Review: The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter by David Colbert

 

The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter by David Colbert

Author:  David Colbert. Website, Goodreads
Published: (This edition) 1 January 2001 (Puffin) (Most recent edition) 1 November 2007 (Michael O'Mara Books)
Pages: 224
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought from The British Heart Foundation charity shop.

Description: (from The Book Depository)
J K Rowling's "Harry Potter" books have entranced millions of people all over the world. Ever wondered why chocolate is a good cure for a Dementor attack? Or maybe why Voldemort puts the 'Dark Mark' on Death Eaters? This title is an investigation of J K Rowling's work.

My Review:
I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and I love reading about the series (when I'm not reading the books themselves!) so when I spotted this book in a charity shop, I had to pick it up. The edition I have was published in 2001 and only focusses on the books that were released that time: up to Goblet of Fire and the companion books Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages. It's a completely unofficial guide, not associated with JKR or WB.

This book covers a wide range of areas, from name meanings to mythical creatures, giving an insight into where J.K. Rowling has taken inspiration from legend and exploring the fantastical elements she has used in the Harry Potter books.

Being a bit fan of the books I already know a lot of the little things that the more casual reader may not pick up on, but I learnt so much more of them from this book! In particular I was fascinated by all the information on myths and legends, as that's not a topic I know much about.

A selection of subjects covered in the book are Basilisks, alchemy, Egyptian legend, Green legend, name meanings, British wizards, Animagi, why wizards use wands etc. The information is easy to read and understand and gives a basic overview of each subject and its relevence to the Harry Potter books. Each subject has its own chapter and there are accompanying illustrations and definitions in the margins for easy reference.

I've linked to the later versions at the top but the information in this edition is still relevent today, but obviously misses out on things that are only mentioned in the later books. I found some of the information helped me understand other fantasy novels I'd read outside of Potter as well, which was a real bonus!

I'd recommend this for fans of Potter and other fantasy fiction, as an easy guide to those parts of fantasy fiction you want to know more detail about. It'll definitely help me get something extra out of the series next time I read it. It'll be very at home on my Harry Potter shelf as well!

Rating: 4*
Books like this: Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter by Galadriel Waters and Astre Mithrandir.

Meagan Spooner's birthday Skylark contest!

You guys! Remember I posted the book trailer for Meagan Spooner's upcoming release Skylark a few weeks ago? Well to celebrate her birthday she's having a contest! You can win some super-duper amazing prizes and it's open internationally.

Clickety click over to the contest page right here!

Watch the trailer for Skylark:

Pre-order Skylark here: Amazon UK, Waterstone's

Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Author: Christopher Paolini. Website, Twitter
Published: 6 January 2005 (Corgi)
Pages: 528
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought (with Waterstone's gift card)

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

My Review:
This is the first book in The Inheritence Cycle series, and I bought this with a gift card in the post-Christmas sales. It just so happened to be about a month after the latest book in this series had been released, so there were displays everywhere and I'd heard a lot about it. I'd been wanting to read more fantasy so it seemed like a good place to start.

I honestly can't understand how this book has gotten so much hype. From a couple of pages in the book started to drag, mainly due to the writing. It felt like it needed editing; a lot. Every other word, to me, felt like the author had used a thesaurus. (You know that episode in Friends where Joey uses a thesaurus on every word in his letter to the adoption agency? That's what Eragon felt like.) Not only that, but there was a horrible amount of unnecessary adverbs, adjectives and dialogue tags. The whole thing felt clunky. As soon as you have problems with the writing it takes you right out of the story, and unfortuately that's what it did for me.

I found it very difficult to get interested in the plot. I thought it showed potential at first, when Eragon learns he can communicate telepathically with his dragon. But the problem was that he could communicate with her that way from the very start. There was absolutely no development in that relationship, and after Eragon set off on his journey, his dragon felt very much like a plot device used to show what's happening miles ahead of his as the dragon flies above.

I soon lost interest on why he was on this journey and what exactly the point was. I didn't feel any sense of danger so I didn't care what happened to the characters. So much of it was just one long conversation between two of the characters which got boring pretty fast. Every chapter seemed to start with Eragon waking up. I had to skim read the last 150 pages because I'd stopped caring about anything and wanted to get to the end.

I could go on, but I think I've said all there is to say about this book. I didn't like it. There are plenty of 5 star reviews on Goodreads if you want to find some positive comments, but there's nothing good I got from it. I won't be bothering with the next book in the series.

Rating: 1*
What to read next: Eldest by Christopher Paolini, book 2 in The Inheritence Cycle series.
Books like this: Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke, The Fire Within by Chris d'Lacey

June Book of the Month!

So this blog started in June and so far I've read a lot of really amazing books that I've reviewed on here. I thought that at the end of each month I would pick one stand out book (that I've read in that month, not necessarily released that month) that did enough to earn a 5* review and shower it with even more praise!

So without further ado, June's book of the month is...

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare!

I was so eager for the release of this book and I absolutely tore through it. This series is one I've grown to absolutely love and there was so much in CoLS that made me super excited! Especially all the relationship drama. You can read my review of it here.

Runners-up (it was a tough decision and these books definitely deserve a mention!)

Crossed by Ally Condie
Intangible by J. Meyers
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

What will be July's Book of the Month? That is the question! I look forward to another great month of reading and reviewing!

Review: Evermore by Alyson Noel

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Author: Alyson Noel. Website, Twitter
Published: 3 October 2009 (Macmillan Children's Books)
Pages: 384
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's, Book Depository

Source: Bought from The British Heart Foundation charity shop.

Plot Summary: (from Goodreads)
Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste . . .

My Review:
I picked this book up a few weeks ago after I saw it in a charity shop, having seeing it online and adding it to my to-read list the night before - it was a sign! I had a few books I needed to read but after picking this one up and scanning the first few pages I was hooked in and so I set about reading it straight away.

This is the first book in Noel's The Immortals series and tells the story of Ever, who has lost her parents and little sister in a car accident and since then has been able to see people's auras and hear their thoughts. She is also receiving visits from her dead sister Riley. Then the mysterious Damen starts at her school and sits next to her in English, and suddenly things start to happen around her.

I really liked Ever and her abilities. I liked that she could see auras and hear people's thoughts, and her relationship with Riley was really funny and sweet. I loved the trio of her and her friends, too, them being the misfits at their school who don't fit in with anyone but each other. They made me laugh and felt very true to life. They even reference the TV show Friends (which is something I do all the time with my friends) so I loved that!

It took me a while to warm to the relationship between Damen and Ever, but I didn't hate it. I can be a bit sceptical with relationships so that's not an unusual feeling for me! And as more information began to reveal itself I think it's something that worked out nicely towards the end of the book. I like that Ever is feisty and doesn't always take rubbish from him!

The writing style kept me interested throughout (although my one niggle is the author's repeated use of the phrase "she pressed her lips together"). I was sometimes a bit confused as to what exactly was established in the world in which the story takes place. Ever knows she has powers but as far as she's aware, nobody else knows about them or has powers like hers. She refuses to share her secrets with anybody but Riley, but it's obvious that there other things happening that Ever is refusing to acknowledge. I didn't know if I as a reader was supposed to believe in other supernatural powers existing around her. Because it's all from Ever's point of view, I think it made you follow her train of thought about what was happening instead of what you thought yourself which was distracting.

Other than that, though, it was a really enjoyable read. There's plenty of action to look forward to near the end of the book and I was really interested in what happens to the characters. I think the world this story is set in has plenty of potential and as this is the start of a series, it left me really excited to know more in the following books. This book mainly establishes the characters and the world but it does a really good job of making it exciting and gripping.

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Blue Moon by Alyson Noel, the second book in The Immortals series.
Books like this: Intangible by J. Meyers.

Review: Silenced by Simon Packham

Silenced by Simon Packham

Author: Simon Packham. Website, Twitter
Published: 1 June 2012 (Piccadilly Press)
Pages: 192
Buy: Amazon, Waterstone's (e-book), Book Depository

Source: Received free copy from the publisher to review.

Plot Summary:
It wasn't grief; grief I could have learnt to cope with.
It was so much worse than that.
When Chris's best friend is killed in a car crash, Chris is struck dumb – literally.

My Review:
This book tells the story of Chris, who becomes mute following the death of his best friend Declan in a car accident. We follow his journey as he comes to terms with what happens and tries to find his voice again.

I really loved the idea of this story. It's showing the reality of grief through a teenager's eyes, and even though what's happening to Chris is a tough subject matter, the way this book approached it was brilliant. Both the topics of grief and mental health are handled really well - not once did I sit there feeling depressed or uncomfortable, but at the same time you felt the realness of what Chris was going through. I think this book is a prime example of how to tackle these subjects for young adult readers.

The way the book is narrated was one of the things I loved most. The story is told through Chris as if he were talking to Declan. This means we get a real insight into their friendship even though his best friend is no longer alive. It also helps give Chris this really witty, brilliant personality, even though for most of this book he isn't able to speak.

There's some really great humour in this book too - totally not what you'd expect when you hear the plot summary! But Chris and Declan saw themselves as comedians; dreaming of the Edinburgh Fringe and writing their own sketch show, so with Chris's point of view comes all these fantastic witty lines and observations. I'd find myself chuckling along throughout!

I loved that the book felt really current, too. In a generation of Facebook and smartphones this book felt like it fitted right in with teenage life, and even what happens to Declan is something you hear about on the news far too often.

The climax towards the end maybe felt a little rushed - maybe I just wanted more time with the characters! But I really liked that every character got their own sort of conclusion. It was a very satisfying ending.

It's a nice easy read; fairly short length and not too wordy. I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone of any age, young and old as I think anyone could get something out of reading it. I look forward to reading more by this author!

Rating: 4*
What to read next: Comin 2 Gt U by Simon Packham.
Books like this: My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher.

In My Mailbox/Weekly Round Up - 1st July

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted over at The Story Siren. Be sure to check out the books and blogs over there!

In My Mailbox

I was lucky enough to receive two awesome books in the post this week. Book post makes me happy! Check them out below.

(Blogging fuelled by a cup of tea as always!)

I've already finished Writing Advice for Teens. You can find my review of that here! I really enjoyed it and learnt an awful lot - I'd really recommend it for any writers/aspiring writers.

I also received a copy of Silenced by Simon Packham which is about a boy who becomes mute after the death of his friend. I'm about halfway through so far and really enjoying it! Hopefully a review will be coming tomorrow once I've finished it so keep an eye out for that. You can read a summary of the plot below.

It wasn't grief; grief I could have learnt to cope with.. It was so much worse than that.
When Chris's best friend is killed in a car crash, Chris is struck dumb – literally.
Mysterious, funny this is a first-class exploration grief and friendships for teenagers.

Weekly Book Round Up!

Here's a quick catch up on what I've been reading this week!

Currently reading: Silenced by Simon Packham.

Books finished: The Spell Book of Listen Taylor by Jaclyn Moriarty, Writing Advice for Teens by Mike Kalmbach, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, The Rock Star's Daughter by Caitlyn Duffy.

I'm still waiting on the following books from the library - Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, Paper Towns by John Green and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I'm getting impatient for them now! ;) If none of them arrive this week then I have Evermore by Alyson Noel, Eragon by Christopher Paolini and Sabriel by Garth Nix lined up to read.

Released this week: A book I've really been looking forward to is out on Thursday: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer. I've entered a few competitions to win a copy so I'm waiting to see what comes of those before I order it as I can't really afford more books right now. It's going to be hard to resist, though! Picoult is one of my favourite authors and this book is a YA novel written in collaboration with her daughter. It sounds amazing. You can see the trailer for the book right here!

That's it for this week! Keep an eye out for more reviews next week or check back next Sunday for a round up of what's been happening :)