114. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

114. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Harry Potter #7) J.K. Rowling. 2007. 759 pages. [Source: Library]  [4 stars]

First sentence: The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other's chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.

ETA: The third time around, I LISTENED to the audio book narrated by Stephen Fry. It was a great choice. Will I read the series a fourth time? That's a good question. I think three times might be a reasonably good number of times to have read the series. Time will tell.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter is on his final quest(s) in this final fantasy novel starring Harry Potter and company. (In particular, Ron and Hermione are his companions for most of the novel.) He is preparing day and night (night and day) for that final battle, the big showdown. He's also trying to decipher (uncover, discover) the mysteries of Dumbledore. There's so much he doesn't know, and he's still grieving the loss of his mentor.

My thoughts: This was my SECOND time to read the series. I will say I don't do the absolute best with super-intense action sequences. I more anxiously skim than stay present in the moment. I thought a reread would slow me down so I could appreciate everything more--especially towards the end. But even though I knew how things ended up, I just couldn't handle it! 

When I read the series the first time, I wasn't sure I would ever revisit the series. I did decide to reread and I am so glad I did. I can't say the series will ever be at the top of my favorite series. But I do feel like I better grasp the characters and the story. There were things I noticed the second time around that I didn't quite appreciate or get the first time around. I would imagine the more times you read the books, the more you notice the small things. Also little things might become quite meaningful to you. 

Will I read the series a third time? Only time will tell. Maybe. Maybe not. I still don't own the books. There are so many other series books that I would love to read--some would be new-to-me series, and some would be rereads. So I may not get to it again for a while--if at all.

This last book is quite different from the others in the series. But that is okay--this series grew with its original audience which is nice. 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

111. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6). J.K. Rowling. 2005. 652 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.

ETA: This is my third time to read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I am listening on audio narrated by Stephen Fry. I am loving the audio narration. I am loving revisiting the story.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter (and company) face their biggest challenges yet. Lord Voldemort's return/resurrection is no longer being ignored by the powers that be. Harry Potter (and company) are no longer being ridiculed for spouting 'nonsense' about Voldemort. The threat is acknowledged. Some precautions are being taken. (But are they ever going to be enough?)

This one does take place mostly at Hogwarts. Harry Potter (and company) are doing their best to prepare for inevitable showdowns. Harry is taking special lessons with Professor Dumbledore. They are 'visiting' Voldemort's past memories. They are preparing for the 'war to come' by learning as much as they possibly can about every moment of his life. Looking for anything and everything they can use against him. 

This one has quite the ending. It is SUPER intense. More intense than any of the other novels. 

My thoughts: Yes, it's taken me ABSOLUTELY forever to start this series. I'm glad I waited this long to be honest. Harry Potter has fallen out of favor, these days, is being canceled--this time by the Left. But that is neither here nor there. (That's not why I'm reading the books now. That's not my motivation). I'm glad I waited so that I could read all the books back-to-back-to-back. No waiting. And since it was impossible to avoid spoilers there in early-to-mid 2000s, I know just enough about the characters.  My thoughts PART TWO: I am rereading the whole series. My initial thought was to read July through December, but, I am zooming through some of these books. So I think I'll finish the series in November instead. The ending of this one is outstanding. I can only imagine the experience for those who started the series back in 97 or 98 and waited between books. I am liking the series more the second time around. Perhaps because I know the characters better and have a more grounded reaction.


© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

108. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

108. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling. 2003. 912 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [mg fiction; mg fantasy; series book]

First sentence: The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.

ETA for 2025: I am listening to the Harry Potter series on audio book narrated by Stephen Fry. Is this a long book? YES. Is it a very long book? Also YES. Am I attached to the characters? VERY MUCH SO. If the book gets tedious it's because some of the characters are tedious, if that makes sense. I do sometimes feel that Harry Potter is insufferable at times. His attitude, I mean, particularly when it comes to friendships and "dating" if you will. But I am liking this one more each time I reread it.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends struggle to keep things together as a new year at Hogwarts begins. Lord You-Know-Who has returned. But the Ministry of Magic (among others) are determined to bury their heads in the sand. (Perhaps because they are more involved with You-Know-Who than they'd like to admit. Perhaps because they would rather believe that Harry Potter (and company, the Order of the Phoenix) is lying than that HE has returned. You could argue either.) The staff and students are on high alert--namely from Dolores Umbridge (and those whom she represents as High Inquisitor). The year won't be easy. The foundation of Hogwarts is being shaken about. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter is continuing to have dreams and visions. His scar is still bothering him. He's beginning to realize that he and You-Know-Who share an unbreakable bond. 

My thoughts: It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the books in these series. The pacing is all over the place for me. On the one hand, the books never fail to have about one hundred pages of the most intense, fast-paced, action-packed DRAMA. On the other hand, so much time is spent getting to that point. Like you've got eight plus months of more mundane chronicling of school life--always taking a chapter or two for the Christmas holidays--and then BOOM end of school year, BIG show down. In the middle of the book, I'm always am I sure I want to keep reading. At the end of the book, it's like this is why I do keep reading. 

Lighter moments are definitely getting harder to come by. ETA: I am rereading the series. I definitely appreciated this one MUCH more the second time around. I have all the feels for the ending of this one. The last half of the book is SO intense and emotional. Sirius Black is one of my favorite characters. This one does feature some big reveals--for those reading it the first time around. 

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

105. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

105. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. J.K. Rowling. 2000. 734 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars]

First sentence: The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there.

ETA: This one isn't my favorite or best. But I did listen to it on audio for my third read through. I love the narration of Stephen Fry. (Except for the elves, but I think any narrator would struggle.) It is certainly important for the series, but again not my favorite or best.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter returns (eventually) to Hogwarts where he and his friends discover several changes for the school year ahead. Before school returns, there is a Quidditch World Cup to be endured. It felt like the sporty Quidditch World Cup took up 800 pages. Once he (and his friends) return to Hogwarts and begin their studies again, the pace picks up a bit. One of the changes this year is the triwizard competition. Hogwarts is one of three schools participating. There is supposed to be one student per school. But someone has entered Harry's name into the goblet of fire and so he ends up being a 'champion' [participant]. Cedric Diggory is the other Hogwarts champion. [I don't remember the names from the other two schools.] This competition is spread out throughout the school year. 

My thoughts: I feel like the first six-hundred pages were mostly dull and ho-hum. I think the last bit of the novel has all the action and suspense. Out of the four novels I've read so far, this has been the dullest all things considered. All things being taking the book as a whole. There were definitely intense, action-packed, emotional scenes/chapters. But does THAT end-portion make up for all the sporty-sport-sport bit at the start???? I'm not sure. This was the first Harry Potter book where I've had to force myself to keep reading to get to the end of it.

 ETA: I had forgotten--almost--how much I disliked this one, OR, at least the start of this one. This one is like THREE different books. There is the EXTREMELY LONG AND BARELY NECESSARY "prologue" of the sporting world championship bit, AND there is the normal, formulaic school semesters bit, and then there is the super compelling, well-paced, ABSOLUTELY absorbing and completely and totally necessary bit that CHANGES EVERYTHING. Like the whole series pivots thanks to the last hundred or so pages of this one. But it takes FOREVER for the good bit to come.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

24. The Rose Bargain

 

24. The Rose Bargain. Sasha Peyton Smith. 2025. 400 pages. [Source: Library] [YA Fiction, YA Fantasy, YA Horror, YA Romance] [3 stars]

First sentence: King Edward's face was streaked with mud and blood when the woman first appeared at the tree line. His sword hung by his side, limp, in a single moment of pause, and then he fell to his knees.

Premise/plot: The War of the Roses "ends" when a fae queen, Queen Moryen, murders King Edward and assumes the throne of England. The novel properly begins almost four hundred years later--give or two a decade. Ivy Benton, our heroine, knows better than some how risky bargaining with the fae queen can be. Her sister, Lydia, disappeared and returned with many of her memories just gone--including the memory of exactly what her bargain was. There's always a cost--a heavy price to pay--for bargaining with Her Majesty. However, it is almost expected that sooner or later every single subject will. Be careful what you wish for...and all that.

The new season is about to start, and Ivy Benton will be one of the debutantes. The queen announces that this year is the year her (fae) son will marry a bride. She's offering a choice, if you will. Volunteer--pledge by blood--to be in the competition to be his bride. Obviously, if you're the one, you'll be royalty. You will seemingly 'have it all.' If you lose, well, just know that you've pledged away your right to every marry anyone at all. Ivy knows that if she doesn't find a husband this season--and it's perhaps doubtful since her family has fallen on hard times financially--her family will be ruined regardless. So she is the first to pledge...

The competition begins...and the ladies have plenty of opportunities to spend time with both the fae prince (Prince Bram) and the mortal one (Emmett, a stepson). There's training and competitions as well, elimination rounds, etc.

While she is competing to win Bram's heart, it may just be the other brother who wins her heart. 

My thoughts: I am SO conflicted. ALTERNATE HISTORY. It's been a long time since I've read fantasies with faeries or fae. But there was a time when probably half of YA was faeries and the other half were vampires. So though it's been a while, I soon found myself hooked on the story--particularly the premise. STEAMY ROMANCE. Here's where I'm conflicted. Is it too steamy???? Maybe. Maybe not. Every reader is different. But expect things to get GRAPHIC. For some readers that may be a plus. For others not so much. MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW. Again, every reader is different. I've been reading--skimming--through the GoodReads reviews. Some love, some hate, everyone has opinions. I personally did not care for the multiple points of view at all. I think because they seemed RANDOM and BIZARRE. Okay, I'll try to clarify. This wasn't an every-other-chapter dual narration. You might have half a dozen chapters of Ivy's point of view and then suddenly be thrown into someone else's head for one chapter and one chapter only. I would have preferred to see Ivy's point of view alternating with either Emmett OR one of the other ladies. But trying to get most/all of the competition to have one chapter each was offsetting. THE TWIST ENDING. It's like you spend 98% of the book with it firmly being a SMUTTY, SMUTTY YA romance with fantasy undertones. Like very steady, predictable, formulaic, both feet planted in steamy romance. Then the last two percent is like you are thrown--crashed??? tossed????--into the complete opposite genre. The contrast is so SUDDEN. And the ending is so abrupt. Not even a pause between BIG, BIG REVEAL and boom it's over.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

95. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Harry Potter #7) J.K. Rowling. 2007. 759 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [YA speculative fiction]

First sentence: The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other's chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter is on his final quest(s) in this final fantasy novel starring Harry Potter and company. (In particular, Ron and Hermione are his companions for most of the novel.) He is preparing day and night (night and day) for that final battle, the big showdown. He's also trying to decipher (uncover, discover) the mysteries of Dumbledore. There's so much he doesn't know, and he's still grieving the loss of his mentor.

My thoughts: This was my SECOND time to read the series. I will say I don't do the absolute best with super-intense action sequences. I more anxiously skim than stay present in the moment. I thought a reread would slow me down so I could appreciate everything more--especially towards the end. But even though I knew how things ended up, I just couldn't handle it! 

When I read the series the first time, I wasn't sure I would ever revisit the series. I did decide to reread and I am so glad I did. I can't say the series will ever be at the top of my favorite series. But I do feel like I better grasp the characters and the story. There were things I noticed the second time around that I didn't quite appreciate or get the first time around. I would imagine the more times you read the books, the more you notice the small things. Also little things might become quite meaningful to you. 

Will I read the series a third time? Only time will tell. Maybe. Maybe not. I still don't own the books. There are so many other series books that I would love to read--some would be new-to-me series, and some would be rereads. So I may not get to it again for a while--if at all.

This last book is quite different from the others in the series. But that is okay--this series grew with its original audience which is nice. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

87. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6). J.K. Rowling. 2005. 652 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars]

First sentence: It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter (and company) face their biggest challenges yet. Lord Voldemort's return/resurrection is no longer being ignored by the powers that be. Harry Potter (and company) are no longer being ridiculed for spouting 'nonsense' about Voldemort. The threat is acknowledged. Some precautions are being taken. (But are they ever going to be enough?)

This one does take place mostly at Hogwarts. Harry Potter (and company) are doing their best to prepare for inevitable showdowns. Harry is taking special lessons with Professor Dumbledore. They are 'visiting' Voldemort's past memories. They are preparing for the 'war to come' by learning as much as they possibly can about every moment of his life. Looking for anything and everything they can use against him. 

This one has quite the ending. It is SUPER intense. More intense than any of the other novels. 

My thoughts: Yes, it's taken me ABSOLUTELY forever to start this series. I'm glad I waited this long to be honest. Harry Potter has fallen out of favor, these days, is being canceled--this time by the Left. But that is neither here nor there. (That's not why I'm reading the books now. That's not my motivation). I'm glad I waited so that I could read all the books back-to-back-to-back. No waiting. And since it was impossible to avoid spoilers there in early-to-mid 2000s, I know just enough about the characters.

 My thoughts PART TWO: I am rereading the whole series. My initial thought was to read July through December, but, I am zooming through some of these books. So I think I'll finish the series in November instead. The ending of this one is outstanding. I can only imagine the experience for those who started the series back in 97 or 98 and waited between books. I am liking the series more the second time around. Perhaps because I know the characters better and have a more grounded reaction.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

72. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

72. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. J.K. Rowling. 2000. 734 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars]

First sentence: The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there. 

Premise/plot: Harry Potter returns (eventually) to Hogwarts where he and his friends discover several changes for the school year ahead. Before school returns, there is a Quidditch World Cup to be endured. It felt like the sporty Quidditch World Cup took up 800 pages. Once he (and his friends) return to Hogwarts and begin their studies again, the pace picks up a bit. One of the changes this year is the triwizard competition. Hogwarts is one of three schools participating. There is supposed to be one student per school. But someone has entered Harry's name into the goblet of fire and so he ends up being a 'champion' [participant]. Cedric Diggory is the other Hogwarts champion. [I don't remember the names from the other two schools.] This competition is spread out throughout the school year. 

My thoughts: I feel like the first six-hundred pages were mostly dull and ho-hum. I think the last bit of the novel has all the action and suspense. Out of the four novels I've read so far, this has been the dullest all things considered. All things being taking the book as a whole. There were definitely intense, action-packed, emotional scenes/chapters. But does THAT end-portion make up for all the sporty-sport-sport bit at the start???? I'm not sure. This was the first Harry Potter book where I've had to force myself to keep reading to get to the end of it.

 ETA: I had forgotten--almost--how much I disliked this one, OR, at least the start of this one. This one is like THREE different books. There is the EXTREMELY LONG AND BARELY NECESSARY "prologue" of the sporting world championship bit, AND there is the normal, formulaic school semesters bit, and then there is the super compelling, well-paced, ABSOLUTELY absorbing and completely and totally necessary bit that CHANGES EVERYTHING. Like the whole series pivots thanks to the last hundred or so pages of this one. But it takes FOREVER for the good bit to come.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

94. Snow and Poison

Snow and Poison (Cinder & Glass #2) Melissa de la Cruz. 2023. [April] 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The day had finally come. It was still very early when the sun crested over the Bavarian mountains, its light climbing up the walls of Duke Maximilian's palace to slip through its arched windows. But Sophie had been awake for hours. 

Premise/plot: This retelling of Snow White is set in Bavaria circa 1621. Lady Sophie is coming out in society--making her debut--after her father's marriage ceremony. (Duke Maximilian, her father, is marrying Claudia. On this fateful evening, she falls in love (practically) with one of her dance partners, Prince Philip of Spain. He's technically/officially engaged to a princess of England. (Though it is an arranged marriage and Prince Philip has no say, no knowledge. In fact, when he meets Lady Sophie, I'm not sure he knows that his engagement has been announced or is soon to be announced by his father.) He is equally smitten with her. He has intentions to ask for her hand in marriage. But things get a little out of hand....hence the word POISON in the title.

But who is trying to poison Lady Sophie (aka "Snow White")??? 

My thoughts: If you are expecting a young adult adaption of the original Disney animated classic, then you may be disappointed. If you are expecting more of an "Ever After" treatment, then you'll probably be delighted. (Yes, I know Ever After is a retelling of Cinderella, but same guiding principles). The characters are all fleshed out. The world has a super-hazy touching upon of history. (Very fuzzy, hazy, but who cares if it barely ties into the real world.) I enjoyed the relationships. I loved the relationship between Sophie and Claudia. It was SO well done. I loved the relationship between Sophie and Philip. Disney animated films are often SO lacking in actual character development--especially of Princes. 

How does it compare to Once Upon A Time's treatment of Snow and Charming? Well. That would be super tough. I really LOVE many of the character arcs of Once Upon a Time. I loved all the flashback scenes. It too differs from classic Disney. Will the intended audience have Once Upon A Time in mind when reading???? I'm not sure they will. They'd have been toddling around when the show started and barely tweens when it ended. (And that last season is pretty much a disastrous mess.) 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

82. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. (Harry Potter #7) J.K. Rowling. 2007. 759 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other's chests; then, recognizing each other, they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter is on his final quest(s) in this final fantasy novel starring Harry Potter and company. (In particular, Ron and Hermione are his companions for most of the novel.) He is preparing day and night (night and day) for that final battle, the big showdown. He's also trying to decipher (uncover, discover) the mysteries of Dumbledore. There's so much he doesn't know, and he's still grieving the loss of his mentor. 

My thoughts: I thought I'd share my thoughts on the series as a whole. The seven books do need to stand together, work together. I would say the first few books are like waiting to watch water boil. Depending on how hungry you are, and how anxious you are for that water to boil so you can begin actually cooking your meal, you may or may not find them satisfying in and of themselves. I found the pace to be a bit slow. Or if not slow, a bit uneven. All the books do build up to a climax, of sorts, but never the BIG finale-style showdown you know is bound to be coming. The last two books, however, the pacing is much quicker; there isn't as much waiting around for the sake of waiting around. Everything seems to be happening quickly and "now." There's action, action, more action. (Or perhaps my analogy is wrong. Maybe the series isn't like boiling water...maybe it's making homemade bread and the slow pacing is like waiting for the bread to rise (in cycles) and occasionally you get to punch it down and have some fun kneading). The last two novels are, by far, my favorite in terms of pace and action. 

Did I enjoy the series? Yes. No. Maybe. It is not one that I see myself reading again and again and again. I am VERY glad I read through them once. I am glad I've met the characters. But I can't see myself become obsessed with the series, with the characters, with the story and actually needing to revisit it again and again. I can't see myself getting caught up in it, going all fangirl. 

I do think it is unfortunate that the series isn't allowed to just be a series. That you've got two VERY rigid extremes. One side being Harry Potter must be canceled because J.K. Rowling is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person. She has thoughts. She has opinions. We don't like her thoughts and opinions. We can't allow ourselves to enjoy Harry Potter BECAUSE we don't like the author's thoughts and opinions. Never mind that the book never once goes there and voices anything remotely about the 'controversial' subject. Rowling has been deemed bad, all must unite to agree that Rowling is bad. The other side being Harry Potter must be canceled because of witchcraft, wizards, and magic, oh my. This is by far, the longest held "canceling" position. And my thoughts about both are you do you. It's this need to make every other person agree with you, to feel what you feel, to be as outraged as you, etc. It would have been interesting how things would have unfolded [for the series] if there hadn't been such an uproar, outrage, strong reaction to the initial book being published. If it hadn't been made such a LINE IN THE SAND HAS BEEN DRAWN phenomenon. Depending on where you lived, I suppose, it was very defining--are you the type of Christian who WILL or WON'T read the books. There was a LOT of judgment. And I'm *all* for discernment. I am. I really am. I think every single person should have control over what they personally read (or watch or listen to). 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

76. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6). J.K. Rowling. 2005. 652 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was nearing midnight and the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter (and company) face their biggest challenges yet. Lord Voldemort's return/resurrection is no longer being ignored by the powers that be. Harry Potter (and company) are no longer being ridiculed for spouting 'nonsense' about Voldemort. The threat is acknowledged. Some precautions are being taken. (But are they ever going to be enough?)

This one does take place mostly at Hogwarts. Harry Potter (and company) are doing their best to prepare for inevitable showdowns. Harry is taking special lessons with Professor Dumbledore. They are 'visiting' Voldemort's past memories. They are preparing for the 'war to come' by learning as much as they possibly can about every moment of his life. Looking for anything and everything they can use against him. 

This one has quite the ending. It is SUPER intense. More intense than any of the other novels. 

My thoughts: Yes, it's taken me ABSOLUTELY forever to start this series. I'm glad I waited this long to be honest. Harry Potter has fallen out of favor, these days, is being canceled--this time by the Left. But that is neither here nor there. (That's not why I'm reading the books now. That's not my motivation). I'm glad I waited so that I could read all the books back-to-back-to-back. No waiting. And since it was impossible to avoid spoilers there in early-to-mid 2000s, I know just enough about the characters.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

65. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. J.K. Rowling. 2003. 912 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends struggle to keep things together as a new year at Hogwarts begins. Lord You-Know-Who has returned. But the Ministry of Magic (among others) are determined to bury their heads in the sand. (Perhaps because they are more involved with You-Know-Who than they'd like to admit. Perhaps because they would rather believe that Harry Potter (and company, the Order of the Phoenix) is lying than that HE has returned. You could argue either.) The staff and students are on high alert--namely from Dolores Umbridge (and those whom she represents as High Inquisitor). The year won't be easy. The foundation of Hogwarts is being shaken about. 

Meanwhile, Harry Potter is continuing to have dreams and visions. His scar is still bothering him. He's beginning to realize that he and You-Know-Who share an unbreakable bond. 

My thoughts: It is so easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of the books in these series. The pacing is all over the place for me. On the one hand, the books never fail to have about one hundred pages of the most intense, fast-paced, action-packed DRAMA. On the other hand, so much time is spent getting to that point. Like you've got eight plus months of more mundane chronicling of school life--always taking a chapter or two for the Christmas holidays--and then BOOM end of school year, BIG show down. In the middle of the book, I'm always am I sure I want to keep reading. At the end of the book, it's like this is why I do keep reading. 

Lighter moments are definitely getting harder to come by.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

40. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 1999. 435 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year. For another, he really wanted to do his homework but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. And he also happened to be a wizard.

Premise/plot: Harry Potter and his friends are preparing for a third year at Hogwarts. This one starts out in some ways extremely similar to the other two books in the series, but quite different as well. After an INCIDENT with his "family," Harry Potter runs away... Around this same time the magic world is shook by the escape of a prisoner from Azkaban--Sirius Black. Everyone is so distracted/concerned about his escape, that Harry Potter's so-called illegal use of magic is overlooked or quickly pardoned. Most of this school year is concerned with the missing Sirius Black. It is thought that Harry Potter is in even more danger than usual...

Plenty of adventures and misadventures are to be found in the day to day lives of Harry Potter and company. 

My thoughts: I certainly did not expect Scabbers--Ron Weasley's rat--to enter into the story in this fashion. I wasn't surprised by other elements of this one. I've learned to expect just about anything/everything from other characters--particularly adults, mostly professors, etc. 

I liked this one okay. I didn't hate it. But it also wasn't all that thrilling. Well, it had its thrilling moments towards the end. But for the most part it is all ho-hum. Hermione is super busy taking a million classes at once. Hermione has a "mean" cat. I guess the only other positive thing is that we get a few glimpses of who Harry's parents--their characters/personalities/relationships/etc.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

27. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) J.K. Rowling. 1998. 341 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Not for the first time, an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew Harry's room. 

Premise/plot: Harry Potter is being held captive by his aunt and uncle. He's "forbidden" to continue his studies at Hogwarts. For better or worse, he's "rescued" via flying car driven by a Weasley sibling. [This scene where he's passing all his stuff through the window to a waiting car reminded me of a scene where someone is escaping a cult]. After a lovely time with the Weasleys, time at last to buy supplies for school and head off for Hogwarts for their second year. But...Ron and Harry miss the train. For better or worse, flying car to the "rescue." These two cause quite the disturbance on their way to school....

Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter's biggest fan???, is joining her big brother at Hogwarts.

This school year has its ups and downs. A 'monster' from a secret chamber is terrorizing students and staff. No one knows for sure who is responsible--though Hermione, Harry, and Ron have their suspicions. (But I don't think any of them guessed accurately...)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one more than the first book. I enjoyed the mystery. I enjoyed the ghosts. I enjoyed the reveals of character's backstories. It was packed with action. It didn't seem so info-dumpy.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

1. The Rat Queen

The Rat Queen. Pete Hautman. 2022. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Annie was swinging by herself when she noticed the curly-haired boy two houses down. She dragged her feet to stop the swing.

Premise/plot: The Rat Queen is one of those books where the less you know about the plot, the more you'll be drawn into the story. Still, I have to give you something. 

Annike Klimas [Annie] is about to turn ten. On her birthday, her father gives her initiation of sorts to a [deep, dark] family secret, a ritual of sorts. Every day she's to write her "regrets" and "mistakes" onto a piece of paper, roll the paper up, and feed it to a hidey-hole in the floor of the study. This ritual is called "nuodeema burna." Her conscience will remain pleasantly numb and burden free so long as she feeds the "sin eater." Her father has been feeding it for years.....

But Annie begins to slowly but surely doubt the morality of this family secret. It is so very mysterious, weird, odd, strange. 

Annie yearns for life....but barely lives. Her father keeps her mostly at home; she's raised by people hand-selected by her father from their home country of Litvania [fictional European country]. She loves stories, but can't help yearning for more, more, more than the fairy tales she's been raised on.

My thoughts: The world-building is excellent. The story-telling is excellent. It's got stories within stories--a handful of original stories that feel like they should be in the fairy tale canon. There are one or two stories that are traditional fairy tales included. The characters are limited--just a handful--but mostly complex. The book oozes atmosphere. It abounds in spookiness. The action--when it happens--is plenty intense. But this isn't action-packed. It's more MYSTERY and suspense than action and adventure. The mystery unfolds like Russian nesting dolls. 

Who is it for???? That's what I'm wrestling with. Is it one of those books that adults will absolutely gush about and push on children??? Maybe. Maybe not. I know there are plenty of children's books that adults tend to love way more than the intended audience. But maybe there are middle graders who will love this one too. 

I will say this one probably isn't for everyone. It is unevenly paced. It is driven by premise, then character, last of all action. When the action starts, its intense because the build-up has been long in coming. But I could easily see some might call it too slow.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

161. Cinderella's Dress

Cinderella's Dress. Shonna Slayton. 2014. 320 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Nadzia tucked the cleaning rag into her apron in exchange for her feather duster.

Premise/plot: Except for the prologue which has a more "once upon a time" feel to it, Cinderella's Dress is set in the mid-to-late 1940s. (It opens in 1944, and, I believe, wraps up around 1947?) Kate Allen, our heroine, discovers that she may just be the next keeper for Cinderella's magical dresses. At the start of the novel, Kate is clueless. Cinderella a real person??? A real person with magical dresses??? She hadn't a thought to such things. Ridiculous, right? But when Elsie and her husband Adalbert show up in New York City during the Second World War with a trunk they've risked their lives smuggling out of war-torn Europe, well, she gives it some consideration. Elsie claims to be the current keeper. The trunk holds the dresses, THE DRESSES. But magic is a tricky, tricky thing. Meanwhile as Kate is processing all this possible magic that is somehow, someway connected to her family, her life unfolds in all its messiness. Her mother wants her to be a a) model b) actress c) model-actress. She has big plans for her daughter to make it big, big, big. Kate's goals, however, are to become a window dresser at a department store. To design the windows that make crowds oooh and aaah. The kind of window displays that draw customers in and keep them spending money. But she'll face some discrimination--because that is man's work, of course--and she's so very young, still a teenager. 

Getting her hand on THOSE DRESSES may just be the break she needs in the window dressing business, but flashing her family's secrets may just lead to a life-and-death situation.

My thoughts: I liked this one okay. I did. I didn't hate it. I just felt Kate was a bit stupid at times. The plot depended on her being so stupid, so maybe it isn't solely her fault. But still. I liked elements of this one certainly. I found Elsie's story to be heartbreaking. Not that that was the focus of the story, it wasn't, but I couldn't help but feel saddened watching that back story unfold. Elsie and Adalbert are so in love, yet, her dementia is taking her away from him and everyone else as well.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

58. Inheritance (American Royals 0.5)

Inheritance: American Royals Prequel. Katharine McGee. May 2022. 84 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Royals: they're just like us. You don't actually believe such an absurdity do you? It's just a myth that tabloids use to sell magazines--accompanied by photos of the Washington twins shooting pool at a dive bar, or of Princess Louise of France blowing on the polish of her fresh manicure. Surely you realize that those photos are staged.

Inheritance is a prequel novella. It covers the events of ONE night. This one significant, life-altering night has been referred to in countless flashbacks in the first two books. Beatrice, the heir apparent, is at a royal function. Sam(antha) and her twin brother, Jeff, are "home alone" (aka without their parents) celebrating their high school graduation. Of course, they are anything but home alone. They are hosting a huge party where a lot of drama happens. Daphne. Nina. Ethan. Liam. Sam. Jeff. These are among the guests that night. Beatrice is the odd one out--as she so often is--and she's entangled (a bit) with a guard, Connor.

Is it worth reading? Yes or no.

Yes, if you are looking to refresh your memory before the third book releases later this year. You can in a relative short number of pages be reminded of the main characters--their names, their motives, some of their drama. 

Yes, if you can get it from the library. 

No, if you have to spend your own money to buy it. There is nothing new (really) revealed in this prequel that hasn't been touched on or hinted at in the flashbacks. A few details of the greater, wider world might be presented. Then again, it could just be that those details were of so little importance, so insignificant that they were easily forgotten in flashbacks. But my guess is some of the world's details are being slightly fleshed out in this prequel. These details are being placed because they will be of importance in the third book.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

35. Castles in their Bones

Castles in Their Bones. Laura Sebastian. 2022. 514 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: It is said that the stars shine brighter on the princesses' birthday, but the princesses themselves think that is balderdash.

Premise/plot: Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are the three princesses starring in Laura Sebastian's Castles In Their Bones. These triplets have been raised to rule, but not necessarily raised to love those whom they rule. In fact, there is something of a behind the scenes hoax afoot. Each princess is due to be married soon; one princess per kingdom. (The kingdoms are Friv, Cellaria, and Temarin. The princesses birth kingdom is Bessemia. All four kingdoms are on the same continent--Vesteria.) The gentlemen involved are Bairre (the king's bastard), Prince Pasquale, and King Leopold. Though the kingdoms are different there is one master plan to rule them all--literally. Dismantle the kingdoms from within--by whatever means necessary--and make war between all the countries/kingdoms inevitable. All while looking beautiful and plausibly innocent. 

The book alternates between these three narrators. (Except for the concluding chapter which packs a PUNCH).

My thoughts: For those that enjoy YA fantasy with MAGIC and light to moderate touches of romance, I do recommend Castles in Their Bones. It is equal parts politics and romance but magic ties everything together. 

This one has plenty of characters, plenty of stories. It's a juggling act to be sure to keep everything evenly paced. I almost, almost wish these were three novellas that act as companions to one another. 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

9. Waking Romeo

Waking Romeo. Kathryn Barker. 2022. [January] 384 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I'm sitting in the chapel for school assembly when Headmistress Cisco says, "And now we'll hear a special tribute from Rosaline."

It has been said a million times (or more) that two wrongs don't make a right. (But what if they did????) If you've been a long-term follower of my reviews, you already know that I am NOT a fan of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet OR Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. 

Kathryn Barker's imaginative new novel Waking Romeo plays with a handful of characters from these two classics. Specifically, readers meet JULES, a troubled teen whose life has not been the same since her attempted suicide and Romeo's "death" and ELLIS one of a handful of time travelers that can go *backwards* and *forwards* in time. 

Ellis (and his 'Deadender' "family") live at the end of time in an abandoned bus. They go on missions throughout time in a grand seemingly-impossible attempt to save the world (from itself). Their missions all seem to center in and around this idea of...you guessed it...WAKING ROMEO. But Romeo has been in a coma--I guess coma is the right word--for years.

Jules, as I mentioned, is a mess. One of her outlets is writing a play in the style of William Shakespeare. She is writing her and Romeo's story. Only she knows deep down that what is on the page is far, far, far from the truth. Still, if it was not 'true love' if it was just two kids being idiots, how can she make what happen mean something? How can she come to terms with her rock bottom if it was all for nothing???

Ellis (and friends) meet Jules in her time--2083--and thus begin their adventures and misadventures in waking Romeo...

I definitely like Waking Romeo a thousand times better than Wuthering Heights and Romeo and Juliet.

The world-building is slushy. I'll try to explain. Some things are clear and straight-forward. Someone created time-travel pods--maybe in the 2050s???---and it became trendy to travel. But there's a catch, travelers can only go *forward* in time. Traveling thus disrupts families, generations, society, and culture. If everyone keeps leaping ahead, there is no one left behind to do the work--the maintenance needed to take care of the world, of society. Travelers may not like what they see so they keep jumping and jumping and jumping ahead. Those who can afford the pods to travel, well, they just think I'll keep jumping until I find paradise...but such does not exist. Thus 'the end of the world' is the dead-end. Time travel has a DARK side, for sure. This highlights in a way the moral/ethical laziness of the human race. Where it gets a bit slushy--aka a bit unclear--is the TIME TRAVEL itself. Instead of the time travel being lovely little loops or such, imagine a Gordian knot. I simply don't know if any reader could truly "understand" or "comprehend" *ALL* of the time-trips and piece them together in any sort of order that would make sense. 

S

P

O

I

L

E

R

S

In particular when there are multiple copies of each person in play. A middle-aged Jules and a middle-aged Ellis PLUS a teenage Jules and teenage Ellis. 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

98. Kind of a Big Deal

Kind of a Big Deal. Shannon Hale. 2020. [August] 304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It began, predictably, with a dream.

Premise/plot: Josie Sergakis (aka Josie Pie) was--emphasis on past tense--kind of a big deal in high school. Encouraged by the drama teacher to drop out of school her senior year--yes, you read that correctly--she tried for several months to make it onto Broadway. Out of desperation, this high school dropout gets a job as a nanny. The family ends up moving to Montana which is where this novel opens. Mia (the child under Josie's care) and Josie together in Montana while the mother (Victoria) flits about here, there, everywhere.

Josie's adventures--or MISadventures rather--begin when she visits a bookshop.

The premise of this one is intriguing. Josie begins reading a book...and finds herself IN the book. The characters of the book resemble her acquaintances, friends, and family--faces from her past and present. Including the employees of the book shop. Including the other nannies at the park. Including her now-distant boyfriend. (Are they together? not together?)

This happens with every book Josie reads. As Josie tries out many, many genres and sub-genres, she learns a little about life and love....but will her life lessons come at the cost of her life?

My thought: This book has some BRUTAL reviews on GoodReads. I myself was tempted to quit reading this one...after several boring set-up chapters where little happened. But by the time she jumped into her second book, I was HOOKED.

This is without a doubt a premise driven novel. It is a bit all over the place. It is at times a COMEDY--whether you laugh or groan, well, that may be up to you and your personal taste. It is at times a terrifying DRAMA. Think TWILIGHT ZONE. Think INCEPTION. This novel has serious creepy vibes. But the transition from one to the other is slow. So readers may be tempted to give up before this book truly starts to shine.

I would recommend this one to
a) readers with a sense of humor about genres and sub-genres that can LAUGH at genre-specific tropes or cliches.
b) readers who LOVE Inception and/or The Twilight Zone
c) readers who like their psychological thrillers to be more on the subtle side
d) readers who are patient in waiting for rewards for their efforts.

There are so many deliciously creepy bits that I would love to share...but that would be full of spoilers. But I will share with you two quotes from bits that happen within the books she reads.

This one is from a YA post-apocalyptic romance novel:

“Hatchet? Okay. Nice to meet you. Hatchet.”

Wait … why did he say human? Did he talk to any nonhumans?

Maybe he talked to his hatchet.

She reached out to shake his hand. He slowly reached back, watching her hand as if expecting it to turn into a snake. When they finally touched, he sighed.

“I don’t think I know how to be a human being anymore.”

“It’s okay,” she said. “We all forget sometimes.”

As she said the words, she felt as if she really were talking to Justin, and her heart kind of folded in on itself. We all forget sometimes … to be human, to be decent to each other, to be in love … She blinked away the sting of threatening tears. He was still holding her hand but reluctantly let it go.

“Remember how people used to worry that personal robots and virtual-reality games were isolating humans from each other?” Hatchet said.

“Yeah, I remember!” Josie said with a forced laugh. “I mean, I do, right? At least … I probably have amnesia.”

Hatchet nodded knowingly. “From the stress.”

This one is from an adult romance, Love in the Spotlight. This one has the heroine starring in a musical production of A Scarlet Letter. They've added a porcupine to the cast...among other things!

Without a word he dropped the newspaper on her lap. It was the Arts section of the Village Voice.

Until tonight, I had studiously avoided Scarlet! at the Dorothy Gish Theatre, based on my esteemed colleagues’ scathing reviews. When, against my will and better judgment, I reluctantly attended tonight, what a shock to discover that, just a few days after the premiere, the show’s star, two-time Tony nominee Gloria Astor (High Society, Boatshow!) was replaced with Josie Pie, a novice chorus girl.

Now, I have a gentle message to my fellow critics. Fellas, you overlooked a crucial fact: Scarlet!

is a comedy. This show is a rollicking, laugh-a-second, ridiculous gem that pokes fun at everything: classic literature, Puritans, modern audiences, and even Broadway itself. Hester Prynne rises up on wires for no reason other than it’s Broadway and something should fly, right?

The Scarlet Letter is a classic novel best known for its egregious number of symbols. Scarlet! cleverly takes those symbols and blows them up till you can see their ridiculousness from the third balcony. Of particular note is the moment when Hester Prynne takes to the scaffold near the end of act three. Some of the townsfolk mock her until … the stage rises up on a previously hidden scaffold, higher than Hester. You see, the town itself is the real scaffold! The faux earnestness of the play on symbols is hilarious. In fact it was Josie Pie’s perpetually bewildered Hester, amazed at all the nonsense around her, that really drew the laughs.

The reports of Scarlet!’s death are greatly exaggerated. And if I don’t see Josie Pie’s name among the Tony nominees, I will dim Broadway’s lights myself.

Though the book started extremely slowly...I found myself hooked by the end.  

 

I loved that we see Josie's reading list (books mentioned) and mini-reviews at the end of the novel. We even get to see the BOOK COVERS.

FEMURS IN THE ATTIC

This is book fourteen in the series. At what point is someone going to say, “Hey, Emma, there sure are a lot of murders happening in your high school.”

   

THE TREMBLING

WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU—DO NOT READ THIS!!! (note to my past self after three sleepless nights)

   

DEPRESSION, DEATH, AND NARWALS

DNF*

   

VALENTINE’S DAY

So romantic! I want to live in this book! JK. You’d have to be some kind of dark. minded non-human to want to live in this. I mean, it is a really good read, but it’s not going to be what you’d expect, unless you’re expecting bleak survivalist horror with a splash of romance and a lot of post-mortem goo.

*DNF = did not finish

   

THE HIGHWAYMAN CAME RIDING

I didn’t know I was a tawdry romance kind of a gal, but this book proved me wrong. I read it aloud to my BF and he also enjoyed.:)

   

GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Informative. This book is definitely for you if you like droughts, towels, firewood, fossils, and cereal without milk.

   

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES

I loved it when I was in middle school, and I love it now too, though in a different way because I’m a different person. It’s so cool how books grow up with us.

LAVENDER GARCÍA AND THE UNEXPECTED CANADIAN SEMESTER

I really liked this book—great characters, great dialogue—but it has way more medical drama than the cover let on. SPOILER: Am I the only one who didn’t know that “Canadian Semester” is a kind of necrotic fungus???

   

THE NAUSEOUS LIFE

DNF

   

HEIR OF RUST AND HORNETS

So enchanting and exciting and fun! Also, the second book in a trilogy apparently! Hey, Josie, maybe read book jackets more carefully before jumping in!

   

LADY JUSTICE (Issue #318)

I’ve read this entire series from the beginning, but this issue remains my favorite. For personal reasons.

   

BLEEDING FROM OUR EYEBALLS

DNF. TBH, DNStart.

   

LOVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

It may look bland and old-fashioned, but this is honestly a book I could live in. At least, if I could reimagine a few parts …

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews