Reading Round-Up: Mar/Apr 2016

It's the end of another two months and time for my second reading round-up! If you missed the Jan/Feb post, you can catch up here.

Reread Book Review: The Harry Potter Series (Books 6-7) by J.K. Rowling

Today marks the final instalment of my three-part series rereading the wonderful Harry Potter books. This time I'm sharing my thoughts on the final two books in the series - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. 

If you need a refresher on the rest of the series, you can find books 1-3 here and books 4-5 here.

Just before we move on to the reviews, just a quick little reminder of what the 'reread book reviews' are all about:

Writing a book review for Harry Potter seems a bit of a pointless exercise; surely everyone must have read the books by now? That's why I've decided to document my journey through the wizarding world here. It's not like my usual book reviews. These are written with the impression that you, the reader, have also read the books. Think of it more as a recap - a reminder of why Harry Potter captured the nation's imagination and never let it go.

WARNING: There will be spoilers ahead!

Reread Book Review: The Harry Potter Series (Books 4-5) by J.K. Rowling

Today I'm continuing my three-part feature rereading the fabulous Harry Potter series - and this time I'm sharing my thoughts on books 4 (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and 5 (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) with you.

If you missed the first instalment of the series (books 1-3) you can catch up here.

But before I crack on with the reviews, just a quick recap of what the 'reread book reviews' are all about:

Writing a book review for Harry Potter seems a bit of a pointless exercise; surely everyone must have read the books by now? That's why I've decided to document my journey through the wizarding world here. It's not like my usual book reviews. These are written with the impression that you, the reader, have also read the books. Think of it more as a recap - a reminder of why Harry Potter captured the nation's imagination and never let it go.

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS AHEAD!

Interview: Jeannie van Rompaey

Today is my stop on the Ascension blog tour, and in addition to my review of the book, I also had the chance to interview the author, Jeannie van Rompaey. Read on to find out all about Ascension, her writing process, and why Pride & Prejudice is Jeannie's favourite book.

Book Review: Ascension by Jeannie van Rompaey

Last Updated: 5 June 2021

AD* | Meet the mutant humanoids. They may look a little different from us, but inside they're much the same as you and me. Left on a diseased Earth, they live in windowless compounds, safe from the contaminated wilderness outside. Safe, yes, but their lives are restricted.

When the mutant humanoids discover that some complete human beings, completes, have also survived and are living greatly improved lives on satellites, they determine to rectify this imbalance and claim their share of Earth's heritage. Three-headed Ra rules the humanoids with ruthless precision, but others are involved in a power struggle to depose him. Who will succeed in being the next CEO of Planet Earth?

Sixteen-year-old Mercury plans to start a new life on Oasis. Will it prove the Utopia he expects it to be?

Reread Book Review: The Harry Potter Series (Books 1-3) by J.K. Rowling

If you know me at all, you will know that I'm a massive Harry Potter fan. I love anything Harry Potter - I've read the books and watched the movies countless times, I own all manner of Potter-related merchandise, and I've even been to the Harry Potter Studio Tour... twice.

So with that in mind, what better books to pick up when I hit a reading slump? Due to various reasons, I haven't felt much like reading lately, so to get back into reading again (my tbr pile is still growing at an ever-expanding rate, even if I'm not reading anything!) I decided to reread the whole Harry Potter series again, for what seems like the 100th time!

No matter how many times I read these books they don't get old. Every new read reveals a hidden detail or clue I hadn't noticed before, and I still enjoy them as much as I did the first time.

Writing a book review for Harry Potter seems a bit of a pointless exercise; surely everyone must have read the books by now? That's why I've decided to document my journey through the wizarding world here. It's not like my usual book reviews. These are written with the impression that you, the reader, have also read the books. Think of it more as a recap - a reminder of why Harry Potter captured the nation's imagination and never let it go.

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS AHEAD!

Book Review: The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick

Last Updated: 1 June 2021

AD* | Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same grey slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.

But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam's death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam's possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he's never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife's secret life before they met--a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places. 

Featuring an unforgettable cast of characters with big hearts and irresistible flaws, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is a curiously charming debut and a joyous celebration of life's infinite possibilities.