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    

September Favourites 2017| CarenzaOnBooks

Yet again, it is time to reflect on the previous month and the things I enjoyed most in that month. September was a very quiet month for me, I was snowed under with work and got ill towards the end of the month. But, despite that, I still enjoyed lots of things and wanted to share them with you.

Books

My favourite book of the month was Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. My review is coming very soon, but I loved this book and am currently reading the second book. I gave it 5/5 stars and I can finally understand why everyone has been raving about this series.

Culture

I have one cultural favourite and that it the soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I received this for my birthday and have been listening to it a lot. I've been finding it very calming as I've been so busy lately.

Bits'n'Bobs

My bits'n'bobs favourite has been Pop Funkos, specifically Harry Potter ones. I acquired 3 Harry Potter ones in September, but my favourite has to be this. This is one of the Summer Convention exclusives. I bought it on eBay, but I know you can get it on Tesco Direct.









So that concludes my September favourites, I know it's shorter than usual but September was a crazy, hectic month filled with lots of deadlines and flu, so I didn't really enjoy it as much as I usually would.
Carenza x 

September Wrap Up| CarenzaOnBooks

Yet another month has flown by and it is time to discuss the books I read in the month of September. In September I read 8 books, most of which were for college. I'm hoping to get back into "personal" reading, but I'm really happy with all the books I read in September.

The first book I read for pleasure was Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I was sent this for review, but I luckily received a physical copy in the July Fairyloot box. I gave it 4/5 stars, and you can read my review here.

The next book I read was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling. I still have to finish my reread of the Harry Potter series, but I am slowly getting there. As it is October, I will be doing Spooky Week again, but this year I have decided that I am going to be posting my reviews of each of the Harry Potter books. I gave Half-Blood Prince 5/5 stars, I have definitely changed my opinion on this book, which I will be discussing in my review. 

Then I read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I will be reviewing this very soon, but for now, I will say that I loved it and am already reading the second book in the series. I gave Shadow and Bone 5/5 stars, but I think that it was more of 4.5/5 stars in hindsight.

I read 5 books for college this month, three of them are pictured above. The first one I read was The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I gave The Grapes of Wrath 3/5 stars as, while I enjoyed it, it was so long and very much of its time. I can appreciate why people love this book, it just isn't for me.   

I then read Look We Have Coming to Dover! by Daljit Nagra. Again, I gave this 3/5 stars. Poetry isn't my thing and I really struggle to read it. I would like to start enjoying poetry, but all the poetry I have read so far has been required reading.

Next, I read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. This was another book I gave 3/5 stars too. There were bits I enjoyed, but as a whole, I didn't enjoy this book very much. However, I really enjoyed the movie adaptation and would highly recommend.

The next book I read was Brand New Ancients by Kate Tempest. This was another collection of poetry and again, I gave it 3/5 stars. I really didn't like this, but I can understand why people do.

The final book I read was 40 Sonnets by Don Paterson, which is another collection of poetry. I gave this 2/5 stars as I really didn't enjoy this.

So that concludes my September Wrap Up, I'm hoping that I won't have has much to read for college this month and I'm hoping to finish my reading goal this month as well.
Carenza x

Theatre 101- Do's and Don'ts| CarenzaOnBooks

The theatre is a truly magical place. The people who work there are incredibly talented and put so much effort into their work. But, sometimes members of the audience have absolutely no clue how to behave while watching a piece of theatre. So, as someone who has been visiting the theatre since the age of 6, I have learnt how to behave in a respectful way and I thought I'd share some of my do's and don'ts of how to behave in a theatre.

Do's

1. Enjoy yourself- it seems silly to say, but if you are at the theatre, enjoy yourself. But, if you are not enjoying yourself (which is fine, everyone's allowed their own opinions), try to look as though you are enjoying yourself or wait until an appropriate moment (i.e the interval) to leave. 
2. Join In- if the show is of an interactive nature, join in! Don't do what I did when I was asked a question during a performance and freeze. I had to be told what to say by my parents as I had no clue. If the show is funny, laugh along with everyone. Clap when the show ends. Again, it seems silly to say, but joining in with a show can make it funnier as actors can pick up on what members of the audience do.
3. Bring something to drink- sometimes, plays or musicals can be very long and you get thirsty, so make sure you bring something to drink. Most theatres have a bar where you can buy a drink or you can bring your own. There is nothing worse than having a coughing fit and not being able to stop because you didn't bring something to drink (I've done this before and I know it can be annoying). 
4. It is okay to cough- I know some people get funny about people coughing and sneezing during a performance, but if you are ill, then it is fine. What I try and do is make sure I have something to cough into (a handkerchief) or I try and time my coughs for scene changes. This doesn't always work, but at the end of the day, if you are ill there's not much you can do.

Don'ts

1. Phones- It is never acceptable to have your phone out during a performance. The light from the screen is distracting to members of the audience and is disrespectful to the actors. I recently was at the theatre and the woman in front of me got her phone out to check the plot of the play halfway through. The interval was about 20 minutes later. 
2. Photos- In a similar vein, taking photos or videos is also a no go. The light from the screen is annoying and it is disrespectful to the actors. Enjoy it in the moment and don't look at it through a screen. Going to the theatre is expensive at the best of times, so why look at it through a screen?
3. Sleep- Falling asleep during a play is annoying but it's something we've all done. It's dark, you've had a meal before coming to the theatre and it's warm, so naturally, you nod off. But if you do fall asleep, make it look discreet. A friend told me that when she went to the theatre, some people she knew put coats over their faces during to show. They were on the front row. Imagine if you were in that situation and someone just put a coat over their head in front of you? 
4. Eating- If you are one to snack during a show, then take something that isn't noisy. What I used to do is buy some sweets before the show (not chocolate based ones as they would melt), take them out of the packaging and put them in a non-rustly container. That way, I could eat, but not make any noise. At one theatre I went to, they gave out paper cups so you could put your sweets in them to prevent noise. 
5. Talking- It seems obvious to point out, but you shouldn't talk during a performance. But if you have to, keep it to a minimum. I know that as a child I would ask questions about the play, and my parents would whisper quick answers to me. I don't mind children talking as they are young and yet to learn, but adults should know better.                                                                               

So that is it for my Theatre 101 post on how to behave, I plan on making this a series, but not a regular one like my wrap-ups and favourites. If you have anything theatre based you would like me to write about, please let me know as I want to start talking about the theatre on here as it is one of my main passions (other than books, nerd culture and Harry Potter).

Carenza x
    

Meraki Candles Anime Quarterly Unboxing- Yuri on Ice| CarenzaOnBooks

Today I am posting my slightly belated Meraki Candles Anime Quarterly Yuri on Ice unboxing. This was meant to go up next week, but I am very behind on my reading for reviews. I was super excited to receive this box, I bought it back in May when it was announced and it wasn't supposed to arrive till July, but it didn't come till the end of August, which I was a bit disappointed by. I paid £23.29 in total, which included £3.50 postage. The box itself should have been £21.99, but I got a 10% discount by using one of the reps codes, so it was £19.79. But, that aside, here is my unboxing of the Yuri on Ice box.

This is what the actual box looks like. I do like how it's quite small and could easily fit in a postbox.

So there were two candles in the box. One was Eros which smells of sweet orange and chili. It's a surprisingly nice combination and I wasn't expecting to like it. The other one was Agape which smells of bergamot, apple and vanilla. Again, this is a surprisingly nice combination and I also really like it.






 

So this is what the candles look like with the lids off. They are such beautiful colours and really go with the theme and meaning behind the candles.

The first item is this History Makers mirror by Meraki Designs, which is the design side of Meraki Candles. I have to admit that I don't use mirrors that often and I have about 3 from subscription boxes that are gathering dust. So this item was not a hit with me, but the design is lovely.

This item is amazing and it's a letter from Victor to Yuri (I haven't posted the actual letter as I don't want to spoil anyone). This is from bookified. I love how this is such a unique item and I'll look into getting a different one from a different character.

This is the design on the spoiler card, I love that the whole gang is there and that Yuri is in the center (where he belongs).

A little extra was this character postcard, it is double sided, but silly me forgot to take a photo of the other side. But look at Victor and Yuri! They're so cute!

On the other side of this beautiful picture are some anime recommendations. They are for sport anime's and I have heard of Free!, but I've only been able to watch the dubbed version and I cannot stand dubbed Japanese films/tv.

This is the other little extra print, it's loads of information about figure skating.

The final item is this character notebook, I can't see who made it on the card though. It's a very cute, little notebook and it has lined paper inside.












So overall, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed about the contents and overall process of getting this box. It came really late and there was no warning about it coming late, which is really upsetting as a customer as you begin to worry that it's got lost in the post. The contents, while nice, was not worth what I paid for this box and I don't think I'm going to get much use out of the items. I don't think I'll be getting another one of these boxes, but I still love the candles and will continue to order big candles from them.
Carenza x

August 2017 Fairyloot Unboxing and Review| CarenzaOnBooks

I'm really sad that this is my last Fairyloot review for a while as I've had to cancel my subscription. But, that aside, this was one of my favourite boxes and it makes me so happy to see them grow as a company.

The theme for Augusts box was Other Worlds and this is probably my favourite design of theirs.

The first item was a exclusive Witchsoul candle from Book and Nook. I got Anais, which smelss of Coco, Cardamon and Fig. I'm not 100% sure if I like the scent, but I am happy that I finally got to try and Book and Nook candle.

The next item was this gorgeous exclusive sleep mask designed by Fairyloot themselves. It feels really nice on the skin and makes it easier to sleep, if like me, you can't sleep unless the room is pitch black. It matches the aesthetic the Oven Glove from last months box.

Then there was this exclusive Velaris Pendant made by Oh Panda Eyes. I'm not as big a fan of Sarah J Maas as I used to be, but I love this necklace. It has a vintage style to it and it is something I'm probably going to wear.

Probably my favourite item in the box was this Westeros Tea Strainer designed by Fairyloot. As someone who doesn't drink tea, this item isn't that useful to me. But as a lover of novelty items, this is great. You pull the hilt of the sword of and put your tea inside. My parents have already made claims on this as they are tea people.

Then there is this super cute Neverland notebook designed by TJ Lubrano. I've been following her for a while on Instagram and have been dying to try her products. While I love this notebook, I do wish that it had been lined rather than blank as I can't write in a straight line.

The next item are these exclusive Lord of the Rings magnetic bookmarks from Paperly & Co. There were three sets you could have received and I got Arwen and Aragorn. I would have preferred Frodo and Samwise, but these are super cute and I love adding magnetic bookmarks to my collection.

The final item is this exclusive Northern Lights print by Melissa Nettleship. I love prints that don't have quotes on and this really fits my aesthetic at the moment. It's giving me major wanderlust and makes me want to see the Northern Lights in person.

The book for August's book was Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic. I've been dying to read this book and I'm hoping to get to it this month. Is the cover not stunning?

As always there is a signed book plate and letter from the author.

And here is my reading buddy hashtag for the month of August.

Another beautiful Fairyscoop that I'm going to read and enjoy.

I love that Fairyloot includes these matching bookmarks, I'm going to miss collecting them.

And finally, the promotional items for some up and coming books.













I'm sad that my subscription has come to an end, but I have loved every single box I have received. I can't wait to see what they include in their future boxes.
Carenza x

August Favourites 2017| CarenzaOnBooks

Another month has flown by and I have more things to add to my ever growing list of favourites. August was a very good month, but I may be biased as it is my birthday month. I always look forward to August because it's when my family have our summer holiday. I did a lot of amazing things this August and consequently, I have a lot of favourites.

Books

If you saw my monthly wrap up, then you'll know I am in the middle of my Harry Potter reread. I will always love these books and it made me exceptionally happy rereading them. Reviews will be coming your way soon once I have finished my reread.

Culture

August was a very good cultural month. I went to Edinburgh twice and I also went to London. My first trip to Edinburgh was to meet Cassandra Clare and Holly Black at their Edinburgh signing. I have wanted to meet Cassie for 4 years and I finally got to met her. I wrote a blog post about it and you can check it out here.

My other trip to Edinburgh was for the Fringe festival. This was my fourth year in a row attending. I saw some amazing theatre and some less amazing theatre. I'm hoping to go again next year for longer than a day and experience more of the festival.

I went to London over the Bank Holiday to see Andrew Scott play Hamlet. It was a part of my birthday celebrations. Andrew Scott's Hamlet was one of my favourite Hamlet's and I can't wait to watch it again when it airs on BBC 1 or 2 next year.

My final cultural favourite was my trip to the Harry Potter studios. I got to go round it properly (I went in January with my college) and see the new Forbidden Forest. I'm already planning my next trip, probably this next year. I'm thinking of making a blog post about tips and tricks for people planning on going to the Studio, would you guys be interested in it?

Bits'n'Bobs

My favourites in the Bits'n'Bobs category has been depleting these past few months, but my Bits'n'Bobs choice for August is Pop Funkos. I've really gotten back into collecting them and have added a few to my collection in the past month. I really want to collect all the Harry Potter ones, but it will take a while as most of the ones I don't have are American exclusives.

And that concludes my August favourites. I can't believe there are only 3 months left of 2017, where did the year go?
Carenza x

August Wrap Up| CarenzaOnBooks

It's official, we only have a quarter of the year left. Where did the year go? And that means it's time for my monthly wrap up. In August, I read 6 books, which I am happy with. I did reread four books as a part of a reread I'm doing.

The first four books I read where books 2 to 5 in the Harry Potter series. I decided to start rereading the series in July and am currently over halfway through Half-Blood Prince. I am planning on reviewing the series once I've completed my reread and have them posted back to back in one week. Each time I reread this series, I fall a bit more in love. Order of the Phoenix is still my favourite, but Prisoner of Azkaban is still a close second. I did start reading these in the physical format, but I then switched to audiobook. Stephen Fry is the perfect narrator for this series and I could listen to him reading the Harry Potter series back to back.

The other two books I read where scripts. The first being Angels in America by Tony Kushner. I love this play with all my heart and I read this in a day. It made me so inspired to write and I want to go see it again. If you enjoy reading scripts, then you should check this out.

The other script I read was the script for Dear Evan Hansen. I listened to the soundtrack for DEH and it's now one of my go to musicals. It has such a powerful meaning and it was interesting reading the dialogue in between the songs.

And that concludes my August wrap-up. I'm hoping to reach my reading challenge goal by the end of the year and maybe go beyond it.
Carenza x

Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody Spoiler-Free Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Daughter of the Burning City
Author- Amanda Foody 
Series- N/A
Published- July 25th (USA) September 7th (UK)
Page Count- 377 (US Hardback)
Publishing House- Harlequin Teen/ Harper Collins
Rating- 4/5 Stars
Note- I was sent a eArc by the publishers, so thank you Harper Collins for sending me a copy!




Happy publication day to Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody! As I've already stated, I was sent a copy by the publishers, but I was also lucky enough to receive a physical copy from a Fairyloot box. As today is the publication day, this will be a spoiler-free review. I will post a spoiler filled review later in the year once more people have had the chance to read it.

I really enjoyed reading DOTBC, it was a really interesting concept and something I had never heard of. I'm not usually in to circus books, but I had wanted to read it even before I was sent a copy. I had been hearing nothing but good things. To me, this book reminds me of reading YA books when I was younger. It was a fun and easy book for me, and I really enjoyed the "who did it" aspect of the book. It's been a while since I read a book that had to make me think and didn't just hand me all the information straight up.

There was such a diverse range of characters in this book, and from a wannabe-writers perspective, this was heavenly to read. I loved how there were characters of different sexuality and there was no big deal made about it. With this search for diversity that the YA book community is currently undergoing, I feel like we need to shout about all the diversity there is in books. Yes, diversity is an issue, but we should be reading books because we want to, not because of these elements of the books.

I liked Sorrina as a character, but at times I did find her a bit whinny and YA-typical. She seemed to think that she knew best and everyone around her was wrong. She also became absorbed by her grief and that is a trope I'm getting tired of seeing. I want to see strong characters who can grieve, but also continue to live their lives. There were also a couple of her lines that I found a bit cheesy, going along the lines of "I will have revenge". These lines did make me giggle because they were a bit cringy.

Overall, I really enjoyed DOTBC and hope to read more from Amanda Foody in the future. At the moment, I believe this is a stand alone book, which is a very interesting choice for a fantasy author to make.
Carenza x

A Love Letter to Harry Potter| CarenzaOnBooks

At 11 O'clock today, the epilogue for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows becomes reality. Today is 19 years later. Today is a special day for Potterheads around the world. I've already made posts about how much Harry Potter means to me and while this post is in the same vein, my love for Harry Potter has increased since my last post.

The Boy Who Lived and the Wizarding World came into my life over 10 years ago. I can't deny that it hasn't played a huge part in my life. They were the books that got into reading and the books I aspire to write. These books took the world by storm and I was caught up in it. Reading them made me want to read more. They told me of a magical world I could escape to when the real world became scary. They're still the books I read when I need to escape from our crazy world.

In these books, I found people I wanted to be and people I wanted to know. I've spent half my life being told I sound and act like Hermione Granger, though I'm not sure how true that is, I'm nowhere near as academic as she is. I found characters I longed to know more about and characters I could spend hours talking about.

Most people I know have moved on from their Harry Potter phase, but I'm still very much there. I recently went to the Studios again for my birthday and have already been once this year. I'm about to finish my reread of the books and will probably watch the movies soon. Harry Potter introduced me to the world of fandoms and fandom communities. Because of Harry Potter, I have an excessive amount of Pop Funkos (and I plan to continue collecting). Plainly, Harry Potter continues to be there for me when I feel as though there is nothing else.

Harry Potter has had a huge impact on my life and will continue to. It's made me the person I am today. I may have spent more money than I should have on this fandom, but every piece of merch or memory never fails to make me happy. And as Dumbledore says "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home"