Harry Potter Reread: The Half-Blood Prince

 

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I honestly cannot remember where I bought Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when it first came out. Was it from a bookstore or a supermarket? I know for a fact that I didn't read it right away because I remember being spoiled (yet again) about the big death at the end. 

I know this is a pretty lame origin story compared to the first few books in the series. Just wait. My Deathly Hallows origin story is even worse.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

p.257- An 11-year old Tom Riddle expresses the belief that his mother 'cant've been magic or she wouldn't have died.' We know that Voldemort's mother was, in fact, a witch but this particular belief seems to be an early manifestation of Voldemort's obsession with immortality. Voldemort seems to think that those who succumb to death are weak. He sees himself as the most powerful sorcerer of all time and so, in his mind, he should be immune to death.  This is why he goes to such great lengths to create the Horcruxes and stay alive at all costs, even if it means ripping his soul apart.

p.418- Dumbledore tells Harry that 'we have never been able to keep a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for longer than a year since I refused the post to Voldemort.' Is it possible Voldemort placed an actual curse on Hogwarts? Maybe he was so bitter about Dumbledore refusing him that he wanted to ensure no one else would be able to keep the job for any long stretch of time. Or was this an unconscious bit of magic?

p.578- Hermione is explaining to everyone what happened after Snape killed Dumbledore:

 " 'We went into his office to see if we could help Professor Flitwick and found him unconscious on the floor...and, oh, it's so obvious now, Snape must have Stupefied Flitwick, but we didn't realise, we just let Snape go!'

     'It's not your fault,' said Lupin firmly. 'Hermione, had you not obeyed Snape and got out of the way, he would probably gave killed you and Luna.' " 

Now that we know that Snape was really a good guy all along (relatively speaking), my theory is that Snape stunned Flitwick and told Hermione and Luna to look after him so that they would be safe from the Death Eaters invading the castle.

Favorite Parts/Lines

p.113-When Harry and co. go and visit Fred and George's joke shop:

"The right-hand window was covered in a gigantic poster, purple like those of the Ministry, but emblazoned with flashing yellow letters:

Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who?

You SHOULD Be Worrying About 

U-NO-POO-

the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!

Harry started to laugh. He heard a weak sort of moan beside him and looked round to see Mrs Weasley gazing, dumbfounded, at the poster. Her lips moved, silently mouthing the name, U-No-Poo.' 

p.529-When Dumbledore and Harry are in the cave looking for the Horcrux and Harry sees the Inferi:

" 'There is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness. Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.' "

Concluding Thoughts

The end of Half-Blood Prince is truly mind-blowing because Snape finally reveals his true colours...or at least, we think he does. I remember when I read it for the first time, I actually thought that Snape might still be a good guy. I think I predicted that Snape only killed Dumbledore because Dumbledore told him to. Of course, I could be just conjuring up this memory in retrospect but I think I always knew, even after Half-Blood Prince, that there was a lot more to Snape than met the eye. (I know my posts are always very pro-Snape but I can't help it! He's still my favorite character! #sorrynotsorry

Harry Potter Reread: Order of the Phoenix

  

Potter fever is ramping up this year thanks to two exciting new projects: the eighth story, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, will be debuting in London's West End on July 30 and the first in a new movie trilogy, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will hit theaters in November. In preparation, I decided to revisit my most beloved series and blog about it. (Besides, I don't really need an excuse to reread Harry Potter.)

Origin Story

I am ashamed to say that I don't have a great story for when I first bought Order of the Phoenix. I didn't go to a midnight release party. Hell, I didn't even buy it at a bookstore. I bought it at...a supermarket. 

I do remember buying it the very day it came out. I think the reason I bought it at the supermarket was because it was a lot cheaper. (The retail price for the Canadian edition was $43.00!) But I don't even remember reading it right away. Maybe it was because I was rereading the other books first? I remember being spoiled about the big death at the end of the book so maybe that's why I put it off. 

I was excited for Order of the Phoenix but I think at that time I wasn't a hardcore fan of Harry Potter like I am now. (I know, I know, FOR SHAME!)

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

p.34-When Aunt Petunia blurts out that she knows about Dementors and Harry asks how she knows, she says 'I heard - that awful boy - telling her about them - years ago.' Harry (and the reader) assumes that she is talking about James but she's really talking about Snape!

p.108-When Harry and co. are cleaning out Number 12, Grimmauld Place,
J.K. Rowling craftily sneaks in a passing mention of a horcrux - Slytherin's locket. 'There was a musical box that emitted a faintly sinister, tinkling tune when wound, and they all found themselves becoming curiously weak and sleepy, until Ginny had the sense to slam it shut; a heavy locket none of them could open; a number of ancient seals; and, in a dusty box, an Order of Merlin, First Class, that had been awarded to Sirius's grandfather for 'services to the Ministry.' This is so clever on Rowling's part because the reader would not know the significance of this until they had read the end of the series. This is why the Harry Potter series demands to be reread.

p.240-Harry's detention with Umbridge is truly one of the most disturbing parts in the entire series. Here is a grown woman basically torturing a teenage boy because he is daring to contradict her and the government's version of events. Throughout the novel, we see the Ministry of Magic use intimidation and slander to discredit anyone who thinks Voldemort has returned.

p.473-During one of Snape's Occlumency lessons with Harry, they have this exchange:

'I told you to empty yourself of emotion!'

'Yeah? Well, I'm finding that hard at the moment,' Harry snarled.

'Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord! said Snape savagely. 'Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked so easily - weak people, in other words - they stand no chance against his powers! He will penetrate your mind with absurd ease, Potter!'

Snape's speech is an indication of how much he has had to conceal from Voldemort, how hard he has to work to protect his true thoughts and feelings from the Dark Lord. This, to me, explains a lot about the psychology of Severus Snape. Imagine having to hide your memories, thoughts, and feelings from someone skilled at penetrating minds. Snape would constantly have to be on his guard. He would have to essentially hide who he is. Now, Snape is one of my favorite characters of all time but I would never excuse his cruel and bullying nature. But I have a hunch that this is the thing that messed him up - never allowing himself to feel anything for anybody (with the exception of Lily), taking on a life of solitude, having no one to confide in, being used by people on both sides of the war - is it any wonder why he turned out the way he did?

Favorite Parts/Lines

p.149-When Mrs. Weasley finds out that Ron was made a prefect:

'I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!'

'What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?' said George indignantly.

p.597-After Fred and George make their spectacular exit from Hogwarts, I love how Peeves becomes anarchy incarnate in their honor: 'But not even the users of the Snackboxes could compete with that master of chaos, Peeves, who seemed to have taken Fred's parting words deeply to heart. Cackling madly, he soared through the school, upending tables, bursting out of blackboards, toppling statues and vases; twice he shut Mrs Norris inside a suit of armor, from which she was rescued, yowling loudly, by the furious caretaker. Peeves smashed lanterns and snuffed out candles, juggled burning torches over the heads of screaming students, caused neatly stacked piles of parchment to topple into fires or out of windows; flooded the second floor when he pulled off all the taps in the bathrooms, dropped a bag of tarantulas in the middle of the Great Hall during breakfast and, whenever he fancied a break, spent hours at a time floating along after Umbridge and blowing loud raspberrries every time she spoke.'

p.743-'There is a room in the Department of Mysteries,' interrupted Dumbledore, 'that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power took you to save Sirius tonight. That power also saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of a force he detests. In the end, it mattered not that you could not close your mind. It was your heart that saved you.'

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the force Dumbledore is talking about is love. I wonder what the room dedicated to the study of love looks like?

Concluding Thoughts

Order of the Phoenix sometimes gets flack from HP fans for being too long, too angsty, and too depressing. Yes, it can be depressing and yes, it is a bit of a slog to get through sometimes. And in some scenes you're dying for Harry to just, like, chill already. But after rereading Order of the Phoenix, it strikes me how brilliant the novel is. There are so many plot threads to keep track of, but Rowling ties them all together brilliantly. Harry might be a tad angry in this installment but he's far from boring. And while the book has a reputation for being depressing, it also has some of the best humor in the entire series. (Humor that is sadly missing from the film adaptation.)  

New Releases: February 2016

Feb. 2

Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Science Fiction/Short Stories
A collection of short stories set in the world of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. Some of the stories are previously unpublished, including a story featuring a wedding between two of the main characters!

Starflight (Starflight #1) by Melissa Landers

Genre: YA Science Fiction
This book has SPACE PIRATES! That's basically all you need to know.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Genre: YA Historical Fiction
A survival story about three teenagers fleeing World War II aboard a ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff.

Assassin's Heart (Assassin's Heart #1) by Sarah Ahiers

Genre: YA Fantasy
This debut fantasy novel sounds amazing - it's been described as a combination of The Godfather and Romeo and Juliet. Right up my alley!

Kings Rising (Captive Prince #3) by C.S. Pacat

Genre: M/M Romance/Fantasy
The third and final installment in the Captive Prince trilogy. 

The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

Genre: Historical Fiction
The life of Lilliet Berne, a famous opera singer, is thrown into turmoil when she is offered her first original role.

Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Riley is a gender-fluid teenager - some days identifying as a boy, some days identifying as a girl. The problem is that Riley isn't exactly 'out' yet and starts to feel the pressure to be 'normal' - whatever that means.

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Pax, a young fox, was rescued by Peter, a young boy and they became best friends. During the approach of the war, they are separated and struggle to find their way back to each other. I bet you anything this one's a tearjerker. 

Grace & Style: The Art of Pretending You Have It by Grace Helbig

Genre: Non Fiction
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure who Grace Helbig is - she has a TV show? Or a Youtube channel? I'm not sure but her non fiction books look good. 

The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built by Jack Viertel

Genre: Non Fiction
I LOVE MUSICALS!

Feb. 9

Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard

Genre: YA Fantasy

The much-anticipated second book in the Red Queen series.

Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows #1) by Sophie Jordan

Genre: YA Fantasy
When an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized the throne. Now Luna, the long lost princess, must regain her throne.

Morning Star (Red Rising #3) by Pierce Brown

Genre: Science Fiction
The third and final installment in the Red Rising trilogy.

Shylock is My Name (Hogarth Shakespeare) by Howard Jacobson

Genre: Literary Fiction/Retelling
Part of the Hogarth Shakespeare Project, this is a contemporary retelling of The Merchant of Venice.

A Song for No Man's Land by Andy Remic

Genre: Fantasy
A soldier fighting in the Great War finds himself battling, not human soldiers, but nightmarish demons.

The Abyss Surrounds Us (The Abyss Surrounds Us #1) by Emily Skrutskie


Genre: YA Fantasy
A fantasy/sci-fi story that features genetically-engineered sea monsters, pirates, and a lesbian romance!

Feb. 16

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1) by C.J. Redwine

Genre: YA Fantasy
An epic fantasy retelling of Snow White, this book features a shape-shifting dragon huntsman! I cannot wait for this one.

Riders (Riders #1) by Veronica Rossi

Genre: YA Fantasy
Gideon Blake, an eighteen-year-old guy with dreams of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger, wakes from a fatal accident and finds that he has become War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

The Girl from Everywhere (The Girl from Everywhere #1) by Heidi Heilig

Genre: YA Fantasy
Nix Song is a time-traveler, traveling the world though time aboard a pirate ship with her father.

The Immortals (Olympus Bound #1) by Jordanna Max Brodsky

Genre: Urban Fantasy
A murder mystery involving ancient Greek gods living in modern-day Manhattan.

Feb. 23

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Genre: YA Fantasy
A twist on Aladdin that features the peasant boy falling in love with Zahra, a female jinni.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

Genre: YA Mystery
Julia saved her best friend, Liv, when she was attacked by a paroled predator in the woods. Liv ran, leaving Julia in the woods for a terrifying 48 hours that she remembers only in flashbacks.

A Gathering of Shadows (A Darker Shade of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy
The second book in the Darker Shade of Magic series.

Hidden Bodies (You #2) by Caroline Kepnes

Genre: Thriller
The sequel to You. 

The Rogue (Devil's Duke #1) by Katharine Ashe

Genre: Historical Romance
The first book in a new historical romance series. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I've Recently Added to My TBR

 

My TBR is already thousands of books long (I'm not kidding) and I still add more to it almost every day. Here are the Top 10 Books I've Recently Added to My TBR:

1.) Heartless by Marissa Meyer

After reading her epic Lunar Chronicles series, I will read anything and everything Marissa Meyer publishes. Her Alice in Wonderland adaptation, telling the origin story of the Queen of Hearts, will definitely be a must-read once it comes out in November.

2.) The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski

I finally got around to reading the first two books in this series just a few weeks ago and now I'm obsessed. I cannot wait to read the final book!

3.) The Last Star (The 5th Wave #3) by Rick Yancey

This is another series I just got caught up on this month. I'm excited to see how it all ends.

4.) Under the Skin by Michel Faber

My friend started a book club a few months ago and this is our most recent selection. I've seen the film adaptation already so it will be interesting to see what the book is like.

5.) My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

Speaking of book clubs, I was so excited when I heard Emma Watson was starting a feminist book club. I'm definitely excited to read the first selection. If you're interested in joining the club, here's the Goodreads page.

6.) United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas

This book comes out in March and it sounds amazing. The premise of the book is that the Axis powers won World War II and now the Japanese Empire rules over the western US states. How awesome does that sound? Plus, there's a giant robot on the cover!

7.) Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1) by Susan Dennard

This debut has been blowing up all over bookish social media so I might have to jump on the bandwagon soon...

8.) The Summer Dragon (The Evertide #1) by Todd Lockwood


The first book in a new series about dragons, politics, and war. SIGN.ME.UP.

9.) How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas C. Foster


I've been wanting to become a more in-depth reader lately and this seems like a fun introduction to literary analysis.

10.) Anything Star Wars


I just saw The Force Awakens the other day and it blew my mind! After watching it, I immediately inducted myself into the Star Wars fandom and am desperate for more. Luckily, there are a ton of spin-off books for me to devour while I await Episode VIII.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original bookish meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

Suicide Reviews: The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave #1) by Rick Yancey

 

Synopsis: After the 1st Wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th Wave, just one rule applies: trust no one.

Now it's the dawn of the 5th Wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother - or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. 

From award-winning author Rick Yancey comes a gripping epic of catastrophic loss, unthinkable odds, and unflinching courage.

Date Published: May 7, 2013

Published By: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 457

Rating: 5/5

I am so glad this book lived up to the hype. Even though I'm excited for the upcoming film adaptation, I know it will only pale in comparison to this epic sci-fi tale of survival and resilience. 

From the very first page I was sucked into the story. I plowed through the first hundred pages without looking up, and when I did, it was like waking from an incredibly vivid dream. I actually had to remind myself that aliens hadn't invaded the planet in reality (at least not yet.) That type of realism for such a fantastical story is awe-inspiring. It made me think that if aliens did invade our planet, it would happen exactly as it did in The 5th Wave.

I loved all of the characters and the complex, ever-shifting dynamics between them. The relationship between Cassie and Evan Walker is particularly intriguing. I won't spoil anything, but I did figure out what eventually happens between them long before it actually happened. Of course, this may have been because I saw the trailer for the movie, and guessed the twist from there. (Come on, movie trailers, could you be any more obvious?)  

The aliens in this book are some of my favorite that I've ever come across in science fiction. Of course, I'll always have a soft spot for sexy aliens, like Daemon Black from the Lux series, but, man, do I love me some evil, destructive aliens hell-bent on world domination. The structure Yancey uses to describe the invasion with the different Waves is masterful - both chilling and completely convincing. 

The 5th Wave is exactly the kind of post-apocalyptic alien-invasion story I've been looking for. I can't believe it's taken me this long to read it. This book isn't just for young adult sci-fi fans - adult readers will love it too. 

The 5th Wave Movie Trailer 

Suicide Reviews: The Miniarturist by Jessie Burton

  

Synopsis: On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office - leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marian.

But Nella's life changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist - an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways...

Johannes's gift helps Nella pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand - and fear - the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshiped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation...or the architect of their destruction? 

Enchanting, beautifully written and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.

Date Published: August 26, 2014

Published By: Ecco

Number of Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5

The Miniaturist is one of those books where I ended up reading a completely different story from what I was expecting. This seems to be happening a lot lately. (For my review of another unexpected story, see here.)

I was under the impression that Nella, a newly-married woman would end up having an affair with the Miniaturist, an artist who specializes in crafting miniature replicas.

Nope. Not even close.

Instead, The Miniaturist is a story of family secrets, gold, God, and betrayal. It's all very intriguing, actually, and I was pleased by the unique storyline. It has a bit of magical realism feel to it as well which makes the story all the more fascinating. Just who is the elusive Miniaturist? And just how much power does this mysterious figure have over Nella's life?

The Miniaturist seems to be well-researched and gives us a glimpse into 17th-century Dutch society. I loved how the author incorporated the infamous Dutch East India Company into her storyline. You might think the parts about trading and gold and guilds would be a bit dull but they're not. This is what I love about historical fiction - being able to travel back in time and get an idea about the way things were - and marvel at how much things have remained the same.

Jessie Burton writes beautifully, every sentence a polished gem. Her words flow like poetry, making every scene richer and more atmospheric. The vividness of her images helps to transport the reader even deeper into her world. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes - all are rendered so convincingly that I could almost feel the bitter wind of winter or taste the sugared marzipan.

If you're a historical fiction fan, or just have an appreciation for lyrical writing, I strongly urge you to give The Miniaturist a try.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2016

 

There are so many good books coming out in 2016, it's hard to narrow it down to just ten but I did my best! Tell me what books you're most looking forward to in 2016!

1.) Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

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Release Date: February 2

I fell in love with the Lunar Chronicles this year and was so sad to see it end. That's why I am so excited for this collection of short stories! 

2.) Glass Sword (Red Queen #2) by Victoria Aveyard

Release Date: February 9

I've yet to read Red Queen but this is a series I definitely want to be caught up on. I've heard a lot of good things about it so I hope it lives up to the hype!

3.) The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire #1) by C.J. Redwine

Release Date: February 16

All I know about this book is that it is a Snow White retelling and that there is some sort of dragon huntsman(!) in it. I cannot wait for this one!

4.) Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 8

I've only read City of Bones and that was a few years ago so I know I have a lot of reading to catch up on when it comes to Cassandra Clare but I always collect her books as they are released. Lady Midnight will be no exception. That cover is exquisite!

5.) The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Release Date: March 29

Another series I haven't started yet but will definitely be catching up on before the third and final book is released. So many people have been raving about this series and I'm dying to know what all of the fuss is about. (I'm really glad they settled that whole kerfuffle about the cover changes and I'll be able to have a matching set!)

6.) Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy #3) by Sally Green

Release Date: March 29

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NATHAN AND GABRIEL!

7.) In the Labyrinth of Drakes (Memoir by Lady Trent #4) by Marie Brennan

Release Date: April 5

This series is about dragons and has some of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. But I haven't read the other books in the series yet! I'm hoping to get around to it this year. 

8.) Soldier (Talon #3) by Julie Kagawa

Release Date: April 26

Yet another series about dragons that I haven't started. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH ME?

9.) A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Release Date: May 3

A Court of Thorns and Roses was one of my favorite reads of 2015 and quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. Right after I finished it, I staggered around the house shouting 'NEED MORE! MUST HAVE MORE BOOK! Needless to say, this is my MOST ANTICIPATED book of 2016. 

10.) The Last Star (The 5th Wave #3) by Rick Yancey

Release Date: May 24

I have a feeling this already-popular series will gain even more attention with the upcoming release of the film adaptation. The first one is still on my TBR list but I will definitely be reading it before I go see the movie.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original tag created by The Broke and the Bookish. Go check them out!