Author: Rachelle

Harry Potter Book Night: A Night of Spells!

Published on by Rachelle8 Comments

HPBN-logo

It’s #HarryPotterBookNight!  From now until 9 pm CST (10 pm EST), I’ll be here and on Twitter chatting about all things Harry Potter and responding to commenters.  Below are a bunch of activities that you can participate in, as well as some other fun HP related links, but first up, we all need to find out our Harry Potter names.  Head on over to the Harry Potter Name Generator to get your name.  My new name is:

Rowena Abbott

For tonight, I’ll be going by my new name.  Let me know in the comments or on Twitter what your new name is as well as the House you belong in (mine is Gryffindor), and don’t forget to use the official hashtag, #HarryPotterBookNight.  If you need to be sorted, hop on over to Pottermore.

Harry Potter books giphy

Now, on to the games and other fun stuff:

GAMES

Here are a bunch of ways to earn points for your House.  You have until 8 pm CST to complete the various games, and I will announce the winning House, along with the individual winners of the scavenger hunt and Potion Masters contest at 9 pm CST tonight.

  • Diagon Alley Scavenger Hunt: Fortified By Books has temporarily opened up shop in Diagon Alley, and to celebrate I’ve put 7 magical items on random pages and posts throughout the Fortified By Books blog!  Each is worth 10 House points, and you’ll win an additional 30 points for your House for finding them all.  Look very carefully for wizard coins, a copy of the Daily Prophet, the book cover of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an owl, a wand (5 bonus House points to the first person who can tell me who the wand belongs to), a Chocolate Frog, and a broomstick.  Can you find them all?  Leave a comment on the page or post where you found each item and then leave a comment on this post to let me know you’ve found them all.
  • Potion Masters: You have been asked to invent a new potion.  In a comment, list up to five ingredients that it contains, what it does once taken, and a unique name for your newly invented potion.  1st place will get 100 House points, 2nd place will get 50, and 3rd place will get 25.  All other participants will get 10 House points.  Anyone who also provides what their potion looks and smells like will get 5 bonus points.
  • Harry Potter Trivia Challenge: See if you can answer all 60 questions correctly to earn an O (Outstanding).
  • G.N.O.M.E.S.: Take any, or all, of these quizzes, and for every one you answer all the questions correctly, you’ll earn 10 House points.  Just share the results and then come back here and leave the link in a comment.
  • Who Is Your Hogwarts Best Friend? Take this quiz to find out, and then share the results.  All participants who come back here to leave their shared results link in a comment will earn 10 House points.
  • Do You Remember the First Chapter of “Harry Potter”?: You’ll earn 10 House points for answering all the questions correctly, sharing the results, and then leaving the link in a comment.

FUN STUFF

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Image: Sean Chun Seian Liew

This is going to be a great Harry Potter Book Night!  Enjoy the games and fun links, and let me know what your favorite is, or if you’ve got any of your own Harry Potter Book Night links to share.

Super Rad Announcement

Published on by Rachelle5 Comments

I GOT A JOB!!!

fist pump

Due to this, I’ve been celebrating with the Boyfriend and texting back and forth with friends and loved ones instead of writing today’s book review.  I got the call first thing in the morning yesterday after I got home from my part-time job.  My head has been somewhere in the clouds since I got that phone call, and my shoulders are back where they’re supposed to be, so I can only assume that they were anchoring my head while connected to my ears for the past month and a half of job hunting.

Anyway, my life is no longer on a semi-hold, and starting in two weeks I’ll be earning a higher salary than I was expecting to be offered right out of college, even with my work experience.  I’ll also be doing something that I’ll (hopefully) enjoy, and the benefits are excellent.  I’ve been doing a happy dance and randomly jumping up and down while simultaneously freaking the cat out with my exuberant behavior.  I don’t think he knows what to do around me right now.

Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten that tomorrow is Harry Potter Book Night!  I’ll be spending the day making sure that’s all in order, and everything is ready to go by 5 pm CST tomorrow 🙂  Until then…

Lisa Simpson Happy Dance

The Classics Club: Moll Flanders

Published on by Rachelle

Moll Flanders

  • Author: Daniel Defoe
  • Pages: 319

This is one of the many Classic novels I got for free from Barnes and Noble for my Nook so many years ago.  It was mentioned in Bibliotherapy: The Girl’s Guide to Books for Every Phase of Our Lives by Nancy Peske and Beverly West, and so I added it to my TBR.  Daniel Defoe’s introduction stated that this was the story of a woman who led the life of a criminal and then repented.  Instead, the story reaffirms the abysmal state of women during the 18th century, especially poor women without a family name and reputation to fall back on.

While I understand that, for the time, the  story was considered scandalous and full of intrigue, the first part of the book was rather dull, and I kept wondering how Moll getting taken advantage of by seemingly every man she came into contact with was somehow indicative of her being a criminal.  I felt sorry for her and her naive trust in wealthy men who only wanted to turn her into their personal whore.  The second part was a little better, and the criminal activities she participates in so she could cobble together a living for herself only made me feel that much more sympathetic towards her and women of her time.  Also, I didn’t see Moll’s escape from a life of crime as a repentance for past sins and her transformation into a morally upstanding English citizen so much as taking the opportunity to get out of England and start a new life with a considerably higher chance of not dying in prison.  However, she’s still too trusting and ends up with a d-bag of a husband.  The more things change…

I think Charles Dickens would have written this story much better than Daniel Defoe did.  Yes, there’s a hundred years difference between the two authors and their writing styles, but Defoe knew how to take his time getting to the point.  Throughout most of the story, I was either bored or wondering when the real criminal behavior would begin.  Towards the end, I just wanted it to be over with already.  The only thing I’m happy about is finally being able to cross this Classic off my list.

Feel the Paper Love February: My TBR

Published on by Rachelle4 Comments

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Yep, that’s right!  The photo above of my bookcase is my TBR mountain for Feel the Paper Love February.  Why?  Because, with the exception of three books I want to read this month, I don’t have a plan.  It depends on the weather, my mood, and how quickly I get through the other three books.

What are those three books?

  • An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon – I started it on the 1st of the year but kept getting distracted by other books.
  • The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith – I borrowed this from the Boyfriend’s Mom’s Husband when we went to visit for Christmas.  I don’t know how it will work out, but the plan is that we will exchange books when the Boyfriend’s Mom comes down to Austin every couple of months.  Since I don’t know when she’ll be in town next, I want to have the book finished, a note with my thoughts about it written, and a book of mine ready to send with it.
  • Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania Del Rio – This is an ARC that I’ve had on my shelf for far too long.

One thing I did decide is that, since I’m choosing to read nothing but physical books this month, but I usually listen to audiobooks when I’m in the car, I’m going to catch up with the ridiculous number of podcasts I’ve been neglecting instead.  They’re not books, so I’m not breaking my commitment to the printed page.  I’ll return to my audiobooks next month.

Monday’s Minutes

Published on by Rachelle

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

  • An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
  • Bad Magic by Pseudonymous Bosch

 Echo Bad Magic

Finished:

  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
  • Stories I Told Myself by Patrick E. McLean
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling – for the HP re-read.

Oz Stories Deathly Hallows

Challenges:

Total pages read: 603

Total # of books for the year: 9.  I signed up for Litha’s Feel the Paper Love February, so I’ll be reading nothing but the physical books on my TBR shelf this month.  I forgot this is the last month of COYER, though, so I guess I won’t be making my goal of 10 books.  Oh well, at least I got seven ebooks/audiobooks off my TBR.

My Top Commenters: It’s a tie between Terri @ Second Run Reviews, and Felicia @ The Geeky Blogger’s Book Blog.

What are you reading this week?

Monthly Discussion: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment

Deathly Hallows

This is it!  We’ve come to the conclusion of the Harry Potter series, and, therefore, the end of my HP re-read.  My eyes kept getting watery while reading this book, just as I suspected would happen.  Those pesky allergies.  We’re not completely done with all things Harry Potter, though.  Oh, no.  We’ve still got Harry Potter Book Night, A Night of Spells!  Join me on February 4th to celebrate the series and the Boy Who Lived!  There will be a post chalk full of links to games and other fun activities, and maybe a few of my own creation. I’ll also be on Twitter, using the official hashtag #HarryPotterBookNight.  I’m kicking everything off at 5 pm Central Time (6 pm EST), and the party won’t be over until 9 pm.  That’s FOUR HOURS OF AWESOME!

HPBN2-SaveTheDate

Since this last book of the series causes all the feels, especially reading it after Alan Rickman passed away earlier this month, I’ve listed some less emotional but still interesting links after the discussion questions.

Discussion Questions

  1. How have the characters changed with each book in the series?  How different or similar are Harry, Ron, and Hermione from when they started at Hogwarts?  What about other characters?  How has Dumbledore developed as a character in the series?  What about Snape?
  2. Harry, Snape, and Voldemort’s histories have been linked from the beginning of the story.  How did their early experiences and their choices in life shape their characters?
  3. How did reading the article about Rita Skeeter’s book on Dumbledore and parts of the book itself affect Harry’s feelings for Dumbledore?  Why didn’t Dumbledore share certain parts of his past with Harry?  Why is Harry disturbed when he learns at Bill and Fleur’s wedding that Dumbledore’s family lived in Godric’s Hollow?
  4. How did the Death Eaters gain control of the Ministry?  How did they maintain that control?  Compare the Death Eaters’ takeover of the Ministry to tyrannical regimes in history.
  5. Why does Slytherin’s locket affect the mood of whoever is wearing it?  Do you think the locket affected Umbridge the same way?  Is it the locket that causes Ron to desert Harry and Hermione?  Why is it fitting that Ron is the one to destroy the locket?  Compare Ron’s experience with the locket to the way in which Ginny is possessed by Tom Riddle’s diary in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
  6. When Harry, Ron, and Hermione discuss which is the most important Hallow, they each choose a different one.  What does this tell us about them?
  7. Why does Wormtail’s silver hand cause his death when Harry reminds him that he spared his life?  Compare Wormtail’s death to Dobby’s death while saving Harry and his friends.
  8. Why does Harry insist on digging Dobby’s grave himself without using magic?  Discuss what Griphook means when he tells Harry he is “an unusual wizard.”
  9. When Harry reaches Hogwarts, he doesn’t want to involve the other students until Hermione tells him, “You don’t have to do everything alone.”  Compare Harry’s response to Tom Riddle who confided in no one and worked alone.
  10. What is the most important thing Harry learned from Severus Snape’s memories?  Why was it important for Snape to share them with Harry?  By using the Pensieve, Harry discovered Snape’s love for Lily Potter and the truth about Snape’s relationships with Voldemort and Dumbledore.  What does the epilogue reveal about Harry’s final judgement of Snape?
  11. Harry gets confused between real events and his imagination, but Dumbledore tells him, “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?”  Could this be used as a comment on fiction in general?  How real does the world of Harry Potter feel to you?  What makes this series so believable?
  12. What insights has Harry gained during his quest to destroy Voldemort in this book and throughout the series that makes him a real hero?

Fun HP-Related Links

Will you be joining me for #HarryPotterBookNight?  Let me know in the comments below and feel free to share any of your Harry Potter-related posts as well!

Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Published on by Rachelle4 Comments

Storied

  • Author: Gabrielle Zevin
  • ISBN: 9781616204518
  • Genre: Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages: 288

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over–and see everything anew. – Goodreads synopsis

I had heard nothing but great things about The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and so I bought the book with every intention of reading it soon after I got it home.  As with many of the books I’ve bought before I joined the #ShelfLove challenge, it sat on the shelf for a couple of years.  Then I read The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald.  Reviews frequently suggested that anyone who enjoyed The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry would love this book too.  I loved The Readers of Broken Wheel, and so it wasn’t long before I finally took The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry off the shelf.

Like The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, I couldn’t put this book down.  Both stories involve a bookstore and an unexpected death, and both are mostly light-hearted, feel-good reads.  However, you can’t read one and say you’ve read the other because that’s where the similarities end.  The closest story to The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry I’ve come across is the movie Jersey Girl, at least superficially.  Regardless of its similarities to other stories, it’s well worth the short time it takes to read it.

I will be adding this book to my list of go-to comfort reads along with The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend.  If life is getting you down, or you just need to relax into a book that isn’t too heavy but isn’t pure brain candy either, then I recommend The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

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#FitReaders Check-In

Published on by Rachelle
FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for January 22nd – 28th.
  • I met my step, mileage, and stair goals, so I’ll be working towards an average of 5K steps per day.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Yoga Workouts: 0/5
  • Steps: 34,270/28,000
  • Miles: 14.08/10.5
  • Flights of stairs: 36/28
  • Active Minutes: 137/140
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 1/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 1/10
  • Total Money Donated: $4.55/$100.00

Review: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

Published on by Rachelle4 Comments

Recommend

  • Author: Katarina Bivald
  • ISBN: 9781492623441
  • Genre: Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages: 400

Broken Wheel, Iowa, has never seen anyone like Sara, who traveled all the way from Sweden just to meet her pen pal, Amy. When she arrives, however, she finds that Amy’s funeral has just ended. Luckily, the townspeople are happy to look after their bewildered tourist—even if they don’t understand her peculiar need for books. Marooned in a farm town that’s almost beyond repair, Sara starts a bookstore in honor of her friend’s memory. All she wants is to share the books she loves with the citizens of Broken Wheel and to convince them that reading is one of the great joys of life. But she makes some unconventional choices that could force a lot of secrets into the open and change things for everyone in town. – Goodreads synopsis

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend is a book I couldn’t put down once I started reading.  The opening pages hooked me by making me wonder what I would do if I found myself stranded in a small town in another country.  Then I wondered what I would do if I found out that not only was I in a strange place but the person I was visiting but had never met before had passed away shortly before my arrival.  The more I thought about it I saw just how possible Sara’s situation was, especially considering I talk to people I’ve never met every day, and some of them live in countries I’ve never been.  The more I develop these global friendships, the more I can see how maybe someday I or they would take the opportunity to get on a plane to meet up in person.  I’ve traveled around the world my entire life, so why not?

The rest of the story is full of familiar faces.  Having lived in an extremely small town in Wisconsin at one point in my life, I recognized each of the characters living in Broken Wheel.  That’s not to say they were 2D stock characters out of a sitcom.  There was more to each of them than the stereotypes they represent at the beginning of the story.  What I am saying is that anyone familiar with Small Town America will find the book to be comforting.  While complex issues are well represented throughout the story, they’re brought up in a way that isn’t jarring or unsettling the way that Literary or Speculative Fiction can be.  The author tells a somewhat light-hearted story while at the same time showing that there is diversity in even the smallest of towns, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first glance.

I can easily see The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend being adapted to film.  I don’t know how I feel about that, though, simply because I think Hollywood would beat it into the shape of a Rom Com and end up losing a lot of what makes this book so enjoyable.  However, it’s worth reading, especially if you loved The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin or if you just need a comfort read to relax into on a snowy or rainy day.  I will be adding this to my go-to books for when life gets to be too much.

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Lit-Cube Unboxing: Perfect Penpals

Published on by Rachelle

2016-01-23 16.33.01

This, unfortunately, will be my last Lit-Cube unboxing for awhile, at least until I’ve got a full-time job.  As soon as I’m working full-time, though, I’ll be using my new lunch bag 🙂

  • Exclusive “A good book, a close friend, and an impromptu picnic.  What could be better?” Insulated Lunch Bag – valued at $11.99
  • Nourish Snacks Gluten and Dairy Free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian “Miss Popular” Dark Chocolate Half-Popped Corn Kernels – valued at $1.99
  • Stationary Set – valued at $10.99
  • “Bonafide Bibliophile” Lit-Cube Pen – valued at $2.00
  • Driving with the Top Down by Beth Harbison – valued at $15.99

I don’t know if I’ll like this month’s book selection, but it looks like the perfect Summer read, so I’ll hold onto it at least until then.  The Nourish Snacks look delicious, and I love half-popped popcorn kernels, so I’m looking forward to trying them.  Though I’ve already got a million pens, I realized I don’t have any book-related writing tools…until now, and what’s even better?  Like the lunch bag, it’s purple, my favorite color!  One thing I’m not so happy about is that there wasn’t any additional book swag or QR codes for free ebooks like there was in the past two boxes, but overall it’s still more than worth the subscription cost.

February’s theme is “Classic Romance,” and there are still four days left to order.  If only I had the money…
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