The Books of My Life: June 2011

June 29, 2011

Review : Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Title : Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Author : J.K. Rowling Reading Dates : 19 May - 22 May 2011
Harry Potter
The books in the series : The Philosopher's Stone The Chamber of Secrets The Prisoner of Azkaban The Goblet of Fire The Order of the Phoenix The Half-Blood Prince The Deathly Hallows

From goodreads :
The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Hermione scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet... As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate -- and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince. So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort -- and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

Book Review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
While The Half-Blood Prince is probably the slowest among the Harry Potter books in terms of pacing, it is also the one that explains much. About Voldemort and Harry himself. Here, we learn about Voldemort’s past and how he can be killed.

And we also start to see an emerging pattern in Harry’s behaviour, one that to me explains Dumbledore’s reasoning in not telling Harry everything. The way Harry continues to believe he is right despite the incredulity of everyone around him explains why Dumbledore chose to let Harry learn things for himself in due time. It didn’t matter that Harry was proven right this time because he could have been wrong just as well. As in The Order of the Phoenix, whatever the facts given to Harry, he tends to make his own conclusions.

The one thing I have always found surprising about this book though is the beginning of Harry’s and Ginny’s relationship. Its not that I mind them being together. Its just it has never been clear to me why or when he started having those feelings for her. Was it simply a case of her being different from Cho ? It’s almost as if his feelings for her changed overnight.

My conclusions :

Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Definitely.
Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Of course.
Who would I recommend this too? Everyone.
For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy the series.

Read another review on the book by :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, Harry Potter Reading Challenge

June 28, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays : Third Girl by Agatha Christie

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted at Should Be Reading.

Share 2 teaser sentences from your current read. Be careful not to include spoilers

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"Ah yes, very true. Yes, there are not many moustaches such as mine. It is a fine one, hein?"

June 27, 2011

It's Monday, What Are You Reading ?

It's Monday What Are You Reading ? is hosted at Book Journey.

Where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.

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What I Read:

Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz
The Swiss Family Robinson by J.D. Wyss
Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie

The Swiss Family Robinson (Signet Classics)

Partners in Crime (Agatha Christie Mysteries Collection)

What I Reviewed:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

What I’m Reading:

Third Girl by Agatha Christie

What I Plan to Read next:

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

The White Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War)

The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousin's War)

June 25, 2011

On My WishList : Leven Thumps Series

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted at Book Chick City.

Do you have any books that you desperately want but haven't bought yet? The books can be old, new or forthcoming.

Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want by Obert Skye

Leven Thumps and the Eyes of the Want (Leven Thumps, Bk. 3)

From Amazon :

"FOLLOW ME AND HURRY," THE WANT URGED.
"THE WORLD IS CHANGING AS WE SPEAK."
The war to unite "Foo and Reality is beginning! Humanity's only hope is Leven Thumps. Not only must Leven race across Foo to stop the whispered secret before the deadly truth is revealed, but he also must travel to the mysterious island of Lith. There abides the Want, the manic dream-master who can give Leven the gifts he needs against a foreboding army of rants and other Foo beings.

If you are willing and have the courage, you're invited to join the adventure in Book Three. Travel to Sycophant Run, survive the Waves of the Lime Sea, and discover a new gateway to Foo. But beware: the true threat to the dreams of mankind lurks beneath the soil.

Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

From Amazon :

The dreams of mankind are in grave danger. The Dearth, the true evil beneath the soil, rises above ground and gains the strength he needs to defeat Leven Thumps. Lev, now the Want, is also gaining strength and must discover his new power before the Dearth finds him.

Meanwhile, Sycophant Run is on the brink of war, and the secret of the sycophants' vulnerability is more of a threat than ever -- can Clover and the sycophants protect the only gateway to Reality? And speaking of Reality, Terry and Addy are about to join forces with a onetime janitor and the angriest, most confused toothpick alive: Ezra. What kind of power is raging inside that sliver of wood?

Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder by Obert Skye

From Amazon :

"Do you think he'll be able to do it?" Clover asked, worried. "I'm not sure," Geth replied, amazed by his own doubt. "I'm not sure." In the fifth and final volume of the epic saga of Leven Thumps, all of Foo is rushing madly to exit the realm of dreams while Leven is headed in the opposite direction. Fate snatches him to the island of Alder, where he is poised to pass or fail the final test. Meanwhile, in Reality, Ezra and Dennis are welcoming those flowing out of Foo— but only so they can selfishly conquer them and gain control of both realms. Phoebe is loose, and it takes Geth getting ahold of her to begin to balance the emotions and passions of all that is crumbling. And Winter? Well, Winter just might hold the answer to everything. Ride with Leven and Clover as they travel through the ruins of Alder hoping he has what it takes to save all mankind and restore the power of dreams.

June 22, 2011

Review : Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Title : Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Author : J.K. Rowling Reading Dates : 14 May - 18 May 2011
Harry Potter
The books in the series : The Philosopher's Stone The Chamber of Secrets The Prisoner of Azkaban The Goblet of Fire The Order of the Phoenix The Half-Blood Prince The Deathly Hallows

From goodreads :
Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His best friends Ron and Hermoine 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.

Book Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The one thing that always strikes me about reading the fifth book in the Harry Potter series, is how many mistakes the adults makes. On the one extreme, we have Molly Weasley determined not to have any of the “children” know anything of what’s going on, notwithstanding the numerous near-death experiences they’ve already gone through. Then, on the other hand we have Sirius who in wanting to share as much information with Harry as possible, inadvertently misleads him into making certain wrong assumptions. And most important of all, Dumbledore whom almost everyone thinks is infallible, makes a mistake similar to Voldemort’s. If Voldemort is guilty of underestimating the power of love, Dumbledore foolishly ignores how old wounds are not so easily forgotten. It is no wonder that things ended up as they did.

It is also because of this that I can sympathize with Harry’s thoughts and actions. After the events in the first few books, Harry seems to have unconsciously built up a rather inflated opinion of himself. But because the adults were all behaving badly, Harry’s actions seemed more forgivable.

But my favourite part from the book is when the Weasley twins stage their dramatic exit from Hogwarts. For some reason, this particular scene always strikes me as exemplifying loyalty and courage.

“Give her hell from us, Peeves”

And Peeves, who Harry had never seen take an order from a student before, swept his belled hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George wheeled about to tumultuous applause from the students below and sped out of the open front doors into the glorious sunset.

My conclusions :

Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Definitely.
Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
Who would I recommend this too? Everyone.
For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy the book. The series is a keeper.

Read another review on the book by :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, Harry Potter Reading Challenge

June 21, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays : Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted at Should Be Reading.

Share 2 teaser sentences from your current read. Be careful not to include spoilers

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"You see it is very dangerous to have everything you want - including enough money to buy things. Of course there are always hats."

June 18, 2011

Review : Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

Title : Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Author : J.K. Rowling Reading Dates : 7 May - 14 May 2011
Harry Potter
The books in the series : The Philosopher's Stone The Chamber of Secrets The Prisoner of Azkaban The Goblet of Fire The Order of the Phoenix The Half-Blood Prince The Deathly Hallows

From goodreads :
It is 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 ... J.K. Rowling continues to surprise and delight with the power of her, rich demanding and action-packed storytelling.

Book Review of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
For me, the fourth book in the Harry Potter series is the one that marks the beginning of the dark times. This is the one where not everyone gets to go home at the end of the tale. And the next books, just gets darker and darker …

The part I loved best about The Goblet of Fire though is how Harry is saved. Once again, Voldemort miscalculates the power of love and his quarry escapes him. I thought it really wonderful how even when he believes himself alone, his family and friends always managed to be there for Harry.

The other thing I liked about this fourth installment is how nearly flawless Voldemort’s plot is. It is no wonder everyone was hoodwinked. No matter how many times I re-read this, there’s simply nothing that would have let me figure out the identity of Voldemort’s spy’s identity without knowing the ending. Did any of you figure it out earlier before the big reveal ?

My conclusions :

Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Definitely.
Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
Who would I recommend this too? Everyone.
For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy the books.

Read another review on the book by :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, Harry Potter Reading Challenge

June 15, 2011

Review : Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Title : Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Author : J.K. Rowling Reading Dates : 5 May - 7 May 2011
Harry Potter
The books in the series : The Philosopher's Stone The Chamber of Secrets The Prisoner of Azkaban The Goblet of Fire The Order of the Phoenix The Half-Blood Prince The Deathly Hallows

From goodreads :
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 neighborhood 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

Book Review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The Prisoner of Azkaban is the book I like the least in the Harry Potter series.

I’d enjoyed this one originally because of the tension and mystery which first surrounded the escapee from Azkaban and then the unexpected revelation that Harry might have a new home. But once I knew who Sirius Black was and what happens to him in later books, it severely tones down the excitement in the book and makes it kind of sad.

The part that I still liked though was the change in Hermione due to the stress she’s under here. Whenever Hermione stops reining in that part of herself, she proves she can be far more formidable and capable than Harry or Ron. The other thing I liked about Hermione here is how she stands up to Harry and Ron. Like Albus Dumbledore once said, it is far harder to stand up to your friends.

My conclusions :

Would I re-read the book ? Yes.
Would I want to read the next book in the series ? Definitely.
Would I want to own my personal copy if I didn’t already own it ? Yes.
Who would I recommend this too? Everyone, but you definitely need to read the series in order.
For those looking to read the book, would I recommend buying or borrowing the book? Buy it. The series is a keeper.

Read another review on the book by :

Challenges : 100+ Reading Challenge, Harry Potter Reading Challenge

June 14, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays : Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted at Should Be Reading.

Share 2 teaser sentences from your current read. Be careful not to include spoilers

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He could feel his pulse throbbing in his ankles, wrists, throat, temples. The tide of blood within his arteries seemed to crescendo in sympathy with the sea that swelled toward him, under him.