Hello reader and welcome back to my blog! Today I am sharing my November reads with you, which was a fairly productive reading month for me. Let’s get into it.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling
Rating: 4 stars
Review: Harry once again finds himself stuck at the Dursley’s house for the summer, only none of his friends are communicating with him. After a Dementor attack on himself and Dudley, Harry is forced to use the Patronus charm to fight them off resulting in a letter informing him of his expulsion from Hogwarts. Shortly after he is taken to Grimmauld Place, Sirius’ home and headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, to await his upcoming trial. The unsatisfactory answers and recalls of events given to Harry infuriate him, anger and pain always rising to the top. With his connection to Voldemort growing ever further throughout the book, Harry and his friends take matters into their own hands as they fight against the evils facing them.
This is a much darker book than the previous four, and touches on difficult themes including grief. Harry’s world is opened up as he is now facing the evil that’s been kept at bay for years. Not only that, but many in the wizarding world don’t believe in Harry and Dumbledore’s story, adding another layer of difficulty to overcome. The stress and tension of the impending war pushes the characters to new lengths allowing the reader to discover deeper and more complex emotions as boundaries are tested. This is an exciting and heart-breaking addition to the series.
“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao
Review: Julie’s future is all planned out, but when her boyfriend dies, everything changes. Desperate to hear his voice one last time she call his number to listen to his voicemail, but unexpectedly, he answers. Julie is given a second chance to say goodbye, but finds it increasingly more difficult to let him go.
This was a difficult read for me, for more than one reason. I too lost a friend in a car accident and it is something that causes me much anxiety. But it wasn’t the subject I had a problem with. I found the writing to be challenging to read cohesively and kept getting disconnected from the material. Yet, having said that there were some beautiful moments I enjoyed. Julie’s character was unlikeable and that wasn’t entirely down to how her grief was portrayed (which I actually thought was done well as it shows a different side to the process). I wasn’t sold on Julie and Sam’s relationship and found the teenage dramas/general high school life to be forced like it was added as an afterthought to create extra sympathies for Julie, but it didn’t flow naturally. An excellent premise with moments of potential.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
“We have too many voices inside our heads. You have to pick out the ones that mean something to you. What story do you want to tell?
You’ve Reached Sam
Pandora’s Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes
Rating: 5 stars
Review: Natalie Haynes writes about popular Greek myths from the perspective of the female characters in each tale. This opens up the stories and we can listen to and learn from these women who are so often left dormant in the background.
Haynes shares her vast knowledge and research allowing for a deep dive into these fascinating women. Each Greek story is complex and open to many interpretations and retellings, this book offers another insightful voice to the mix. I love reading retellings of Greek mythology, a passion which grows with each new addition to my bookshelf, yet I still feel I’m only dipping my toes into the water! With so much more yet to discover this book opened up many new perspectives for me to take into my next read.
“When women take up space, there is less available for men, But it means we get a whole story instead of half of one.
Pandora’s Jar
One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom
Review: On a trip to Sri Lanka, Alice and Max meet. Both have found themselves at the same point in life, stuck, but offer two competing perspectives. Alice has opted to see it as ‘settling down’ in order to please her family and boyfriend, yet secretly desires a more adventurous lifestyle. After a devastating injury, Max finds himself wanting to prove his independence and reinvigorate his passion for life. In just a few days, both have changed each others lives forever.
I liked what this book had to offer. The message behind the journey and the path of self-discovery both Alice and Max found themselves on was pleasant to follow. The descriptions of Sri Lanka were beautifully written and the activities and events fit naturally with the surroundings and the characters interests. However, I felt that the story was slow and drawn out unnecessarily. A gentle read, perfect for summer or as a reading refresh.
Rating: 2 and a half stars
“I want adventure.”
One Thousand Stars and You
Cold Sunflowers by Mark Sippings
Rating: 3 and a half stars
Review: Raymond is a seventeen-year-old living in 1972, unaware of what he wants to do with his life and fearful of the world around him. Ernest, a man in his seventies meets and befriends Raymond and shares how his life was turned around whilst he was working as a photographer in France during the war in 1917 when he met his friends Bill and Mira. The pair bond over their love of sunflowers, and Raymond soon learns that life has plenty of pockets of joy to offer when you know how to look for them.
This is a beautifully written, well-crafted book overflowing with charm. It’s a story of friendship and sharing with each other what life has to offer. The two protagonists learn plenty of lessons from each other that they depart on to the reader. As a self-published book, there were several errors, and I found at times the cliché’s to be a little bit overbearing. Despite this, I really enjoyed the story and thought it was told passionately; a true labour of love.
“They’re in bloom because they’ve found where they belong.”
Cold Sunflowers
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
Review: Harry gets a visit from Dumbledore who takes him on a mission to recruit a new teacher at Hogwarts. Dumbledore explains to Harry that he will be having private lessons with him this year to teach him all about Voldemort’s history, in the hopes that one day he may be defeated.
This is my favourite book in the series. The end is fast approaching and all the loose ends are starting to come together. This book is fast paced and full of action with a new quest added that begins the final battle between Harry and Voldemort. I like that we get to experience Voldemort’s history alongside Harry and witness darker and more impressive magic both inside and out of Hogwarts. The bonds Harry has formed with his friends are stronger than ever, as they all prepare for what is coming next.
Rating: 4 and a half stars
“It was important, Dumbledore said, to fight, and fight again, and keep fighting, for only then could evil be kept at bay, though never quite eradicated…”
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Thank you for reading!
Jade Anna x
Bee More Bookish 