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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Sea of Lost Girls in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Tessa has started her life over at Haywood, an elite boarding school in coastal Maine. She teaches English there and is married to a well-respected fellow professor, Harmon. Her seventeen-year-old son, Rudy, while troubled in the past, seems to be doing well. This is much in part to his girlfriend, Lila Zeller, a smart and focused teen. But then Tessa gets an early morning text from Rudy, asking her to pick him up. He and Lila had a fight, and Tessa finds him wet and shivering. Later that morning they receive the devastating news that Lila's dead body was found on the beach, not far from where Tessa picked Rudy up. Soon there are whispers of murder surrounding Lila's death, and both Tessa's husband and son find themselves under investigation. And the more she delves into Haywood's past, the more she realizes she isn't the only one keeping secrets.
"When we landed here in this pretty harbor town with its sailboats and white clapboard houses I'd thought we'd come to a place where we'd always be safe. But Rudy has always had a nose for darkness."
I love Carol Goodman's books, and I'm always into a good boarding school book, so picking up this one was a no-brainer. She doesn't disappoint. This is a quick, captivating story that keeps you guessing the entire time. While Tessa isn't always the most likeable character, I was certainly invested in her story.
Goodman deftly weaves two storylines together--the present, featuring Tessa's family and Lila's death and the past, which revolves around the titular lost girls, whom tie back to Haywood in its earlier days. We also learn more about Tessa's past and her long-hidden secrets, many of which also link into Haywood itself. Somehow all of this works together. It's a mysterious, sometimes dark story, and one that keeps you wondering. I changed my mind several times about who could have harmed Lila. I love a book that keeps me on my toes. I also enjoyed the story of the lost girls and the school's eerie stories.
Goodman is a master storyteller, and this book flies by. She brings in links such as "The Crucible," which the Haywood students are performing, and ties to the #metoo movement. They all augment this strong story about the power of lies and hidden secrets. The parallels between the past and present are expertly woven together. 4 stars.
"When we landed here in this pretty harbor town with its sailboats and white clapboard houses I'd thought we'd come to a place where we'd always be safe. But Rudy has always had a nose for darkness."
I love Carol Goodman's books, and I'm always into a good boarding school book, so picking up this one was a no-brainer. She doesn't disappoint. This is a quick, captivating story that keeps you guessing the entire time. While Tessa isn't always the most likeable character, I was certainly invested in her story.
Goodman deftly weaves two storylines together--the present, featuring Tessa's family and Lila's death and the past, which revolves around the titular lost girls, whom tie back to Haywood in its earlier days. We also learn more about Tessa's past and her long-hidden secrets, many of which also link into Haywood itself. Somehow all of this works together. It's a mysterious, sometimes dark story, and one that keeps you wondering. I changed my mind several times about who could have harmed Lila. I love a book that keeps me on my toes. I also enjoyed the story of the lost girls and the school's eerie stories.
Goodman is a master storyteller, and this book flies by. She brings in links such as "The Crucible," which the Haywood students are performing, and ties to the #metoo movement. They all augment this strong story about the power of lies and hidden secrets. The parallels between the past and present are expertly woven together. 4 stars.
Gareth von Kallenbach (977 KP) rated Something Borrowed (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
“Sometimes good people do bad things!”
Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a successful New York City lawyer, the ever-loyal and perpetual good girl, who, on the night of her surprise 30th birthday party, sleeps with Dex, her old study buddy and secret crush from law school. Unfortunately, Dex happens to be the fiancé of Rachel’s egotistical best friend Darcy’s (Kate Hudson). Throughout the movie you find Rachel conflicted with the thought of hurting her best friend because she has just realized she is in love with Dex (Colin Egglesfield). Dex feels equally guilty for having fallen for Rachel but would rather do what everyone expects him to do, as opposed to following his heart.
As Rachel tries to assist the self-absorbed party girl Darcy plan her wedding, she finds it difficult to to hide her feelings for Dex. Rachel and Darcy’s childhood friend Ethan (John Krasinski) figures out that Rachel and Dex are more than just friends. He lends a shoulder for Rachel to lean on as well as some very harsh criticisms to help her realize that she does deserve to be happy.
Based on the novel written by Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed is a romantic comedy that explores the true meaning of friendship, love and ethics. Always a fan of Ginnifer Goodwin, she does a decent job at playing our heroine/doormat, Rachel White. Kate Hudson was spot-on with the role of self-centered, always-gets-her-way Darcy. And let’s not forget the Tom Cruise look-alike, Colin Egglesfield, who for some reason didn’t impress me much as Dex. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely something missing there. Plug in some weekend getaways to the Hamptons, some awkward drinking and partying moments, some flashback moments of Darcy and Rachel’s childhood as well as flashbacks to Rachel’s law school days when she was swooning over Dex and voila! A mediocre, very predictable movie. I’d have to say if it wasn’t for the sarcastic comedic stylings of John Krasinski as Ethan, this movie would have been a major flop.
This film is definitely a twist on My Best Friend’s Wedding, but not in the best way. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing as a “girls night out” kind of movie!
Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a successful New York City lawyer, the ever-loyal and perpetual good girl, who, on the night of her surprise 30th birthday party, sleeps with Dex, her old study buddy and secret crush from law school. Unfortunately, Dex happens to be the fiancé of Rachel’s egotistical best friend Darcy’s (Kate Hudson). Throughout the movie you find Rachel conflicted with the thought of hurting her best friend because she has just realized she is in love with Dex (Colin Egglesfield). Dex feels equally guilty for having fallen for Rachel but would rather do what everyone expects him to do, as opposed to following his heart.
As Rachel tries to assist the self-absorbed party girl Darcy plan her wedding, she finds it difficult to to hide her feelings for Dex. Rachel and Darcy’s childhood friend Ethan (John Krasinski) figures out that Rachel and Dex are more than just friends. He lends a shoulder for Rachel to lean on as well as some very harsh criticisms to help her realize that she does deserve to be happy.
Based on the novel written by Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed is a romantic comedy that explores the true meaning of friendship, love and ethics. Always a fan of Ginnifer Goodwin, she does a decent job at playing our heroine/doormat, Rachel White. Kate Hudson was spot-on with the role of self-centered, always-gets-her-way Darcy. And let’s not forget the Tom Cruise look-alike, Colin Egglesfield, who for some reason didn’t impress me much as Dex. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was definitely something missing there. Plug in some weekend getaways to the Hamptons, some awkward drinking and partying moments, some flashback moments of Darcy and Rachel’s childhood as well as flashbacks to Rachel’s law school days when she was swooning over Dex and voila! A mediocre, very predictable movie. I’d have to say if it wasn’t for the sarcastic comedic stylings of John Krasinski as Ethan, this movie would have been a major flop.
This film is definitely a twist on My Best Friend’s Wedding, but not in the best way. If nothing else, it’s worth seeing as a “girls night out” kind of movie!
PW
Post War Boy: Memoirs of a Baby Boomer: Part 1: Growing Up in Southampton, Ringwood and Christchurch
Book
They say if you can remember the Sixties you could not have been there. Well post war baby boomer...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Year After You in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonist in this story is Cara, a seventeen-year-old girl from California, who was sent to a boarding school in the Swiss mountains. She has lost her friend in a car accident, and she was the one who was driving. Cara is a very interesting character, her life is full of guilt and grief. This book taught me a very valuable lesson, that different people deal with grief very differently. Some people find it easier and some harder to deal with someone’s death. Cara is very emotionally intriguing, she feels so much self-loath, and it is very interesting to see how she communicates with people around her. I loved this great variety of characters chosen for this book, I loved all Cara’s friends in Switzerland, they are truly amazing. My favourite character in this book was Hector, he is absolutely charming! He reminds me of Edward from The Twilight Saga, whom I truly adored. 😀
The narrative is not very exciting at the beginning, but slowly the author brings in little adventures, quite a bit of romance and plenty of Cara’s thoughts. I really loved the boarding school itself, it sounded a little like Hogwarts, surrounded by mountains, and it feels like a happy place, where people actually want to return to. I really liked that the plot was set in different locations, it felt livelier and more indulging.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I can not understand how the author portrayed the grief, its effects through a confused teenager, so masterfully. The language used in this novel is easy to understand and it was a very enjoyable read. The chapters have a very decent length and it didn’t get boring, because every chapter brought in something new. I loved the ending of this book, it rounded up the story very nicely.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, even though it is filled with grief and emotions, the other characters make it quite an entertaining and pleasant read. I loved the diversity and wide variety of true personalities. I do strongly recommend this book if you know someone who has difficulty of dealing with loss, it will help you to understand them in some way. (I know it helped me) 🙂 And of course, don’t forget to enjoy this amazing Cara’s story.
The narrative is not very exciting at the beginning, but slowly the author brings in little adventures, quite a bit of romance and plenty of Cara’s thoughts. I really loved the boarding school itself, it sounded a little like Hogwarts, surrounded by mountains, and it feels like a happy place, where people actually want to return to. I really liked that the plot was set in different locations, it felt livelier and more indulging.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I can not understand how the author portrayed the grief, its effects through a confused teenager, so masterfully. The language used in this novel is easy to understand and it was a very enjoyable read. The chapters have a very decent length and it didn’t get boring, because every chapter brought in something new. I loved the ending of this book, it rounded up the story very nicely.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this novel, even though it is filled with grief and emotions, the other characters make it quite an entertaining and pleasant read. I loved the diversity and wide variety of true personalities. I do strongly recommend this book if you know someone who has difficulty of dealing with loss, it will help you to understand them in some way. (I know it helped me) 🙂 And of course, don’t forget to enjoy this amazing Cara’s story.
VITALY: The Misadventures of a Ukrainian Orphan
10.0
Rate It
Book
Be Inspired with This True Story About a Ukrainian Orphan That Did Whatever He Could to Chase His...
memoir Ukraine
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Carrie in Books
Nov 14, 2018
Full review can be found on my blog - www.diaryofdifference.com
I am probably one of the last people on Earth that hasn’t read a Stephen King book. Carrie is the first book I decided to read. People have been suggesting it to me for a while, and it seemed like a nice short bit of introduction to Stephen’s horror world.
Also, a special thank you to my friend Dave, for constantly recommending Stephen King books to me, until I finally decided to listen to him. He seemed to be right!
Now - Carrie.
A book about a girl that lives with her crazy religious mother in a creepy house. A girl who is being bullied at school all the time. A story about a girl that has the ability to move objects as she wishes. And a prom night, where everything escalates.
Carrie is a sixteen year old girl. And she has been raised by her mother, who is a religious person in a - not healthy way. When Carrie misbehaves, she is sent to a closet to pray for the whole day. Even though Carrie doesn’t share her mother’s beliefs, she can’t really stand up and fight for herself.
The plot gets a grip when Carrie has her first period at the age of sixteen. She thinks she will bleed to death. And all her classmates are laughing at her, because she is stupid. And throw tampons her way. And as I am reading this, I keep thinking - what kind of mother won’t tell her child about menstruation, and puberty, and all the normal teenage phases a kid has to go through while growing up?
This moment, in the school bathroom, is the moment Carrie finds out about her powers.
And a few weeks later, a terrible thing happens.
This is a horror story, but the horror doesn’t lie in what Carrie did, but what led her to do that. Who it is to blame, and why things escalated the way they did.
Stephen King described bullying in its most painful and real way, and the consequences it can lead to. And it does happen, in every school, to a lot of children all over the world each day. A sometimes, most of the times, they are bullied only because they are different, not because they are bad.
This is a story that silently stands up to bullying, and by doing that raises such a strong voice in every corner of the world.
And remember - if you are the bully - think twice before you say things. Words can hurt, and they can result in bad things happening. Think twice about why you say what you say. The classmate of yours might have a talent you don’t know of.
And if you are the bullied child - also remember - you are kind and beautiful, no matter what everyone says. You shouldn’t let people bring you down. And we have all been bullied while growing up. Once you reach a certain age, people stop caring, and you stop caring what people think, and then, finally, you can be comfortable and happy with who you are!
I am probably one of the last people on Earth that hasn’t read a Stephen King book. Carrie is the first book I decided to read. People have been suggesting it to me for a while, and it seemed like a nice short bit of introduction to Stephen’s horror world.
Also, a special thank you to my friend Dave, for constantly recommending Stephen King books to me, until I finally decided to listen to him. He seemed to be right!
Now - Carrie.
A book about a girl that lives with her crazy religious mother in a creepy house. A girl who is being bullied at school all the time. A story about a girl that has the ability to move objects as she wishes. And a prom night, where everything escalates.
Carrie is a sixteen year old girl. And she has been raised by her mother, who is a religious person in a - not healthy way. When Carrie misbehaves, she is sent to a closet to pray for the whole day. Even though Carrie doesn’t share her mother’s beliefs, she can’t really stand up and fight for herself.
The plot gets a grip when Carrie has her first period at the age of sixteen. She thinks she will bleed to death. And all her classmates are laughing at her, because she is stupid. And throw tampons her way. And as I am reading this, I keep thinking - what kind of mother won’t tell her child about menstruation, and puberty, and all the normal teenage phases a kid has to go through while growing up?
This moment, in the school bathroom, is the moment Carrie finds out about her powers.
And a few weeks later, a terrible thing happens.
This is a horror story, but the horror doesn’t lie in what Carrie did, but what led her to do that. Who it is to blame, and why things escalated the way they did.
Stephen King described bullying in its most painful and real way, and the consequences it can lead to. And it does happen, in every school, to a lot of children all over the world each day. A sometimes, most of the times, they are bullied only because they are different, not because they are bad.
This is a story that silently stands up to bullying, and by doing that raises such a strong voice in every corner of the world.
And remember - if you are the bully - think twice before you say things. Words can hurt, and they can result in bad things happening. Think twice about why you say what you say. The classmate of yours might have a talent you don’t know of.
And if you are the bullied child - also remember - you are kind and beautiful, no matter what everyone says. You shouldn’t let people bring you down. And we have all been bullied while growing up. Once you reach a certain age, people stop caring, and you stop caring what people think, and then, finally, you can be comfortable and happy with who you are!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Dreaming of Antigone in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Dreaming of Antigone</i> is a contemporary tragedy about sixteen-year-old Andria in the aftermath of the death of her twin sister Iris. It has been almost six months since Iris overdosed on heroin, and also the same amount of time since Andria last had an epileptic seizure. Feeling overwhelmed by her mother’s overprotectiveness, Andria is counting down the days until she can reapply for her driving license – freedom. Only fourteen days to go; unless she has another seizure…
Although she is not over her sister’s death, Andria is keeping her emotions in check; but then, Iris’ ex-drug addict boyfriend, Alex, comes back to school. Andria feels hatred toward him and angrily blames him for what happened to her sister. She is beyond frustrated to discover that she has to work alongside Alex in the library after school. However their love of poetry begins to bond them together, causing Andria to question how she really feels. When more tragedy strikes in the form of her stepfather, Andria is glad to have Alex by her side.
<i>Dreaming of Antigone</i> is a mix of high culture and pop culture. It is written for the contemporary teenager who enjoys love stories, yet it also contains a few highbrow topics. Firstly, as referenced in the title, is the Greek play <i>Antigone</i>. Andria is studying this tragedy at school and likens herself and Iris to the key characters, Antigone and Ismene. Secondly is astronomy. Andria is passionate about the stars and educates the reader a little about the names of constellations and the position of the stars and planets in the solar system. Thirdly, as already mentioned, there are lots of poetry citations.
I was a little disappointed that there was not more focus on <i>Antigone</i>, as this is what attracted me to the novel in the first place. Robin Bridges gives a brief overview of the play for the benefit of readers who are unfamiliar with it, however for readers, like myself, who have studied Sophocles’ tragedies, there is not much more to gain from this reference.
Bridges tackles quite a number of difficult subjects in <i>Dreaming of Antigone</i>. There is the obvious issue of drug abuse, which killed Iris. In this case, Iris was a victim of the addiction, however Bridges counters this with Alex, the survivor, thus saying that it is possible to recover from such a dangerous habit. Later on in the story other challenging problems crop up, for example suicide and sexual abuse. Thankfully Bridges deals with these in a mature and gentle manner, so as not to distress the reader. Having said this, some readers may struggle with this triggering content.
Overall, whilst this was not a terrible book, it was not exactly what I was expecting, and therefore a bit of a disappointment. It is for this reason that I am not giving <i>Dreaming of Antigone</i> more than three stars. Other readers with fewer expectations may enjoy this novel a lot more.
Dreaming of Antigone</i> is a contemporary tragedy about sixteen-year-old Andria in the aftermath of the death of her twin sister Iris. It has been almost six months since Iris overdosed on heroin, and also the same amount of time since Andria last had an epileptic seizure. Feeling overwhelmed by her mother’s overprotectiveness, Andria is counting down the days until she can reapply for her driving license – freedom. Only fourteen days to go; unless she has another seizure…
Although she is not over her sister’s death, Andria is keeping her emotions in check; but then, Iris’ ex-drug addict boyfriend, Alex, comes back to school. Andria feels hatred toward him and angrily blames him for what happened to her sister. She is beyond frustrated to discover that she has to work alongside Alex in the library after school. However their love of poetry begins to bond them together, causing Andria to question how she really feels. When more tragedy strikes in the form of her stepfather, Andria is glad to have Alex by her side.
<i>Dreaming of Antigone</i> is a mix of high culture and pop culture. It is written for the contemporary teenager who enjoys love stories, yet it also contains a few highbrow topics. Firstly, as referenced in the title, is the Greek play <i>Antigone</i>. Andria is studying this tragedy at school and likens herself and Iris to the key characters, Antigone and Ismene. Secondly is astronomy. Andria is passionate about the stars and educates the reader a little about the names of constellations and the position of the stars and planets in the solar system. Thirdly, as already mentioned, there are lots of poetry citations.
I was a little disappointed that there was not more focus on <i>Antigone</i>, as this is what attracted me to the novel in the first place. Robin Bridges gives a brief overview of the play for the benefit of readers who are unfamiliar with it, however for readers, like myself, who have studied Sophocles’ tragedies, there is not much more to gain from this reference.
Bridges tackles quite a number of difficult subjects in <i>Dreaming of Antigone</i>. There is the obvious issue of drug abuse, which killed Iris. In this case, Iris was a victim of the addiction, however Bridges counters this with Alex, the survivor, thus saying that it is possible to recover from such a dangerous habit. Later on in the story other challenging problems crop up, for example suicide and sexual abuse. Thankfully Bridges deals with these in a mature and gentle manner, so as not to distress the reader. Having said this, some readers may struggle with this triggering content.
Overall, whilst this was not a terrible book, it was not exactly what I was expecting, and therefore a bit of a disappointment. It is for this reason that I am not giving <i>Dreaming of Antigone</i> more than three stars. Other readers with fewer expectations may enjoy this novel a lot more.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Fall of Lisa Bellow in Books
May 16, 2018
Though wonderfully written, <i>The Fall of Lisa Bellow</i> is not what I expected it to be. That isn't to say that it isn't a good read, -- it most definitely is -- but because it was not as I had envisioned it, it took me much longer to get through the book than I had anticipated.
After school one day, thirteen-year-old Meredith Oliver decides she is in dire need of a large root beer as a reward to herself for completing her test in Algebra II. While there, she encounters Lisa Bellow, a popular girl she's grown up with and cannot stand. Any interaction that might have occurred between the two is cut short when an armed and masked man comes into the sandwich shop to rob it. Then, as an afterthought, he kidnaps Lisa, leaving Meredith and her family to deal with the trauma.
The Oliver family is horrible, though. Possessing attitudes that are largely and entirely focused on themselves, the main characters from whose perspective we read, Meredith and her mother, Claire, are absolutely unlovable. While not on the level of Gone Girl bad, they do serve as stark reminders of how low humans can sink in their day to day interactions. I do feel that Perabo fairly accurately portrayed the mind of a thirteen-year-old girl, at least, from the mindset of what those my age may have experienced in school. I can't really speak for today's children, as, contrary to the belief of our own parents, that things never change, we all know they do. In that regard, the slut-shaming was almost unbearable. It seemed the only reason Meredith had to dislike Lisa was her good looks and poor attitude, to which she responded by constantly referring to her in derogatory terms. Personally, I cannot recall referring to girls in my eighth grade class as sluts: in fact, I don't even remember which girls were popular and pretty.
Given that a young girl has been kidnapped, as a reader, you might expect the story to also focus a bit on finding said victim. Instead, it takes a unique approach by focusing not on the victim and her family, but rather the girl that was not kidnapped and her own, which is far more dysfunctional than it might seem. Some of that can be attributed to the two tragedies they've faced back to back, while the rest likely has to do with how the characters simply are. The plot follows Meredith's changes through what she has experienced, providing readers with a coming-of-age story, rather than something that is suspenseful. There's really not a whole to guess, and even as the book comes to a conclusion, there are questions that are left unanswered, issues that are unaddressed, and ultimately, bridges that are not mended.
<i>The Fall of Lisa Bellow</i> is beautiful, even if it isn't really much of a suspense. If you're looking for something on the more tame side of abduction tales, it fits that bill. I would like to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
After school one day, thirteen-year-old Meredith Oliver decides she is in dire need of a large root beer as a reward to herself for completing her test in Algebra II. While there, she encounters Lisa Bellow, a popular girl she's grown up with and cannot stand. Any interaction that might have occurred between the two is cut short when an armed and masked man comes into the sandwich shop to rob it. Then, as an afterthought, he kidnaps Lisa, leaving Meredith and her family to deal with the trauma.
The Oliver family is horrible, though. Possessing attitudes that are largely and entirely focused on themselves, the main characters from whose perspective we read, Meredith and her mother, Claire, are absolutely unlovable. While not on the level of Gone Girl bad, they do serve as stark reminders of how low humans can sink in their day to day interactions. I do feel that Perabo fairly accurately portrayed the mind of a thirteen-year-old girl, at least, from the mindset of what those my age may have experienced in school. I can't really speak for today's children, as, contrary to the belief of our own parents, that things never change, we all know they do. In that regard, the slut-shaming was almost unbearable. It seemed the only reason Meredith had to dislike Lisa was her good looks and poor attitude, to which she responded by constantly referring to her in derogatory terms. Personally, I cannot recall referring to girls in my eighth grade class as sluts: in fact, I don't even remember which girls were popular and pretty.
Given that a young girl has been kidnapped, as a reader, you might expect the story to also focus a bit on finding said victim. Instead, it takes a unique approach by focusing not on the victim and her family, but rather the girl that was not kidnapped and her own, which is far more dysfunctional than it might seem. Some of that can be attributed to the two tragedies they've faced back to back, while the rest likely has to do with how the characters simply are. The plot follows Meredith's changes through what she has experienced, providing readers with a coming-of-age story, rather than something that is suspenseful. There's really not a whole to guess, and even as the book comes to a conclusion, there are questions that are left unanswered, issues that are unaddressed, and ultimately, bridges that are not mended.
<i>The Fall of Lisa Bellow</i> is beautiful, even if it isn't really much of a suspense. If you're looking for something on the more tame side of abduction tales, it fits that bill. I would like to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Saffy Alexandra (89 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Books
Jun 1, 2019
Characters (3 more)
New plot
Humour, Wit and Sarcasm
Mystery
Ssssomething Special
As with all Harry Potter books I love them, because why wouldn’t you? And the one thing I find is that in the movies they tend to miss some of Rowling’s amazing sarcastic and hilarious scenes and if you are only a lover of the movies you tend to miss so much.
Now I will admit the book and the film absolutely terrified me when I was younger and still gives me a bit of creeps now, even though I do own a snake and love them to bits. Any who …
In this movie we meet new characters, one of which becomes very dear to everyone’s heart – aka Dobby! We meet the funny little House Elf who manages to wreck havoc in poor Harry’s life before he even gets to school with the whole dropping a pudding in the middle of the living room and then blocking 9 and 3 quarters to both Harry and Ron. Hence them then breaking the first law, do not expose Magic to Muggles. Then who could forget Gilderoy Lockhart? The incompetent but very good at memory spells Dark-Arts teacher. And then there is Moaning Myrtle, good old Myrtle.
Harry and Ron’s misadventures start right at the beginning of term, causing them to nearly be expelled. Thankfully not, other wise the book series would have been very short. More and more drama ensues to the Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the rest of the school as the book continues with Harry talking to snakes, Ginny acting strange, and then student’s being petrified including our brilliant Hermione. It’s then up to Harry and Ron to try and solve the mystery. You know, because all those suitably qualified teachers can’t do anything but a twelve year old can?
But what started off with causing everyone to avoid Harry within an inch of his life soon became the reason all the muggle-borns and half-blood’s stayed awake and not petrified. What would they ever do without Harr Potter?
A funny and dramatic second book in this series which grips you straight from the start with Rowling’s brilliant way to use mischief, sarcasm and wit in her writing.
A Favourite scene of mine that is in the books is:
“Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of
their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for
the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ......
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged
servant," said George, chortling.
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was
planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large
clove of garlic when they met.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Now I will admit the book and the film absolutely terrified me when I was younger and still gives me a bit of creeps now, even though I do own a snake and love them to bits. Any who …
In this movie we meet new characters, one of which becomes very dear to everyone’s heart – aka Dobby! We meet the funny little House Elf who manages to wreck havoc in poor Harry’s life before he even gets to school with the whole dropping a pudding in the middle of the living room and then blocking 9 and 3 quarters to both Harry and Ron. Hence them then breaking the first law, do not expose Magic to Muggles. Then who could forget Gilderoy Lockhart? The incompetent but very good at memory spells Dark-Arts teacher. And then there is Moaning Myrtle, good old Myrtle.
Harry and Ron’s misadventures start right at the beginning of term, causing them to nearly be expelled. Thankfully not, other wise the book series would have been very short. More and more drama ensues to the Trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione) and the rest of the school as the book continues with Harry talking to snakes, Ginny acting strange, and then student’s being petrified including our brilliant Hermione. It’s then up to Harry and Ron to try and solve the mystery. You know, because all those suitably qualified teachers can’t do anything but a twelve year old can?
But what started off with causing everyone to avoid Harry within an inch of his life soon became the reason all the muggle-borns and half-blood’s stayed awake and not petrified. What would they ever do without Harr Potter?
A funny and dramatic second book in this series which grips you straight from the start with Rowling’s brilliant way to use mischief, sarcasm and wit in her writing.
A Favourite scene of mine that is in the books is:
“Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of
their way to march ahead of Harry down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for
the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through ......
Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior.
"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.
"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."
"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged
servant," said George, chortling.
Ginny didn't find it amusing either.
"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was
planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large
clove of garlic when they met.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Figment Wars: Search for the Caretaker in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The Figment Wars: Search for the Caretaker by David R. Lord is the second book but clearly it is not intended to be last of the Figment Wars series. Old friends are reunited and familiar foes are faced along side some new ones in this twisty, imaginative story. While it is not completely required I highly recommend reading The Figment Wars: Through the Portal before this one.
In the previous book Thomas, Isaac, and Emily defeated Torvik in the Realm of Imagination and watched him disappear into the Void, or so they thought. After returning home from their family vacation Thomas and Isaac get ready for the start of their school year and are introduced to their new headteacher Mr. Newman. To their surprise, the headteacher is someone they have already met and they quickly become concerned about his plans for the school. Thomas and Isaac decide that trying to find The Caretaker is probably their best bet and turn to the internet for information.
This brings them to the attention of The Society whose ultimate goal is to kill The Caretaker and destroy the Realm of Imagination in order to become extremely powerful and take over the world. This threat greatly trumps that of Mr. Newman, especially once one member of The Society, Magnus, gets a hold of an artifact giving his imagination full power in the Realm of Reality. Thomas and Isaac, along with Emily and Clark team up with Mr. Newman to put an end to the new threat and send the artifact back to the Realm of Imagination. This all goes according to plan until Magnus refuses to let go of the artifact.
What I liked best was that the old saying The enemy of my enemy is my friend plays a big role as two unlikely groups team-up. It is great to see a change of heart in some of the characters as the come to recognize new facts about their own existence. It was also wonderful to see how the Realm of Imagination was created. I was disappointed to see Isaac being left out at the end of the book but I feel like he may play a bigger role than expected in the next one. I was also surprised at how quickly Thomass parents let Thomas and Emily go, but that is normally the case with this type of book.
Just like the one before it this second Figment Wars book is geared towards the young adult age range. While this is such a broad group it is fitting as people of all ages will enjoy this book. I increased the rating of this book from the 3 out of 4 of its prequel to a rating of 4 out of 4. This book doesn't just take place in the same world(s) as the first one but directly continues after its end. The rules established in the first are also still followed even if it makes things difficult and inconvenient for some characters. I hope to have the chance to read book three.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com
In the previous book Thomas, Isaac, and Emily defeated Torvik in the Realm of Imagination and watched him disappear into the Void, or so they thought. After returning home from their family vacation Thomas and Isaac get ready for the start of their school year and are introduced to their new headteacher Mr. Newman. To their surprise, the headteacher is someone they have already met and they quickly become concerned about his plans for the school. Thomas and Isaac decide that trying to find The Caretaker is probably their best bet and turn to the internet for information.
This brings them to the attention of The Society whose ultimate goal is to kill The Caretaker and destroy the Realm of Imagination in order to become extremely powerful and take over the world. This threat greatly trumps that of Mr. Newman, especially once one member of The Society, Magnus, gets a hold of an artifact giving his imagination full power in the Realm of Reality. Thomas and Isaac, along with Emily and Clark team up with Mr. Newman to put an end to the new threat and send the artifact back to the Realm of Imagination. This all goes according to plan until Magnus refuses to let go of the artifact.
What I liked best was that the old saying The enemy of my enemy is my friend plays a big role as two unlikely groups team-up. It is great to see a change of heart in some of the characters as the come to recognize new facts about their own existence. It was also wonderful to see how the Realm of Imagination was created. I was disappointed to see Isaac being left out at the end of the book but I feel like he may play a bigger role than expected in the next one. I was also surprised at how quickly Thomass parents let Thomas and Emily go, but that is normally the case with this type of book.
Just like the one before it this second Figment Wars book is geared towards the young adult age range. While this is such a broad group it is fitting as people of all ages will enjoy this book. I increased the rating of this book from the 3 out of 4 of its prequel to a rating of 4 out of 4. This book doesn't just take place in the same world(s) as the first one but directly continues after its end. The rules established in the first are also still followed even if it makes things difficult and inconvenient for some characters. I hope to have the chance to read book three.
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com