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Where the crawdads sing: a spoiler-free book review.

When Where the Crawdads Sing hit theaters this summer, I, like many others, found myself enchanted with this story set in the middle of the marshes of North Carolina. While I enjoyed the movie, I wanted to read the book, since I had heard that it was even better. The book exceeded my expectations, as the movie fantastically spins this tale, but the book portrays the story in even more delightful detail. This book is full of deep emotions, and it can be dark at times, containing descriptions of murder, abuse, and sexual assault, so it is not for everyone. However, if you’re in the mood for an intriguing, touching, bittersweet read, then this is the book for you.

Where the Crawdads Sing is the story of Catherine “Kya” Clark. The book centers on her life and her supposed involvement in the death of Chase Andrews. Abandoned by her entire family, Kya grows up basically alone, known by the local people as “the Marsh Girl.” Only a few people dare to reach out to her, until the body of Chase Andrews is found in the marsh. Suspicion swirls around Kya, resulting in her arrest and trial, leaving the reader to question if Kya is responsible for Chase’s death. The plot shifts from Kya’s past to the present, giving the reader an interesting perspective, as they learn the facts along with the detectives and learn about Kya’s life in flashbacks.

This book is set in the fictional Barkley’s Cove, North Carolina, and much of the action takes place in the marshes. The setting is one of the things that makes this book stand out, as it is the perfect background for this dark, romantic mystery. For anyone who loves the North Carolina coast, the vivid, detailed descriptions of the shore and the nearby town awaken feelings of nostalgia.

The marsh itself could be considered a character, as it shapes Kya’s life; it’s the only constant that Kya has ever known. She learns almost everything she knows from the marsh, and she compares her relationships to the swans and fireflies that live in the marsh. In essence, the marsh becomes Kya’s defining personality trait. Like the marshes, Kya’s life is isolated and unknown, yet lush and full of life.

The setting also shows some of the main themes of the story, particularly isolation and discrimination. Kya spends her life separated from the rest of the world, and the town collectively judges Kya, shutting her out and labeling her as an outsider before she even tries to be accepted. Rather than risk the pain of being ostracized and being alone in a crowded room, Kya chooses to live alone with the marsh as her best friend. This feeling of loneliness is all too familiar for many readers, including myself. The picture of Kya’s isolation is touching, relatable, and beautiful, and it is one of the highlights of the book.

Not only does Where the Crawdads Sing convey the heartbreak of isolation, but it also shows the heartbreak of growing up, falling in love, and being betrayed. We see Kya grow from a scared, resilient child into a brave, resourceful woman, and our hearts break with her as she is broken throughout the years. The mystery of who killed Chase Andrews is compelling, but the true magic of this story lies in the deep themes and bittersweet relatability. Where the Crawdads Sing is more than just a mystery; it’s also a perfect mixture of coming-of age and romance.

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Gwendy’s Final Task Soars! A Spoiler Free Book Review

Feb 15, 2022 | Ben Baldwin , book review , Book Reviews , Cemetery Dance , Cemetery Dance Publications , fine press , Gwendy , Gwendy's Final Task , Gwendy’s Magic Feather , Horror , Richard Chizmar , small press , Spoiler-Free , Stephen King

Gwendy’s Final Task Soars! A Spoiler Free Book Review examines the latest in the Gwendy trilogy, Gwendy’s Final Task , coauthored by bestselling authors Stephen King and Richard Chizmar.

Spectacular and moving … there’s just no one like Gwendy.

This is a spoiler-free** preview book review of gwendy’s final task by stephen king and richard chizmar. we may re-examine this book at tff in more detail, with spoilers, in a couple months’ time – it is that good of a read but you may want to read the first two books in the gwendy series before tackling this book..

There are three major players in this book: Gwendy, those forces opposed to her, and the button box itself.

The button box is a keystone for power: good and evil can be performed by it, in large doses or small.

Gwendy is a good person, at heart, and so she understands this and has been one of its better caretakers, it seems, but that does not make the choice of using or not using the button box any easier.

Still the gravity of this escapes her, because the thought that extremely powerful entities will stop at nothing to claim the button box does not cross her mind until that is told to her flat out.

For fans of previous works of Stephen King and his many worlds, and also previous works of Richard Chizmar, Gwendy’s Final Task is a rare animal-shaped chocolate treat that you cannot resist.

The story passes through Castle Rock and another infamous town – and still horrifying – from Stephen King’s works, on and up to the space station.

When we last saw Gwendy, in Gwendy’s Magic Feather , she was 37, a Congresswoman, and had been sent the button box for the second time, as crises developed all around her.

She endured.

She was only supposed to have the button box one time, at least that is what Farris said in Gwendy’s Button Box .

Now Senator Gwendy Peterson is older again and her third time with the button box will take her from Castle Rock and planet earth up into to outer space.

This is both remarkable in the achieving and very necessary for the plot.

The world building by King and Chizmar is paramount to this modern fairy tale enveloping the reader.

The very experience of anticipating the takeoff and having the tablets and instructions needed to manage one’s own controls from their seat draws the reader in.

The responses of the crew (and its computer), the dialogue and banter, from serious-to-jovial, and the setting all pave the way to a ratcheting thriller taking place in the near future and, at times, in zero gravity.

Gwendy is one of the “celebrity” guests on the way to the space station.

And as the story goes back and forth from Gwendy’s brilliant but troubled mind out in space to her memories and the happenings on earth, you cannot help but feel the anxiety that Gwendy feels, again and again.

She has a mission. And it only gets more difficult by the day, the hour, the minute.

The circumstances are dire, and Gwendy’s grip leaves dents in your heart.

The Richard Farris we have all come to know, he is on the cover, and I will confirm he is back, and I will say he has a significant part to play, as he did in the first two books in the Gwendy Series.

We learn a great deal more of Farris and of Gwendy too, and of what the button box can do. These three entities have all been revealed more and more throughout the trilogy when things are at their worst.

So the suspense meter is high, the horrors of earth and space run rampant, and the ending to Gwendy’s Final Task will leave you floored.

This ending moves the reader in a truly profound way.

The Dark Tower Ties To Gwendy’s Final Task

The Dark Tower Series – Stephen King’s magnum opus that begins with The Gunslinger – looms largely on all of the covers of every edition of Gwendy’s Final Task , so you assumed right: there is a connection.

And it is definitively one of the more closely tied books to the Dark Tower amongst the bevy of Stephen King’s works.

I will just say this to the authors: thank you.

A last word on Gwendy and collaborative character building:

I can think of only two characters, each born of two authors pairing up to create a character’s brains, courage, and soul that makes for some of the strongest and compelling people in the world of fiction.

Peter Straub and Stephen King’s Jack Sawyer is one of these, and Richard Chizmar and Stephen King’s creation of Gwendy Peterson is the other.

And Gwendy shines so brightly!

Bravo, Mr. King and Mr. Chizmar!

The Forgotten Fiction Grade: YEA (read it!)

Want to buy a book from a local bookseller click away, gwendy’s final task is out february 15, 2022.

• Published by Cemetery Dance Publications
• Author: Stephen King and Richard Chizmar
• Artist: Ben Baldwin (cover) & Keith Minnion (interiors)
• Page Count: 412

“Gwendy’s Final Task Soars! A Spoiler Free Book Review” was written by R.J. Huneke .

Wish I’d discovered you long before this, but a perfect way to start with Gwendy! Your review gave me goosebumps of anticipation, as a Constant Reader and discovering Chizmar only with book 1 and read everything since. I just downloaded my Audible as sadly I had to stop reading actual living hooks 3 years ago. But I’m learning to enjoy them as much (almost) as holding a King book in my chair til 3am. Thanks to this review, I know I’ll be up all night finishing, it’s short!!!!! Just subbed to you, glad I saw this before beginning, I only look at a couple reviews because I like to form my own idea but it’s King & Chizmar, ya know …..Thank You!

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Wilder Girls by Rory Power | Spoiler Free Book Review

Heyo Bookaholics!

It’s a true cover buy.

Let’s begin with the most positive thing here, the cover of this novel is absolutely stunning! This is truly a book you’ll see on the shelf at a bookstore, admire the cover and pick it up hoping to display it on your shelf because your TBR is a mile long and you won’t get to it for a while.

Note (to my book swap buddy): Sara ( @scientificstars [go follow her]), please don’t read this review until you’ve read the book because I don’t want to sway your opinion xx

I picked this book up as it was TheYARoom’s book of the month for August. I really liked the sound of it and the potential for some gore during my fantasy reading binge, also the cover is  stunning!

I don’t know whether to be mad or disappointed with this story, and I hate getting roasty about books – because I feel like a bad person – but I really think that this novel deserves the roast it gets (sorry).

Wilder Girls had the ultimate potential to be an amazing novel. It could’ve been a proper (exaggerated) warning about the impending risk that climate change can bring us, though it severely missed this opportunity and instead developed into something with plot-holes, desperation and secrets that weren’t really as shocking as they should be.

I actually read the blurb before reading this novel and went into it expecting a survival, almost horror-like novel with some queer romance and friendship. Alas, the only queer romance there was was the conflicted ramblings of our main protagonist (that made me want to stab her) and some cute moments between two of the protagonists that became a reprieve from the monotony of this novel.

Throughout the novel, I felt like I was grasping onto strings of happiness from where the story would get better or at least develop a solid storyline. When the point-of-view change, the voice was a little better although the main issue still remained: the characters were very one-dimensional.

This is a novel about survival in which everyone is desperate to survive, but no one actually has any real reason to survive. It seemed that all the girls on Raxter felt like they belonged there, were owned by the island and knew they had to leave, but there was never any reason to other than the fact that they’re destined to die.

Our main protagonist didn’t really have a personality aside from being severely obsessed with one of her best friends in such a way that was so annoying and worrying, I kinda wanted to send her to get checked out for potential brainwashing.

I found myself so desperate for a character to like, for a character with personality, I started to treasure the NPCs (seriously minor characters that have the least page-time), mostly because my image of them wasn’t ruined by pages and pages of them repeating the same rubbish over and over, and they had more personality and likeability, even though they were mean and naive.

Also, all the girls only had two main defining characteristics; their deformity from the Tox and something Hetty knew about them (or herself). For example – and this technically isn’t a spoiler because it’s on the blurb – Hetty is defined by her eye and her desperation to find Byatt.

I feel like I can say anything about this novel and not have it be a spoiler, as it didn’t really have a structured storyline and therefore the secrets that were revealed were not so much a plot twist, rather just another conversation between characters.

What annoyed me most about  Wilder Girls was the ending. The disappointing way in which it just fell off the face of the earth irked me to no end. It didn’t conclude anything, leaving the characters in the middle of their journey, always finding things out and never achieving their main goal. Sometimes a very meh book can have a good ending and even make me read the sequel, but this one just makes me sad to be passing it on to my friend.

★ Rating ★

I rated this book a  ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5 stars) or an official 2.5 stars. It wasn’t bad enough to be 2 stars because there was some suspense and parts that kept me hooked, although I felt that Byatt was the only character who wasn’t severely boring. Overall this novel is a quick read and I would 100% watch a movie based off of this concept!

Leave your opinions in the comments or alternatively on my social media channels! Instagram // Goodreads  // Twitter // YouTube   .

See you back here on Monday’s (book reviews), Wednesday’s (storytime/ writing updates) and Saturday’s (other bookish content).

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It sucks that you didn’t enjoy this book. I wanted to read it but after seeing all the mixed reviews about it it’s kind of put me off on the book

Yeah I wanted to like it so badly. I would say that if you want to read it, do it because my friends have reviewed it highly so I guess it’s a matter of perspective. Even if you don’t like it you can always DNF the novel 😊

How dare you. Love you! (and the book). But totally agree the concept would make a good movie 😊

great review bree bear <3

Thank chu xxx

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January 30, 2024

Book Review: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links—at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Here are all my thoughts on this new mystery/suspense thriller book, released on January 16, 2024! In this spoiler-free book review of The Fury , I share my favorite book quotes, a brief synopsis, book club discussion questions for The Fury , similar books, other books by Alex Michaelides, and more!

Blood, alcohol, abandonment, child abuse, toxic friendship, death, stalking, infidelity, gun violence, mental illness, animal death, emotional abuse, alcoholism, murder

Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me this complimentary book. My review reflects my honest thoughts.

The Fury Book Review / Summary

• From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient

The Fury is a mystery/suspense thriller and tale of murder with quite a spin on the classic “whodunit” story. It also happens to be on my most anticipated books of 2024 list !

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller about slightly terrible rich people stuck on an island together when a murder occurs. Need I say more?

Lana Farrar is a retired, famous actress who invited her friends and teenage son to spend Easter with her on a beautiful, windy private Greek Island.

The story is narrated by her friend Elliot Chase who retells the tale of chaotic events in the most unusual and compelling way—because, well, he was there.

Elliot speaks to readers in a very direct, intimate way, as if he was sitting across from them at a bar and the refills keep coming.

What starts as a friend getaway quickly becomes a night of hatred, plotting, revenge, and many twists and turns.

RELATED: Book Review: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

@molliereadsbooks Thanks to @Celadon Books ♬ original sound – Mollie Reads

My Thoughts on The Fury

Okay, the verdict? I really enjoyed this thriller. I will tell you, though, that the reviews for The Fury are quite polarizing. For some, Elliot’s point of view did not work .

For me, however, I loved it. It made my best book club books of all time list! I found Elliot’s narration to be charming, alluring, and downright delightful at times.

The meta analysis of the classic “whodunit” and the tidbits about writing and storytelling in general made the book for me.

RELATED: Book Review: All the Dangerous Things

I also found this to be an unputdownable thriller, but I’ve seen many reviews saying the opposite: that it was quite slow-moving. But I have to say, I don’t understand that take in the slightest (but to each his own, I suppose).

Actually, I think Alex is a remarkable storyteller. I was on the edge of my seat!

The narration was atmospheric, the twists and turns were unexpected, and WOW, I did feel like the premise and characters were unique.

Even though the characters were all flawed, I wanted to know what would happen next.

I also immensely enjoyed the theme of the “inner child” weaved throughout the story. This was such a relevant topic to dive into in a psychological thriller.

The Greek Tragedy Format

The whole story was told in the format of a Greek tragedy, which was so satisfying as the reader.

Some reviewers kept saying they didn’t like Elliot’s little quips and interjections throughout the book, but this felt incredibly on point for me.

The book had five parts, like a Greek tragedy, and the “chorus,” which is a hallmark of Greek tragedies, was represented by Elliot’s interjections. Or at least that’s the way I took it?

It didn’t jolt me from the story at all, but I can see how some people wouldn’t love that format. For me, it added to the story.

One thing that didn’t quite work for me, in terms of the POV, was the way Elliot narrated some of the characters’ more intimate moments that he couldn’t possibly know about.

But, by the end of the novel, this didn’t bother me. Select the spoiler below to see why.

🚨 SPOILER! DO NOT READ unless you’re ready to be spoiled. The fact that Elliot was telling us the whole story as a play he’d written, years later, from jail, made me realize just how many liberties he’d taken for the sake of the **shock value** and overall drama. He is the definition of an unreliable narrator. This POV “flaw” just didn’t bother me once the story ended!

Favorite Quotes from The Fury by Alex Michaelides

“Now, I know only this for sure—the first half of life is pure selfishness; the second half, all grief.” —Alex Michaelides, The Fury

“Once I saw the kid in me, I started seeing kids in other people—all dressed as adults, playacting at being grown-up. But I saw through the performances now, to the frightened children beneath.” —ALEX MICHAELIDES, THE FURY

“That’s how we communicate, isn’t it? We’re all over the place: we jump back and forth in time; slow down and expand on some moments; fast-forward through others; editing as we go, minimizing flaws and maximizing assets. We are all the unreliable narrators of our own lives.” —ALEX MICHAELIDES, THE FURY

Book Club Discussion Questions for The Fury

• Ice breaker question: Where would you escape to with your closest friends if money wasn’t a factor?
• How did the character of “the wind” play a role in The Fury ? What did you think of this role?
• Who was your favorite character? Why?
• What did you think of Elliot Chase’s narration throughout the book?
• The Fury is a “locked room mystery” or “whodunit” with a twist. How does it fit—or not fit—into the genre?
• What expectations did you have as you were reading? Did The Fury meet those expectations?
• The Fury is meant to reflect a Greek tragedy in many ways. How did this affect your reading experience? What stood out to you about this aspect in particular?
• Elliot discusses his psychologist’s words on the “inner child” a lot throughout the book, as well as others characters’ younger selves being trapped inside them. What did you think about this idea?
• Were there any twists and turns that surprised you? Why or why not?

Other Books by Alex Michaelides

Alex Michaelides’s other books are The Silent Patient and The Maidens . Check out his author website to learn more about them.

RELATED: Book Review: The House in the Pines

Similar Books to The Fury

These books explore similar themes or are reminiscent of The Fury in some way:

• The Guest List by Lucy Foley
• First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
• The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
• The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Buy the Book

I recommend The Fury for readers who love a locked-room mystery or a “stuck on an island” scenario.

This is a psychological thriller with suspense that does handle some pretty disturbing ideas and thought patterns, so sensitive readers should take care.

I didn’t find The Fury to be too scary . . . more of a fascinating character study.

The short chapters and intimate narration make this an easy book to fly through!

You’ll see by the reviews The Fury is not for every reader, so make sure it appeals to you after reading the general criticism.

I thought it was a clever, fun read! I hope you enjoy this review of The Fury by Alex Michaelides!

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Book Review: The Way of Kings (Spoiler Free)

What is it?

I’m here to tell you that in this case, the hype is earned.

For The Way of Kings to do that, it was going to have to break new ground–not just traipse along in the wake of other books. That’s just what it did.

The book tells three separate stories. There’s Dalinar and his son Adolin, two nobles embroiled in a six-year old war. There’s Shallan, a young woman who’s doing her best to save her family from ruin. There’s Kaladin, the one-time war hero and current slave, battling inner demons. These are roles we’ve seen before in fantasy, yes, but Sanderson breathes new life into them. They’re full-fleshed characters, each very well done. My personal favorite was Kaladin, and it’s his storyline that takes the bulk of the book. I’d delve into more of the plot, but I read it spoiler-free, and I’d like to give you the chance to get to know it that way, too.

For me, what really made this book stand out from the crowd was the world-building. Most fantasies these days share fairly similar settings. Yes, they each of some funky animals and strange demons or mythical beasts, but the technology level’s usually about the same (fairly primitive), the cities all feel like they’re out of medieval Europe, and the various climates are all very Earth-based.

Sanderson’s world feels more like something from a science-fiction book. It’s a world ravaged by regular super-storms. Storms so strong they can pick up boulders and hurl them through the air. Storms that have had a huge effect on the ecosystem of the planet. For example, they have something they refer to as grass, but it’s far different from the green stuff we know. This grass is more of a living creature, able to suck itself into the ground when danger appears, then emerge again once it’s gone. And that’s just one example. The animals are also almost wholly different and alien: more like land-crustaceans than mammals. It’s hard to describe this just right, but it feels very natural in the book. Sanderson came up with a unique, new world, and it plays a very big role in the story.

Technology plays a role in the setting, as well. The world has scientists devoting themselves to the study of magic, putting it to new uses that have a very steam-punk feel. These people don’t view themselves as primitives: they look at their lives in much the same way we do, feeling like they’re living at the best of times, where technology has developed far enough to make their lives easier and give them hope for continual new developments in the future.

Another way the book stands out is in its art work. Full color maps appear in the front and end flap, each chapter gets its own illustration (similar to the beginning illustrations that start each chapter in The Wheel of Time). More fully drawn maps dot the text itself, accompanied by pages of illustrations of the various creatures and items that appear in the book. No expense was spared on the development of this novel, and it shows. You get more than your money’s worth from this one. Three separate interior artists in addition to the cover artist. When’s the last time you saw that in an epic fantasy? Have you ever? I haven’t.

Was there anything I didn’t like? Well, as the first book of a ten book series, it doesn’t exactly hurl you into the full climax right off, but that’s to be expected. The book has plenty of action and plot turns, but at the end of the day, it’s still the first step in a long journey. It has a lot of promise for things to come, but it pays you in full upfront, too. Does that make sense? Better yet, the book’s written by a man who’s proven he can keep up the pace of a huge epic. Sanderson is a prolific writer. He churns out words like a machine, and he’s devoted to his craft. He has a very transparent writing process, willing to communicate with his fans extensively through his Facebook and Twitter accounts and his blog. I’m not worried that we’ll go through three or four (or five!) year droughts between books with him. He’s not just a fantasy author, he’s a fan, and he knows how frustrating that can get. So while I approach many fantasy books with caution (10 books? Really?) I don’t feel that way about this one.

My only other frustration came from something typical to epic fantasy: with three separate stories to tell, I’d have to leave one plot and go to another after each chapter. Of course, I think it’s a great sign when I’m upset the chapter ends–each time. There wasn’t a plot line that I didn’t look forward to reading. I’d get into one, then be disappointed when it ended and a new one started, but I was disappointed again when that new one ended and I got back to the old one.

Perhaps the highest compliment I can give the book is that I spent most of my Saturday reading it. I think I blazed through the last 750 pages in a day, and it’s been years since I read that much that fast. In fact, the last time I remember doing it was with Robert Jordan.

‘Nuff said.

5 thoughts on “Book Review: The Way of Kings (Spoiler Free)”

Yay! Can’t wait. ^^

Sweet! When does it come out?

It’s out now! Rush to the bookstore and get a copy!

The problem with the land-crustacean thing is that it poses some questions on how humans evolved on Roshar

I’m not sure humans evolved on Roshar. It’s part of Brandon’s cosmere, so natural evolution rules don’t have to apply. But then again, I’m not up on all the latest cosmere theories, so I could be off . . .

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Spoiler-free book review: verity by colleen hoover.

There has been a lot of buzz in the book community surrounding the novel Verity by Colleen Hoover. A quick look on Goodreads shows an average of 4.25 stars, with over 76k ratings, so I asked for a copy for Christmas, and it was among my first reads of 2020.

Lowen is an author who is struggling personally, professionally, creatively. She meets a handsome stranger on her way to a meeting with her publisher, moments after witnessing a fatal accident on the street. Then, in a moment only surprising to Lowen and Jeremy (the handsome stranger), he turns out to be the guest at the meeting with her publisher. Jeremy explains that his wife, Verity, has suffered a tragic accident that he’s kept secret from the public, and he’s interested in hiring Lowen to ghost write the final books in his wife’s best-selling book series.

Lowen agrees. As part of this arrangement, she travels to Jeremy’s home in Vermont to review all of Verity’s notes and paperwork. And she agrees to stay there for however long it takes her to get a grasp of where Verity was going with the books so she can return home to finish the stories. Among the notes and plot outlines, Lowen finds a secret manuscript – Verity’s autobiography – which details family secrets, and raises all kinds of questions about who Verity really was, and the strange circumstances of the day their daughter drowned.

Oh, and Verity and her home health care nurse are there, too, along with the surviving son. I won’t say any more about the plot so I don’t spoil any surprises.

I have… complicated feelings about this novel. 

On the one hand, it’s a super fast, readable book – I read the whole thing on a chilly Sunday. It’s the kind of book I like to think of as candy – it was decent, quick, and delightful to read. 

On the other hand… You know those reads where someone gets what’s coming to them and you feel vindicated on the part of the wronged party? That didn’t happen for me here. It’s a messed up sort of love story that left me feeling a little bit how I felt when I read Gone Girl. I don’t know that I really liked any of these characters very much. 

For me, that pretty much sums up my main issue with this one – there was no “big reveal,” no moment that made me gasp and say, “WHAT?!” out loud. At the end, I kind of nodded my head and went, “yep.” I rated it at a 4, but it probably falls more at a 3.5 star rating for me. 

If you really love suspense novels and you’re looking for something that shocks and surprises, I don’t know that this one’s for you. But if you’re looking for an entry point into the genre I think this is relatively fun, quick trip down that path to see if it tickles your fancy.

Have you read Verity? Did you love it, or did it fall a little bit flat for you, too? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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‘harry potter and the cursed child’: book review.

The eighth story in the series goes 'Back to the Future' with disappointing results.

By Andy Lewis

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This week saw the release of a new Harry Potter book with midnight parties, fans dressed in costume and pre-orders that already have made it the bestselling book of the year. It all feels so 2007.

But it’s 2016 and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not your ordinary Potter book. For starters, this isn’t a book, but the script of the two-part play that opened in London on July 30 (hours before the book went on sale). Second, this one takes place 19 years later (opening with an extended version of the epilogue  from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on platform 9 3/4). And third, and most important, this one isn’t written by J.K. Rowling herself, making it the first one not written by the original creator. She helped come up with the basic story along with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, but credit for the play script goes to Thorne alone (Tiffany directs).

That the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child evokes so much nostalgia is perfect for a story that depends so heavily on nostalgia, the past and familiarity with the original seven books . A better title might have been Harry Potter and the Back to the Future (or, for those that get the reference,  Harry Potter and the Felicity Season 4B ) for a story that uses time travel to explore what-ifs and alternate futures.

The best parts of The Cursed Child are the beginning and the epilogue . The story focuses on Albus Severus Potter’s arrival at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat (as Albus feared, he’s a Slytherin ) and seeing friendships and alliances reconfigure in a new generation. Particularly interesting is the friendship that develops between Albus and Scorpius Malfoy, each so unlike their fathers, and the character of Rose Granger-Weasley, also so unlike her parents. (For starters, she’s an epically good quidditch player.) It is the most Rowling-esque part of the story and frankly the most fun.

Seeing how the children of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Draco are both like their parents and also distinct characters is fascinating, and the relationship between Albus and Scorpius feels genuine (though Rowling had a better ear for kid’s dialogue than Thorne). Part of me wished this was book one of Harry Potter: The Next Generation and the story really luxuriated in everyday life at Hogwarts in the same way as the original book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone .

Instead, The Cursed Child becomes a convoluted time-travel adventure that honestly is a bit of a slog. Without giving away too many plot details, Albus and Scorpius travel back in time to save a life and in doing so they set off a domino wave of changes that radically alter the present. As in Back to the Future , further attempts to fix the timeline result in more changes and still more attempts to make it right, even as their parents are rushing to rescue them. Some of the alternate future versions of familiar characters are fun and others don’t quite work. But understanding any of it assumes a pretty deep familiarity with the Potterverse . This isn’t a story accessible to newcomers (in the way the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie appears to be), but one designed to service the existing fan base.

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'harry potter and the cursed child' extends through end of 2017.

J.K. Rowling should be applauded for pushing the boundaries of form. The easiest thing for her to do would have been to just write a new book — or even skip the new book and get right to the movie. Doing a play is a daring creative choice, especially for a multibillion-dollar franchise like Harry Potter . (Imagine if Star Wars: The Force Awakens had started as a play.) This story would definitely be more fun to see performed on stage. Rowling also deserves credit for giving the characters over to someone else to write. The story doesn’t always read like she wrote it, and that gives it an appealing freshness.

But the big problem with The Cursed Child is that it’s less an original story than a remix of the existing Potter mythology. The been there, done that feeling to the whole thing is its greatest weakness. How the sins of the father (and the mother) weigh on their children is an interesting theme, but it would have been better served exploring that idea in a truly original story and not one that rehashed the mythology of the previous seven books.  

Let’s hope that if there’s a ninth story, it leaves the time travel behind. 

J.K. Rowling Hopes 'Harry Potter' Play Will Expand "Wider Than Broadway"

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Review of the Harry Potter Book Series (Spoiler Free) | Favbookshelf

In this article on the Harry Potter book series, we have given a spoiler-free book review of this famous series. It is a fantastic read and is full of magic, drama, adventures, and intrigue.

About the Harry Potter Book Series

Title: Harry Potter

Author: J.K. Rowling

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)

Type: Series

No. of books: 07

Books in the series: #1 Philosopher’s Stone, #2 Chamber of Secrets, #3 Prisoner of Azkaban, #4 Goblet of Fire, #5 Order of the Phoenix, #6 Half-Blood Prince, #7 The Deathly Hallows

Goodreads rating: 4.7/5

Harry Potter was given a scar by Voldemort the night his parents sacrificed themselves. And from that night onwards, he was no longer an ordinary boy but the  Boy who lived . When Harry turns 11, he receives a letter from Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and magic. He is very excited to go there and escape his cruel aunt and uncle. And soon, Hogwarts becomes his home, a place where he could be himself, explore his capabilities, make new friends, and find happiness. But this happiness is short-lived, as Voldemort wants to finish what he had started eleven years ago-to kill Harry. However, his friends will not let this happen. They are there to support him and protect him. And so begins the journey of Harry, from learning wizardry to excelling in Quidditch, making friends, finding love, and even flying cars!

If you liked Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Mortal Instruments, or The Folk of Air, you will enjoy this series too.

Harry Potter Book Series Review

Harry Potter is an amazing series of love, friendship, and magic, and is definitely one of my favorite series of all time. Once you enter the world of Harry and Hogwarts, it becomes nearly impossible to escape it. And I, never in my wildest dreams had thought that a collection of these seven books will make me a fan of witchcraft and wizardry.

What is amazing is that – all the characters in the book are as interesting and are as involved as the main character. Also, they all show not just their strong points but as well weak points, and that is appreciable. Another amazing thing about this series is the infamous trio – Harry, Hermione, and Ronald aka Ron. Their friendship is beautifully portrayed and, it builds up over the series taking its own time.

And as you go on in the series, you will be left with surprises and will be shocked by the twists and turns. Suspense in the whole Harry Potter book series is well-kept and, it is quite hard to figure it out until you reach the end.

The writing style of J.K Rowling is as well admirable. You can see a proper flow and structure in the story. And also, there is an amazing build-up and revelations. 

One of the capturing and fun things about this series is how catchy all the spells are! From Stupefy, Expelliarmus, Expecto Patronum, Avada Kedavra, Wingardium Leviosa, and many more. And all of them are unique. Hats off to J.K Rowling for coming up with such words. She has done a great job in keeping the audience curious and interested.

All of Harrys’ ventures are crazy enough to keep you entertained and it is a series you will want to read and re-read again and again. It allows you to escape reality and enter another world filled with magic, friendship, drama. Sounds pleasing, right?

Overall, the Harry Potter book series is fascinating, dramatic, tragic, emotional; honestly, it’s an infusion of all.

If you want to read the first book in the series, Philosopher’s Stone, click on the link below:

And below, we have given a mini-review of each book in the Harry Potter book series:

Review of Each Book

Book #1 – philosopher’s stone, about the book.

Title: Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone

Publisher: Bloomsbury (UK)

Goodreads Rating: 4.5/5

This is an introductory book to the wizarding world and the life of Harry Potter. In this book, Harry realizes that he is no ordinary human but a wizard. He is exposed to the wizarding world by Hagrid. In this book, the friendship between Ron, Harry, and Hermoine develops, and he has his first encounter with Voldemort.

Mini-Review

This book is very descriptive, and it is very easy to enter Harry’s world. It also comes with many surprises and wonders. But as this is the first book in the series, many new elements are introduced, and this can be confusing and sometimes hard to remember. Apart from that, this is an amazing book!

Rating: 4.5 / 5; Our Rating Guide

Recommendation: YES!

Buy the 1st book, Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone now:

Book #2 – Chamber of Secrets

About the book.

Title: Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets

Goodreads Rating: 4.4/5

Harry receives a warning from a strange creature who says that if Harry returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike. All of Harry’s well-wishers and Dobby, a house-elf try to stop him from returning to Hogwarts. But Harry chooses to ignore all their warnings and goes to Hogwarts. This year he enters the school with a bang, literally, and his year goes very much like that, full of surprises and twists and turns every next moment. But then the real trouble begins – someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally being told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspect – Harry Potter himself!

This book is full of funny moments and drama. Harry’s rivalry with Draco Malfoy brings more charm and drama. Hermoine’s character is revealed more in the book giving the story more upliftment. Overall, this book did an amazing job in character building and making me smile.

Rating: 5 / 5; Our Rating Guide

Recommendation: Definitely!

Buy the 2nd book, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets now:

Book #3 – Prisoner of Azkaban

Title: Harry Potter and The

Goodreads Rating: 4.6/5

This year, Sirius Black, a follower of Voldemort and a mass murderer, escapes the prison of Azkaban. Some say that he is coming after Harry. So Dementors- extremely terrifying creatures who can suck your soul through a simple kiss, are appointed to guard the school and catch Sirius. Harry is very scared of them. And, this is going to be a year that Harry finds out more about his past- his parents, and their relationships with their friends.

This book is far more interesting than it seems. Compared to other books, this book has more magic and involvement of more characters. It also comes with much more suspense and mysteries that are well-kept until the end. All in all, this book is fantastic, entertaining, and full of surprises.

Recommendation: YEEESSS!!

Buy the 3rd book, Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban now:

Book #4 – Goblet of Fire

Title: Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

Goodreads Rating: 4.6/10

The Triwizard Tournament is one of the most celebrated tournaments in the entire wizarding community. It is to be held in Hogwarts this year. Only wizards above the age of 17 can participate in it. So, when Harry finds out that he is selected for the tournament, he is nothing but surprised since he doesn’t fit in the age group. Still, he decides to compete and now is faced with near-death situations.

This book left me speechless. It kept me on my toes till the end and was one of the most emotional books in the series. The bond between Ron and Hermoine strengthens a lot here. And what happens in this book is unimaginable and extremely shocking. So for me, this book is one of the most well-written books.

Recommendation: Definitely Yes!

Buy the 4th book, Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire now:

BOOK #5 – Order of the Phoenix

Title: Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix

There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it’s haunting Harry’s dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror? As well, Dementors attack Harry’s cousin Dudely, who is not a wizard, which is uncommon. Now, to protect himself from such dark forces, Harry is forced to let Professor Snape teach him magic. In this book, Voldemort comes back, only this time stronger than ever before. Harry, on the other hand, is struggling to protect himself from him.

It takes you through the journey of how complicated dark arts can be. Hogwarts has never been duller. This is the book that brings me immense satisfaction every time I read it as all the dullness and pain disappear.

Recommendation: You can guess… It’s a YES!

Buy the 5th book, Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix now:

Book #6 – Half-Blood Prince

Title: Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

Hogwarts is not safe anymore, not just for Harry but for every student. Malfoy joins the death eaters like his father and follows Voldemort’s army. Harry will need powerful magic, more powerful than before, to protect himself from all the negative energy and betrayal around him.

The title of this book is very interesting. And this book keeps its mystery until the end. This is also a fairly comic book that has its own few moments of laughs. The climax, however, is the best part.

Recommendation: A HUGE YES!

Buy the 6th book, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince now:

Book #7 – The Deathly Hallows

Title: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Goodreads Rating: 4.6

As seen in the title, this book contains mass destruction. Hagrid, the Weasleys, and all of harry’s friends and loved ones are persistent and continue to stand by Harry. The final battle is about to begin and the protection charm is broken, which leaves Harry on his own. He must know how to protect himself to come out alive during the battle.

As the final book, I could not have imagined a better ending for this series. Every time I read it, my heart breaks. The mystery and the truths are revealed, the interconnection to all the books and all of it was just perfect! As much contentment the end brought me, the same amount of sadness took over as I realized the series has come to an end.

Buy the 7th book, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows now:

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J. K. Rowling, is a British author, philanthropist, film producer, and screenwriter. She is the author of the popular and critically acclaimed Harry Potter  series, which has won multiple awards and sold more than 500 million copies as of 2018, and in 2008 became the best-selling book children’s series in history. The books are the basis of a popular film series. She also writes crime fiction under the pen name Robert Galbraith.

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The Ultimates #1 review: Earth's mightiest heroes must assemble once more in Marvel's new flagship super-team book

Here's our spoiler-free verdict on The Ultimates #1

The Maker has recreated the Ultimate Universe (now numbered Earth-6160), but transformed Earth into a world without superheroes. Since then a young Tony Stark and a number of other desperate survivors have started the fight back, but the Maker's Council has convinced the world that Stark and Co. are actually dangerous terrorists. 

That's the basic setup for The Ultimates - a new ongoing series from writer Deniz Camp and artist Juan Frigeri. While Spider-Man , Black Panther and the X-Men are off adventuring in their own series, The Ultimates is the line's flagship team book. We've read the first issue and while we can't get into any spoilers just yet, we can say that this is an effective and suitably epic start to the new series.

Roughly split into two halves, the first part of the issue does an effective job of establishing just how desperate the situation is: Iron Lad and Doom are barely getting on; both Captain America and Thor are temporarily out of action; the team are fugitives; and their attempts to kickstart a resistance against the Maker are failing - with disastrous consequences. Even worse, Tony has calculated how long they have to save the world and the answer is bleak: just 18 months. The countdown starts now.

In the second half of the issue the gang come under attack from Captain Britain - now one of the Maker's minions. It's here that the series' other leads - Hank and Janet Pym - step forward, and give the issue some heart. There's a real warmth and vulnerability to Camp and Frigeri's portrayal of the couple. They're care-worn, down on their luck, but still trying to do the right thing in a world that has made being a good person that much harder.

Frigeri's art (with coloring by Federico Blee) is strong throughout. If the first half of the issue feels hemmed in and claustrophobic, the latter part opens things up and gives space for the artist to cut loose with an epic brawl that gives the Ultimates their first chance to fight back. Each character is given a moment here that capably shows off who they are, with the fight between Captain Britain and Iron Lad hitting particularly hard. It's a handsome-looking book that's cinematic in scope while also telling the story clearly and efficiently.

If I have one criticism, it's that Doom feels oddly sidelined. This take on the character - a corrupted Reed Richards - is fascinating, but he's given little to do here. Then again, this is only the first issue and that's sure to change in the coming months. For the most part The Ultimates #1 is an exciting, fun, and suitably widescreen start to a series that has immediately become one of Marvel's monthly must-reads.

The Ultimates #1 is published by Marvel on June 5.

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Hello friends! This is Sian or @perceivegrace, on both Instagram & Youtube! In this blog post, I’ll be sharing two minimal layouts you can use in your journals for book reviews! Whether you want to start a reading journal or simply log your reads at the end of every month in your bullet journal planner, I hope you can take inspiration from these examples. 

Supply List

As always, start with the Archer & Olive journal you wish to house your book review spreads. You can use my code SIAN10 to save 10% with Archer & Olive on the tools you need. Below are the materials I used:

• Everyday Bookish Stamp Set + Permanent Ink
• Use the black ink that comes with the set or if you have other colors pull those out too! In one of the examples I use brown Archival Ink
• Dot Grid Planner Stencil
• Any pens and brush pens you would like
• Decorative tape (if you want to keep it minimal but add something to tie in the vibe of the book, matching decorative tape is a great way to add that flair)
• Book covers - you’ll notice I printed out the covers of books that I wanted to review but if you do not have a printer at home you can always log your book reviews without including the book covers! 

Getting Started

Like all ideas for journal spreads, they can be customized and altered depending on the journal size you’re using or the desired look you have in mind. One of the first things to consider is do you prefer full page, half page, quarter page, or so on for each book review. The answer to that question may also affect or be affected by your journal size preference. I have found that for minimal book reviews, someone might use A6, B6, Travelers, or A5 sizes and for more intricate or in-depth book reviews someone might use A5, 8x8, or B5 sizes and so on. In the example below are two half page book review layouts, one before the pen and one after the pen. This is also a great example of matching decorative tape in my collection to the book covers. 

(Apologies for misspelling the title of the book on the left-hand side! I didn't realize until after the fact).

For these minimal examples I used a traveler's size but if you want to see A5 and B5 maximalist scrapbook style examples from me, be sure to check out the corresponding youtube video linked down below. I share those examples toward the end! 

What to Include

I have put together a list of things someone might want to document about a book within their book review for future reference:

• Publisher (ex: Independent versus Traditional)
• Setting (ex: Places, Years, Time periods…)
• Genre (ex: Romance, Thriller, Historical…)
• Date that you started and finished the book
• Format (ex: paperback, hardcover, ebook, Advanced Reader Copy, audiobook)
• Page count 
• Tropes and themes
• Series (ex: series name, if the book is a stand-alone, or what place the book is within its series)
• Your star rating 
• What year the book was released or published
• Your thoughts! 
• Whether or not your would recommend the book to someone else

If you plan on sharing your book review spreads on social media but sure NOT to include spoilers! :)

Efficient Quarter-Page Example

The Book Review stamp in the Everyday Bookish Stamp Set is the perfect size for a quarter-page layout in a travelers size. I also think this amount of space would look great in an A6 if your goal is simply to log every book you read and your star rating for them. In my travelers quarter-page layout, I left the decorative tape bookish themed and kept my thoughts brief. (I clearly love regency romance).

How to Print Book Covers for your Reviews

I anticipate questions on how to print book covers. I simply find the covers on Google Images and save them. I have a Cricut Maker, so I upload the book covers to Cricut Design Space where I reformat the size and use the print then cut feature to print them on matte sticker paper with my regular household inkjet printer and then load into my Cricut maker for cutting. If you do not have a cutting machine, but you have a printer, simply insert the book covers into any document processor like Google Docs or Word. You can resize the book covers there by height and then print on regular printer paper or even sticker paper if your printer is an inkjet or laserjet printer. Lastly, you can then cut the book covers by hand or using a cutter. 

In Conclusion

I really want to remind everyone reading this, that just like your reading and journaling journeys are your own, so are the two if you join them together in your journal. Utilize the resources you have or explore new resources if you have the ability. With that being said, if you do not have the Everyday Bookish stamp set I used in my examples today, have fun with writing out your book review categories or utilize the free printable below where I put together simple book review entries you can customize once inserted to your journal. Happy journaling AND reading!

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‘rise of the powers of x’ #5 offers an epic and peaceful end.

The Krakoan Age gets ever closer to ending in ‘Rise of the Powers of X’ #5.

The end of the Krakoan Age hasn’t been more obvious than right after putting Rise of the Powers of X #5 down. We knew it was coming, but Kieron Gillen and Luciano Vecchio put a definitive period at the end of it with this issue. Sure, there are loose ends yet to be wrapped up, but if you’re looking to start the new X-Men era, you should read this to know how one of Krakoa’s periods was put into place.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is all about Xavier pulling off his plan and Phoenix/Jean showing off her cosmic might. Both are on journies of their own here, with the story crosscutting between each. It’s as if they were working together, or in this case, Xavier knew how Phoenix would act to adjust things and ensure his plan worked.

A lot has happened to get here, but at its core, this is a story about Mr. Sinister becoming far too powerful and only Phoenix is capable of stopping him from killing mutants and humans. Even the Phoenix can’t do it alone, though, as Xavier figured and enacted his plan to get Moira on their side.

The coolest element, and a tough one to pull off, is how Sinister uses captions to explain how he attempts to stop Phoenix from killing his final absolute power. In well-drawn montages, we see all the ways he’s messing with time to ensure she doesn’t gain her powers or is taken off track so she isn’t where she ends up at the start of the issue. It’s a chess match, and Gillen makes you believe Sinister is super close to winning many times over, but she’s too good. You start to believe it could happen at any moment, raising the tension of the back-and-forth battle.

That park bench has gotten a lot of use in this era! Credit: Marvel

Vecchio reveals many iconic moments for Jean and the X-Men in these montages. It’s a nice way to remember the deep history of this series while showing Jean/Phoenix jumping around impossibly at this juncture. If you ever doubted Jean/Phoenix wasn’t the most powerful mutant ever, Vecchio and Gillen will make you believers by the end of this issue.

Also tense is a scene between Moira and Xavier, who sits on the now-iconic bench from HoX/PoX . At this point, Moira is enraged and wants to win, but Xavier must use his words and reasoning to change her mind. It’s fitting Moira’s story ends in this issue, and it ends on this bench. When you realize what Xavier is asking her, it’s pretty profound and tragic. On the reverse side, a lot of peace and hope is brought on with the final page. Vecchio makes you believe all is right at the end of the Krakoan Age, which is hard to believe, given how beloved and great it was.

Rise of the Powers of X #5 is mostly effective in doing the impossible and closing the book on the Krakoan Age. It ends in an epic battle against a threat that could only be matched by the impossible power of the Phoenix, but also with a strategy that only Charles Xavier could muster. However much you may wish the Krakoa age would continue, it’s hard to deny that it ends on an extremely high note in the categories of epic storytelling and a peaceful final justice.

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