Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire....Again

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

September 17, 2020
While my love of all things Harry Potter continues, I have to be honest that this book frustrates me most because of how much backstory Rowling uses throughout this story. It's seriously 200 pages too long. That said, the Quidditch World Cup and the Tri-Wizard Tournament are such great features. I love the Weasley twins' attempts at creating joke shop items and Hermione's quest to get revenge against Rita Skeeter. Happy reading and happy fall(the reason I picked up the Harry Potters again :)).

The Exiles

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read The Exiles because of my previous reading of Kline's work. I honestly knew nothing about The Exiles, and so I was surprised to find myself reading about Australia in the 1840s when Great Britain was still sending their convicts there to work and help populate the country. I had no idea that Great Britain did that, so the story took on an added layer of complexity as I tried to wrap my head around first a seven year sentence for a minor crime and then having that sentence essentially become a life sentence because of being sent halfway around the world. Though the overall book is not something I would normally gravitate towards, the writing is good and the storylines compelling. The book mostly feels like a tragedy as the injustices faced by the convicts and the Aborigines are based on real events (though the characters are not real). That said, like Jean Val Jean's story in Les Misérables and others like that, there are moments of triumph where you can't help but root for the character's and their chance at a normal life despite all their hardships.

In short, if The Exiles sounds interesting, read it. It's worth your time.

Happy reading--

ps. And happy learning. I am continually stunned at how much history I am unaware of despite being actively interested in historical topics.

Outer Order, Inner Calm

Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness by Gretchen Rubin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Outer Order, Inner Calm is not groundbreaking, but I really liked it. I've said before that Rubin's approach to life, her structure, and her willingness to not do things that don't fit with her way of living totally appeal to me. This book is basically good reminders and tangible ways to live more simply and to have more order. As I am in the midst of a very chaotic season of life, more simplicity and more order are what I crave more than anything. This was a perfect middle-of-the-night baby feeding book.

Happy reading and happy calmer living-- What a dream in 2020!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban...Again

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

September 10, 2019
My sister and I were talking a couple days ago about how the start of fall makes us want to read Harry Potter. With that thought, I couldn't seem to focus on any other book until I had revisited Hogwarts. Sirius' story stands out more this time through. I want so many more details about his and Remus' missing years. Maybe someday Jo will write books about her side characters. Dare to dream-

Happy reading--

The Things We Cannot Say

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I came to this book after The Stationery Shop and Next Year in Havana - two other books that deal with fleeing a country, a past and modern day element, and separated lovers. I don't know that this style of book is trend per se, but it seems to be one in my own book choices. I was captivated by this story because we don't see parents of children with special needs featured very often and because the idea of not sharing your story while you can is always compelling to me....plus, I read more books about World War II than any other period in history. I loved Tomasz and Alina's mother and liked Alina enough to push through to when she became a more fascinating character. I always liked Alice. I saw twists coming, but figuring them out only made me sadder and more invested. This is a 4.5 star read rounded down because occasionally some of the character details or conversations needed more depth.

Happy reading and hopefully, happy story sharing--

At the Water's Edge

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The premise of this book was so odd - I have no idea how Gruen decided to write about Philadelphia socialites traveling to Scotland to look for the Loch Ness monster during World War II. I didn't love it, but I was hooked from the beginning. It helps that my husband was working late, and I had no adult contact all day so I literally listened to this book for hours as I cared for my boys and took care of the house. A couple things - this not a typical WWII book even though it takes place during the war. The main characters are just okay. The man and women who run the Scottish inn are more interesting for sure. This is one of those books that I would say to read only if you read a high volume of books....

Happy reading--

Next Year in Havana

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Next Year in Havana is a dual narrative that tells the story of an exiled family and the generations that follow. It's not a perfect book. Some of the characterization is odd, but learning a bit more about Cuba's history through fictional characters was fascinating. My knowledge of Cuban history is spotty and filled in only by headlines. The proximity of Cuba to the United States is part of what makes its history and realities so heartbreaking. Not to mention, Cuban "history" is so recent in terms of what has happened there. I'll be on the lookout for more stories like this one.

Happy reading--

ps. I adored a boy during my sophomore year of college that we often referred to simply as The Cuban. It took reading this book to remember that. For the record, he too was a great dancer.

pps. 3.5 stars rounded up