Harry Potter Reread: Philosopher's Stone

 

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

A lot of people credit the Harry Potter series as the reason they fell in love with books and became avid readers. However, I was already a book nerd long before Harry Potter came along. But when I first read it, I knew it was special. I had never fell so completely in love with a fictional world before. Reading Harry Potter for the first time was like finding something I had always been searching for. And now whenever I reread the series, it feels like coming home. I first read Harry Potter when I was about 10 or 11. Now I'm in my mid-20s and the books still give me feels. 

I was first introduced to Harry Potter by my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Morgan. She read out loud to us a little bit every day. Before she read it, I had never heard of Harry Potter. The first time, she only read about one or two chapters but that was enough for me. I immediately went to my local book store and bought my own copy. (Or, rather, my mom bought it for me. Thanks Mom!) 

I devoured the first book, so when my teacher read it to us, I already knew what was going to happen. Mrs. Morgan was a great reader, though, so I still enjoyed it. Even after all these years, when I reread the book, I can still remember her tone and inflection during certain parts. I am forever so thankful to her for introducing me to Harry Potter. 

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Things I Noticed This Time Around

-Harry is remarkably well-adjusted for a child who has been abused and neglected for nearly eleven years. So I had a thought: Harry's mother died to save him, an act of love so powerful that it gave him protection against Voldemort, and later, Professor Quirrell (working for Voldemort.) But did her sacrifice give him psychological protection as well? Was Harry subconsciously aware that he was loved? Did that make it somewhat easier to deal with the abuse? 

-The Dursleys have four bedrooms in their house and yet they make Harry sleep in the cupboard under the stairs for over a decade. I never really noticed how cruel and selfish that was. It's a really small detail but once I noticed it, it just made me hate the Dursleys even more. 

-Hagrid is so wonderful. I had always loved his character but I didn't really appreciate him that much until I noticed just how awful the Dursleys were. The very first thing that Hagrid does when he arrives to give Harry his letter is to feed him and make sure he is cared for. 

-How do the Dursleys get back to the shore if Harry and Hagrid took the boat?

-Peeves is such an asshole. I love him.

-The screaming book in the Restricted section - is it part of a spell that keeps unauthorized students from reading the restricted books? Because otherwise, why keep a book in a library that just screams at anyone who tries to read it? 

-When Snape confronts Quirrell in the forest, he says 'Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all.' Presumably, these students are Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But how does he know that they know about the Stone? Is it because of Occlumency? I'm willing to bet that it is because there are several hints throughout the book that Snape is reading Harry's mind. 

Favorite Parts/Lines

-'It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.' pg. 14

-The poem on the door of Gringotts bank. For some reason, it gives me goosebumps. Probably because it's so brilliantly written - and also because it's a little bit sinister.

-'So we've just got to try on the hat!' Ron whispered to Harry. 'I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll.' pg. 89

-When Harry sees his family for the first time in the Mirror of Erised, it makes me cry.

-Of course, one of my favorite chapters is Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. I love dragons!

-'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.' pg. 216 (Excuse me while I sob all over the place.)

Final Thoughts

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as one of the earlier books in the series, feels the most like a traditional children's book. But it is so much more than that. This book always manages to make me laugh, cry, and wish, for the thousandth time, that I got my very own Hogwarts letter. 

Top Ten Tuesday: 5 Characters Everyone Loves But I Just Don't Get/Top 5 Characters I LOVE But Others Seem to Dislike

For this Top Ten Tuesday, we had the option of doing the Top 10 Characters Everyone Loves But I Just Don't Get OR the Top 10 Characters I Love But Others Seem to Dislike. Seeing as I couldn't come up with ten characters for each category, I decided to do five of each.

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Top 5 Characters Everyone Loves But I Just Don't Get

5) Dimitri Belikov from Vampire Academy


I've warmed to Dimitri over the course of the series, especially in books 5 and 6 but I still wouldn't say he is the most compelling love interest. I always felt like he and Rose lacked chemistry but I'm still happy they ended up together.

4) Tris Prior from Divergent


Full disclosure: I never finished reading the Divergent series. I never even made it through the first book. I think one of the main reasons for that was because I just couldn't connect with Tris. I found her to be totally unlikable - and not in an interesting way, in an irritating way.

3) Gale Hawthorne from The Hunger Games


Yes, I'm aware that Gale (and Liam Hemsworth) is tall, handsome, and all around swoon-worthy. But I am baffled by Gale/Katniss shippers. Gale is brooding, vengeful, and has a tendency towards ruthlessness. Is that really a guy you want the heroine to end up with?

2) Edward Cullen from Twilight


Ever since high school, I could never understand other people's admiration of the abusive, possessive, and controlling Edward Cullen. And speaking of abusive boyfriends...

1) Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Gray


Even I am not immune to Jamie Dornan's hotness in the film version. But still. He kidnaps Ana and removes her clothes when she is unconscious, manipulates her into performing sexual acts that she is uncomfortable with, stalks her, refuses to respect her personal space or her choices and is generally a complete asshole. He makes Edward Cullen look like a sensible choice. (I'm aware that I'm definitely not the only one with a problem with Mr. Grey but enough people love him that I had to put him on this list.)

And now...

Top 5 Characters I LOVE But Others Seem to Dislike

5) Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games
 

I've heard a lot of criticism about Peeta that doesn't make sense. He's whiny. He's weak. He's manipulative. But I'm pretty sure Peeta saved Katniss on multiple occasions, was consistently there for her when she wasn't there for him (except maybe in the third book when he was brainwashed) and tried to promote a peaceful agenda through words and nonviolence. I wish I could meet a guy like Peeta in real life.

4) Prince Kai from the Lunar Chronicles


Poor Prince Kai gets a lot of flack. He actually seems to get the same kind of criticism as Peeta. That he sat back and let Cinder do all the work and was generally useless. But I love Kai. I love that he is conflicted about his feelings for Cinder and isn't some macho hero who is all action and no brains. Kai is incredibly smart and uses his wits on several occasions to get through tough spots and even save lives. What can I say? I love a Beta male.

3) Amy Dunne from Gone Girl


Amy Dunne is a murderous, manipulative psychopath who traps her husband into staying in a nightmare of a marriage. Some people call her Evil Incarnate. To me she's one of the most powerful, interesting literary villains to come along in a long time. All hail Queen Bitch.

2) Kylo Ren from Star Wars: The Force Awakens


'He's emo. He's weak. He's a drama queen.' 
To me, Kylo Ren is one of the most interesting villains I've ever seen. I love that he's emotional and has hissy fits. I've seen enough stoic psychopathic male villains to last me for a lifetime. And, excuse me, he's weak? I don't know if I watched the same movie as everybody else but I'm pretty sure he got hit in the chest with Chewbacca's lethal bowcaster (a weapon capable of sending Stormtroopers flying) and walked it off and went on to have a lightsaber duel with TWO people!

1) Severus Snape from Harry Potter


I used to be incredibly naive and thought that Snape was a universally beloved character in the Harry Potter series. That was until I started stumbling across a lot of Snape-hate online. People say he was a heartless bully, that his love for Lily was obsessive and weird, that it was ridiculous that Harry named his son after him. I'm not entirely sure that these people understand that the Harry Potter series was just as much about Snape's redemption as it was about Harry defeating Voldemort. Severus Snape is one of the most dynamic, compelling characters in all of literature and he will 'always' be one of my favourite characters.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original book 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 

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Yes, I did it. I read the infamous Fifty Shades of Grey, the first book in E.L. James' erotic trilogy. To be perfectly honest I did attempt to read this book when it first debuted in 2011. But I just couldn't do it. I got maybe halfway through before I gave up.

Now that the movie version has just been released, I resolved to read the entire book before I saw the film. And my review can be summed up in a single sentence:

This book woudn't be so bad if everything about it was completely different.

Don't get me wrong: I love erotica. I've been reading it since I was a teenager. For me, good erotica should be fun, sexy, and titillating. Unfortunately, Fifty Shades is not any of those things.

Let's start with the two main characters: Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey. Ana is the most naive character I have ever come across. She doesn't seem to know anything about sex. She's never kissed anyone, touched herself, touched anyone else, or even had a wet dream. I'm not against innocent, virginal characters but this is just ridiculous. In the 21st century, even if you're a virgin, it is almost impossible to go through puberty without at least thinking about sex. Sex is everywhere in our culture. The only explanation for Ana's innocence is that she time-traveled from an earlier era. Like the Victorian era. 

But of course, that all changes once she meets billionaire bad boy Christian Grey. Now I know that there are a lot of women (and I'm sure some men too) who think Mr. Grey is the epitome of the tortured, romantic male hero. I just don't get it. He's misogynistic, abusive, controlling, and emotionally unavailable. Everything is about him and his needs. Ana spends the entire book trying to please him, trying to figure out how to give him what he wants and he never seems to consider her needs at all. She protests the expensive gifts that he's giving her; he tells her she's overthinking things and should just be appreciative. She wants to have a serious discussion; he shuts down or distracts her by fucking her brains out instead. 

I'd like to point out that I have nothing against the BDSM community or people who like to experiment with their sexuality and express themselves in different ways. But this book is not about that. A sexual relationship between two (or more) adults should always be consensual. In Fifty Shades, Ana is unsure about the kind of lifestyle that Christian is into but she tries it because she wants to be with him and she's decided that it's the only way she can be with him. She's not doing it because she wants to. It seems Christian always has to coerce her into it. He says that she can walk away at anytime, but when she thinks she might leave (or even jokes about leaving) he immediately shows up and fucks her into submission. 

As far as plot goes, there really isn't one. It's basically Ana trying to decide what kind of relationship she wants to have with Christian and crying a lot because Christian doesn't care what she wants or needs. Oh, and there are a lot of repetitive sex scenes that aren't sexy. There was maybe one that I liked. 

The only thing that kept me reading was Ana's laughably bad inner monologue (or should I say dialogue since it consisted of her, Ana's 'subconscious', and her inner goddess.) But even the entertainment factor of the bad writing isn't enough to cover up the fact that this is a book about a woman being emotionally and physically abused by an emotionally stunted asshole. After a while it stops being funny and just becomes depressing. 

I will go see the movie because I am intrigued to see how this story will translate onto the big screen. And I will probably read the other two books in the series out of curiosity. Love it or hate it, Fifty Shades has become a cultural phenomenon and I think it's important to explore the message that this book sends out to readers. 

Book Review: The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark #2) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: It's 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England's southern coast. While she's always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drakon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities. 

    As war hits Britain's shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort - and to keep Lora near - Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her - bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

     Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drakon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

     With Armand at her side, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission - one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Shana Abe delivers another enchanting romance without sacrificing plot. I loved the previous book but The Deepest Night is better in almost every way - there is breathtaking romance, thrilling adventure, and gorgeous, lush prose that I practically salivate over.

I love the whole 'quest' aspect to this story - Lora and Armand must set out on a journey to rescue Armand's brother, Aubrey, a fighter pilot now captive in a German prison camp. The last hundred pages or so are chock-full of exciting, dangerous moments - Lora and Armand fight German soldiers on the ground, get chased by German fighter planes, and almost get captured (by Germans.) 

I love that there are so many more 'dragon scenes' in this book: Lora flies with Armand across the English channel, and Turns to dragon to fight the soldiers, etc. The transition between Lora's human form and her dragon form never feels jarring or unnatural - it all flows so well that it never feels weird to read parts where Lora refers to 'my wings' or 'my tail.' This is due to Shana Abe's impeccable world-building. She makes the fantasy of the Drakon come to life. 

The romance is so much better than the one in the last book. Without spoiling the previous book, it just feels like Lora is paired with the right guy - while at the same time never forgetting the one she lost - and that's one of the interesting struggles she faces. 

Lora is so badass in this book, it's almost frightening. Armand, too, grows as a character in leaps and bounds. I love how it's never just Armand saving Lora or Lora rescuing Armand - they save each other throughout the whole book.

I cannot recommend The Sweetest Dark series enough. READ THEM!

(The third book has not been published yet. It's listed on Goodreads as 'expected 2014' but it still doesn't have a title or a fixed release date. Hopefully late 2014/early 2015? I need to read the third book now!)

Book Review: The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark #1) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: Lora Jones has always known she's different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora's been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she's far more that what she seems.

     England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England's southern coast. Iverson's eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets will open her eyes and forever change her destiny. 

     Jesse is the school's groundskeeper - a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she's only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves. 

The Sweetest Dark is a sort of companion/sequel YA series to Shana Abe's Drakon series. You don't have to read the Drakon series to enjoy The Sweetest Dark but you'll pick up on all of the hints of the previous series that Abe has scattered throughout. 

I loved this book just as much as I loved the previous series. It's full of adventure and romance and magic and is written in such gorgeous prose that you will want to slow down and savor every single word. You will also want to tear through it to find out how it ends.

Lora is one of my favorite YA heroines of all time and it's a shame that more people don't know about these books. It is so refreshing to read about a powerful female heroine that is strong and tough and doesn't let people walk all over her. She knows how to hold her own. Something else I love about her is that she's kind of a bitch, when she needs to be. She's always got a cutting remark on hand for the snobby, bullying girls she's forced to mingle with at Iverson. But she can also be vulnerable; she's hiding a lot of pain and trauma behind that tough exterior. She is just so well-rounded and real. 

Being a YA novel, this book suffers from the familiar love-triangle trope that, in my opinion, is getting a little tired. But I'm glad to say that Abe pulls it off in this book by making it a little bit more complicated than 'two boys drool over one girl and she can't decide between them.' Lora is sure whom she wants to be with - or at least she thinks she is. Without giving too much away, Shana Abe shows in her book that love is messy and complicated and, sometimes, we don't get the happy ending we want. 

I will say that my favorite of the two love interests is Armand. He definitely plays the part of the bad boy at first - drinking, reckless driving, a ladies' man. But it is slowly revealed that there is more to him and I love the relationship that evolves between Armand and Lora.

If you love romance mingled with magic and dragons, you will love this series. I think any YA fan will love this series. If you've read this book or the preceding Drakon series, let me know what you think in the comments!

Book Review: The Time Weaver (Drakon #5) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: Honor Carlisle may have been born into the drakon clan, but she's always felt like a stranger to her kin - an intuition that proves true when she discovers that she is a Time Weaver: a creature with the extraordinary ability to transport herself into the past of future.

     On one of her Weaves into the future, Honor encounters the very man she should most avoid: Alexandru of the Zaharen, prince of a rival tribe of drakon. As the two surrender to a desire that brings the present and future ever closer, they also risk fulfilling a terrible prophecy. Now Honor and Sandu must place their trust - and their lives - in each other's hands, and their faith in a magical love that could restore order to the drakon universe - or destroy it forever.

The fifth and final book in the Drakon series is a masterful work of fantasy that involves dragons, danger, and time travel. By far, this is the most complex book in the series.

Even though this is technically a romance novel, I didn't find either of the two main characters very compelling. I found Honor to be kind of bitchy and whiny and actually kind of boring. Her story is interesting but not her character. Same goes for Sandu. Not really that interesting, just kind of there. Also, the romance between them is kind of a snoozefest. Honestly, I didn't care whether they ended up together or not, which is something a reader should be emotionally invested in when reading a romance novel.

This sounds like it's heading for a bad review but I actually really liked this book and I'll tell you why.

LIA AND ZANE ARE IN THIS BOOK!!!!

Yes, Lia and Zane, my absolute favorite couple in the Drakon series, are featured in The Time Weaver. And I'm not talking cameo appearances here. They both are an integral part of the plot and I would even argue are the actual heroes of the book. It was so wonderful to see how their relationship has developed since The Dream Thief. The chemistry between them is just as hot as ever and I got so excited when they had a love scene. There were also some incredibly touching moments between them that gave me some pretty heavy feels. LIA AND ZANE FOREVER!

I thought the ending was perfect for both the book and the entire series. It even hinted at things to come: Shana Abe has written a companion/sequel YA series to the Drakon books, which I will be reading and reviewing next. 

Book Review: The Treasure Keeper (Drakon #4) by Shana Abe

 

Synopsis: She is a young drakon of untried powers. He is the powerful second son of the Alpha male from their clan of shapeshifting, supersensual beings. And what she is about to attempt will violate every taboo and break every law that bind the drakon together - and just may save them from destruction.

     A mere seamstress's daughter, Zoe Cyprienne Lane isn't even in the same league as Lord Rhys Langford. Nothing could be more shocking than the notion that she'd set out to find her childhood friend and first true love. But when news arrives in the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania that Rhys is being held captive, that's just what she does. Guided by her own hidden gifts and her psychic link to Rhys - his presence and touch as electric as if he were beside her in the flesh - Zoe is his last lifeline to a world and a passion he thought he'd never regain. Only reunited, hunter and huntress, can they save the drakon from those who would destroy them all.

This is definitely the darkest and most complex novel in the Drakon series so far. There is an overwhelming sense of dread and heaviness while you read it and while Lord Rhys offers some comic relief with his dry wit and acerbic observations, this is not really a fun read. 

I shouldn't say it's not fun to read. It's a romance novel featuring shape-shifting dragons - of course it's fun to read. I suppose what I should say is that it is not as fun to read as the last three books. There seems to be a lot of death in this book along with pain and sorrow - and the twist at the ending is a little depressing and disturbing. Maybe other readers won't have such a problem with it - maybe it's just because I become so engrossed in these novels that the problems the characters face seem real to me and it affects my mood as I'm reading.

Lord Rhys Langford is definitely my favorite character. He's rebellious and sarcastic and doesn't apologize for his roguish nature - one of his sisters even describes him as 'piratical'. It's a shame he spends about half the novel as a sort of spirit/ghost thing that only Zoe, his love interest, can see, thanks to her psychic Gifts. Like the last novel, I was not left swooning over the romance between Rhys and Zoe. I thought there were some romantic moments between them but I don't think any other couple in the Drakon series will compare to the couples in The Smoke Thief (Rue/Kit) and The Dream Theif (Zane/Lia.)

The ending has a shocking twist and sets up for the next book, which is the final one in the series. If you like neat, tidy endings you might not like this book. Overall, I thought it was an exciting installment in the Drakon series even though it is definitely not my favorite. I'm excited to see how the story unfolds in the final book.

Reading Wish List: August 2014

August 5

1. Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: Edie Kramer, who attends an elite academy, seeks vengeance on her cruel classmates. To do that, she seeks the help of the powerful and mysterious Kian.

Anticipation Factor: 6/10. The possibility of a horror/romance novel is definitely intriguing. And I just love the creepily beautiful cover.

2. Of Metal and Wishes (Of Metal and Wishes #1) by Sarah Fine

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: Wen seeks vengeance on the men who torment her by turning to a ghost for help. But being protected by a supernatural spirit may have been more than she bargained for.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10. I feel like this book has a really cool premise but I am not dying to read it. Maybe it can wait until Halloween?

3. The Magician's Land (The Magicians #3) by Lev Grossman

Genre: Fantasy
What It's About: This is the final book in Grossman's Magicians trilogy, which has been described as Harry Potter/Chronicles of Narnia for adults.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I have not yet read the first two books but I am really excited to delve into this series now that all the books are published.

4. The Widow's House (The Dagger and the Coin #4) by Daniel Abraham

Genre: Fantasy
What It's About: Wars are waged in this fourth installment in Daniel Abraham's critically acclaimed fantasy series.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. Another series I have not yet had a chance to read but am planning to in the next few months or so.

5. The Girl From the Well by Rin Chupeco

Genre: Young Adult Horror
What It's About: A ghost girl avenges her brutal death at the hands of a murderer by hunting down and killing other child killers. But when a mysterious boy moves into town, her death will never be the same.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. August seems to be a good month for YA horror fiction, a genre I am always on the lookout for. I love the creepy cover and the fact that the book is based on a Japanese ghost story.

6. What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: A book that details the psychology of what goes on in our heads when we read. Fully illustrated.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. What bookworm doesn't love to read books about books and reading?

7. The Birth of Korean Cool: How One Nation is Conquering the World Through Pop Culture by Euny Hong

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: Documents the global takeover of Korean pop culture. Did someone say 'Gangnam Style?'
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. It sounds like an interesting read but I can wait for it.

8. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

Genre: Non Fiction/Essays
What It's About: Roxane Gay shares her views on politics, pop culture, and what it means to be a feminist in today's world.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I'm always looking to expand my feminist horizons and am ashamed to say that I have not yet read any of Roxane Gay's work. This book should be a good introduction.

9. Painted Horses by Malcolm Brooks

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: Catherine Lemay is a young archaeologist heading to Montana to hopefully rescue some historical artifacts from a predicted flood. There she meets John H, one of the West's last true cowboys - and living a fugitive life in a canyon.
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. Honestly, I put this book on my list because of that gorgeous cover. I'm sure I'll read it one day. 

10. The End of Absence: Reclaiming What We've Lost in a World of Constant Connection by Michael Harris

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: An exploration into our increasingly digitally-centered lives - and what we're missing out on when we're constantly staring at our iPhones.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I think a book like this is very important in our world right now. We crave constant distraction and because of this we are losing the ability to be present, to be content by ourselves, to be silent. This book could be the wake-up call that people need - including me.

11. Soldier Girls: The Battles of Three Women at Home and at War by Helen Thorpe

Genre: Non Fiction
What It's About: Follows three female soldiers over twelve years as they face devastating struggles - both at war and at home.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. We need more stories about female soldiers in our culture, both fiction and non fiction. I'm hoping this book starts a new trend of telling the stories of those who are too often ignored and unacknowledged.

12. Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone #1) by Lori M. Lee

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What It's About: Kai has the ability to manipulate the threads of time. She must keep her ability a secret to stay alive. But when her beloved brother Reev goes missing, she will risk discovery to find the only family she's ever known.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. This sounds like the start to a fun new fantasy series and it's already got a 4.5/5 rating on Goodreads.

13. I Was the Cat by Paul Tobin, Benjamin Dewey

Genre: Graphic Novel
What It's About: A cat tells his fascinating (and disturbing) story about how he's manipulated the state of the world over several lifetimes to Allison, a young journalist.
Anticipation Factor: 8/10. I love cats! Especially talking, morally ambiguous cats!

August 12

14. Sisters' Fate (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #3) by Jessica Spotswood

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: A trio of young witch sisters is battling the evil, murderous Brotherhood - all the while facing a chilling prophecy that says one Sister will take the life of another.

Anticipation Factor: 5/10. I've heard good things about this paranormal trilogy but have yet to pick up the first book.

15. Between the Spark and the Burn (Between #2) by April Genevieve Tucholke

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
What It's About: The conclusion to Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea where Violet searches for the missing River West Redding.
Anticipation Factor: 3/10. Again, another series that I have not started. My TBR list is now in the thousands and I'm not even exaggerating. 

16. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

Genre: Literary Fiction
What It's About: Tsukuru Tazaki doesn't know what happened when his four best friends from school suddenly all announced to him that they no longer wanted to see him. Years later, a woman named Sara helps him to find out what really happened.
Anticipation Factor: 10/10. NEW MURAKAMI! I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK!!!

17. The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy/Mystery
What It's About: A young man named A. inherits Axton House from an previously unknown relative. With his mute companion, Niamh, he explores the spooky secrets of the estate.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. This book is being compared to the works of Neil Gaiman.

18. The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Fiction
What It's About: Street artist Addison Stone's violent death sends shock waves through her community. Interviews with her friends and family shed light on what really happened to her.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10.

19. Small Blessings by Martha Woodroof 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
What It's About: An unfulfilled English professor living a quiet life is shocked to find out that a son he never knew about is on his way to meet him.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Judging by the cover, this promises to be one of those delightful bookish novels.

20. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: Tells the incredible story of Dorrigo Evans, a man who has traveled to some of the grimmest places on earth - and who is haunted by a past love affair.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I love sinking my teeth into a sweeping historical novel and this one has been getting fantastic reviews.

August 19

21. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

Genre: Literary Fiction/Humor
What It's About: An epistolary novel that tells the tale of one frustrated Creative Writing Professor whose belief in one of his talented students is not shared by those around him.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Reading this novel is bound to make me nostalgic for my old Creative Writing class and all the wonderful people I met there.

22. One Kick (Kick Lanagan #1) by Chelsea Cain

Genre: Thriller/Mystery
What It's About: Kick Lannigan was abducted at the age of six and disappeared with her kidnapper for six years. Now 21, Kick has worked hard to make sure she is no one's victim ever again.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. 

23. We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

Genre: Historical Fiction
What It's About: A family saga spanning generations about an American family struggling throughout the tumultuous 20th century.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. 

24. Blackout by Tim Curran

Genre: Science Fiction
What It's About: Aliens with long black tentacles descend upon the earth and snatch people into the sky.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I love that cover depicting the alien's tentacles. I can't wait to add this to my collection.

August 26

25. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
What It's About: A possible romance is budding between two creative writing students - and the entire story is told from fourteen different perspectives, including a squirrel's.
Anticipation Factor: 10/10. If I buy just one book in the month of August, it will be this one. The premise of this novel particularly appeals to me because I met my current boyfriend in my Creative Writing class.

26. Feral by Holly Schindler 

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

What It's About: Claire Cain must unravel a disturbing mystery when she discovers the body of a fellow student surrounded by feral cats.

Anticipation Factor: 7/10. Because cats!

27. Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
What It's About: A horrific accident leaves eighteen-year old Matt Turner questioning everything about his life and what he believes - or doesn't believe - in.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. I've heard wonderful things about Ellen Hopkins' books.

28. Deliverance (Defiance #3) by C.J. Redwine

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What It's About: The final novel in this dystopian fantasy series.
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. Add this to the growing list of series that I have not read yet. I've heard this series being compared to Graceling, which I love.

29. Amity by Micol Ostow

Genre: Young Adult Horror
What It's About: A YA retelling of The Amityville Horror
Anticipation Factor: 6/10. I love that so many horror novels are coming out this month and Amity has been compared to the works of Stephen King.

30. Lock In by John Scalzi

Genre: Science Fiction
What It's About: In the near future, a new virus leaves 1% of those infected 'locked in' - awake and aware but completely paralyzed.
Anticipation Factor: 7/10. Looking forward to reading this original sci-fi story. 

31. Last of the Independents (A Michael Drayton Mystery #1) by Sam Wiebe

Genre: Mystery/Crime Fiction
What It's About: A private investigator based in Vancouver is hired to find the missing son of a merchant.
Anticipation Factor: 5/10. Had to include this book, as it's based in Vancouver, Canada, my hometown. But it's also supposed to be a gripping read.

Release dates are subject to change.