is essentially a big kid and does wish he could go on some of the adventures his sons have.

Throughout the series, we are told how Dumbledore is an amazing wizard and yet throughout the series he makes some questionable decisions. Hiring Gilderoy Lockhart can be seen as one of these questionable decisions as Lockhart really isn't teacher material. Surely a wizard as great as Dumbledore would have more sense than to hire an idiot like Lockhart to teach the next generation of wizards. While Lockhart is a useless teacher, he is a really interesting character. He successfully manages to fool everyone around him into thinking he's a brilliant wizard. I didn't particularly like him, but I do pity him when he loses his memory and potentially has to spend the rest of his life in St Mungos.

Hermione Granger has definitely changed a lot between PS (Philosopher's Stone) and CoS (Chamber of Secrets). I didn't really spot it in my PS reread, but Hermione is very good at manipulating information out of people. She gets information out of Hagrid in PS and gets Lockhart's signature for the library. Hermione knows how to get what she wants and will do it. I love how she also convinces Harry and Ron to make Polyjuice Potion with her, she's just so badass in this book. As much as I love Hermione, I do find it funny when she turns into a cat.

I wish they'd included the Death Day party in the movies, it would have been such a good scene. It also gives a lot of background on some of the characters, such as Nearly Headless Nick and Moaning Myrtle.

As someone who has a fear of spiders, something which I probably developed from reading this book, the scene with Aragog terrifies me. It also makes me really sad because it explains why Hagrid was expelled. Hagrid didn't deserve to be expelled and deserves so much more. But at least Hagrid found a safe place in Hogwarts.

Tom Riddle's diary really does cause a lot of trouble at Hogwarts. Poor Ginny tried to get rid of it but ended up in the chamber herself. It does make me giggle ever so slightly that Harry doesn't question the fact that he's talking to someone from 50 years ago who should now be in their 60s. I love how Harry remains loyal to Dumbledore and defeats the Basilisk with his help. Yet again Harry puts his own life on the line to save others. Harry really does take the definition of selfless to a whole other level.

Dobby getting freed is one of my favourite scenes in the whole book. All Dobby ever wanted was clothing and Harry gave him a sock. The bittersweet thing about this scene is that Harry makes Dobby promise to never try and save Harry's life again. If you've read Deathly Hallows, you'll know why this makes me want to weep buckets.


There's so much in this book I could talk about, so here are some scenes that deserve honourable mentions:

• Malfoy cursing Ron and Ron vomiting slugs.
• The Quidditch match where Harry breaks his arm.
• The Dueling Club scene.
• The end of term feast.
• Ginny revealing that Percy has a girlfriend.

While Chamber of Secrets remains my least favourite in the series, I still love it. I couldn't ever not love a Harry Potter book. Tomorrow I will be reviewing Prisoner of Azkaban (my second favourite in the series).

Carenza x

   

Spooky Week 2017| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Author- JK Rowling 

Series- Harry Potter

Published- 1997

Page Count- 223 (Original UK Hardcover)

Publishing House- Bloomsbury
Rating- 5/5 stars

About the Author

There is a lot of information about JK Rowling on her website, so I've picked the key bits for this section.

Jo conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper.

To read more, here is a link to JK Rowling's website.

Plot

Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.

Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.

Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations and countless exciting details, the first instalment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions 

I would just like to preface this by saying I've kept it no secret that I love Harry Potter. I randomly decided to reread the series as I was in a reading slump and it just felt right. It's been years since I properly reread them and took in all that amazingness that is the Wizarding World. It was so good to be back at Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione and I definitely think this is one of my favourite re-reads. 

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone may be twenty years old, but it doesn't feel like it. It feels so relevant today and always feels relevant no matter the age of the reader. There is a character for everyone in it and there is something for everyone in it. I have fond memories of reading this series with my parents when I was first getting into reading. These books hold such a special place in my heart and I wouldn't be the person I am without them. 

While some may say, the Harry Potter series is for children, it isn't. If you look closely at the language, Rowling never treats her audience as children. I remember reading this and feeling very grown up when I was younger. The world building is on the same level as JRR Tolkien or George RR Martin. The magical system is easy enough for a child to follow and Rowling never treats her audience as though they are idiots.  

I love that the first chapter doesn't immediately introduce you to the title character. The first characters we meet in this story are those we come to hate for their treatment of Harry. The first chapter of PS (Philosopher's Stone) is some of the most iconic (to me) pieces of literature. I'm pretty sure I could recite you the first paragraph if I tried really hard. 

One thing that shocks me about this most recent re-read is all the new things I've picked up on. For example, even though the Dursely's have shown him nothing but abuse, Harry never questions it or seems to be ungrateful for what he's got. Even as a 10-year-old boy, he seems (to an extent), content with his lot and never retaliates even though the Dursely's literally lock him in a cupboard. All of this makes the introduction of Hogwarts more precious from Harry's perspective as it's the first time he's felt at home.

Rubeus Hagrid is one of the most precious characters in the series and he deserves so much more than he gets. He defends this boy he's known about his whole life and never makes him feel like an outsider. He accepts him with open arms and shows him love for the first time. Hagrid, while he does make some questionable decisions, always has the best interest of those at heart. He never complains when he has to explain the magical world to Harry and buys him a loyal pet because he can.

Harry's first journey to Hogwarts has to be one of my favourite journeys throughout the series. It's where he meets his best friends, Ron and Hermione. You also get to see Harry finally making friends and doing all the things he wanted to do, but couldn't because Dudley wouldn't let him have friends. It does make me happy that Harry stands up to Draco and his cronies, but I do think Harry acted a bit too hastily and could have had a loyal friend in Draco for much longer. Draco is only cruel to Harry because Harry refused to shake his hand and say politely that he didn't want to be friends.

I wish the Hogwarts sorting hat had made it into the movies because I would have loved to have seen how they would have done it. It's where you learn the key traits of each of the houses and I feel as though that's never really explained in the movies. Whilst on the subject of houses and sorting, I must confess that I really don't like the Hogwarts sorting system. How can you turn to an 11-year-old and tell them what qualities they'll have for the rest of their lives? If you look at the Golden Trio, you will spot a bit of each house in them, especially in Hermione.

I think for a first book in such an epic series, this book really does build the world up beautifully. It's also very whimsical, every time I read it I feel all cosy and happy because it feels as though I am at home. Also, you feel excitement when Harry does. It does feel as though you are embarking on this journey together.

Quidditch in this book is one of the most excitable in the series. You really enjoy it from both Harry's perspective as a Seeker and Ron and Hermione in the crowd. Again, it does feel as though you are learning about Quidditch alongside Harry. Something that I thought was odd was the commentating aspect of Quidditch. As much as I love Lee Jordan, wouldn't it have been better to have a non-biased character as the referee?

There are a few problematic plot related things in this book such as the fact that it's stated fairly obviously that Hagrid wants a dragon and then he just gets one? Also, surely the safest place to hide an object such as the Philosopher's Stone isn't the same place that hundreds of kids go to school? It just doesn't make sense that Dumbledore, the greatest wizard that ever lived, would hide such a precious and well sought after object in a school. The Philosopher's Stone doesn't seem that well protected if 3 under 13 year-olds can get it out and yet a fully trained wizard struggled to.

The ending of this book is so beautiful as Harry finally understands he can stand up to the Dursley's. This boy has come so far in this one book and deserves so much better. He understands at 11 years-old that if his death can prevent Lord Voldemort from coming back, then he will gladly give up his life. Basically, if you can't tell, I really love Harry Potter in this moment and think he deserves the great friends he has found at Hogwarts.

Honestly, this review could go on forever, so here are some of my favourite scenes that deserve a mention:

• Halloween and Ron and Harry saving Hermione.
• Harry's first proper Christmas and the Mirror of Errised.
• Hagrid letting go of Norbert.
• Neville standing up to Draco.
• Hermione and Harry solving the potions puzzle.

So that concludes my review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Tomorrow I will be posting my review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Let me know your opinions on the Harry Potter series!

Carenza x

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Shadow and Bone
Author- Leigh Bardugo
Series- The Grisha Trilogy
Published- June 2012
Page Count- 308
Publishing House- Indigo
Rating- 4.5/5

About the Author

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse. With over one million copies sold, her Grishaverse spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, and The Language of Thorns— with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including The Best of Tor.com and the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer, and the forthcoming Ninth House. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Southern California, graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and even makeup and special effects. These days, she lives and writes in Los Angeles, where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band.

(Taken from Leigh's website)

Plot

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.
Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom's magical elite - the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.
But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him?

Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance. Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and Laini Taylor.

(Taken from Goodreads)

Opinions

Having tried to read Shadow and Bone earlier in the year, I decided to pick it up on a spontaneous whim. I flew through it in three days and fell in love with the world Leigh had created. I'm currently studying Russian History as a part of one of my A-Levels, so reading a fantasy novel based on Russian History was really helpful. 

I really liked the characters as they felt very realistic. Even though they are from a fantasy universe, they felt as though they were people you could meet on the street. They had very realistic qualities and weren't the cliche YA typical characters. 

As someone who is a complete Urban Fantasy lover, I find High Fantasy hard to follow at times because the rules can become very complex. However, in this series, the rules are very simple and easy to follow. Even better, the key information can be found at the front of the book. I felt that I completely understood what was happening and didn't need to reread anything to understand what was happening.

I am not a fan of the love triangle that appears to be forming. I really hope that it isn't a feature of the series. At the moment, I want Alina to end up with Mal as I hate the Darkling. However, I have seen people comparing Mal to Tamlin from ACOTAR, which is making me doubt whether that is going to happen.

I managed to read this book in three days, which considering I'm snowed under with college work, is an impressive foot. I'm about a quarter of the way through the second book and once I've finished that, I'll definitely be posting a review for it.

Overall, I really loved Shadow and Bone and am so happy I've finally read a Leigh Bardugo book. The Grisha world may become one of my staple fandoms, but who knows. At the moment, I'm limiting myself to Harry Potter and The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

Just letting you know that there will be NO posts next week as the week after, I am doing Spooky Week and there will be 7 or 8 posts that week. I am planning on reviewing all the Harry Potter books and redoing the Harry Potter tags which I did nearly 2 years ago.

Carenza x