Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Latest Three: Harry Potter Re-read Wonderfulness Part 3

The Latest Three is my reader's review blog series where I talk about the latest three books I've read and at least enjoyed to some degree. The policy is that if I feel the book wasn't totally pointless, which I usually do, then I discuss the things I liked most in hopes there will be something that intrigues you enough to pick it up yourself. But at the same time, I give honest commentary and discuss things I wasn't too fond of either so you can understand the best scope of the book in your endeavor to read lots of really great books! Obviously, these come in batches of three, but if you like my review style head over to Goodreads and follow me, Kateri Ransom. I post those as I read them.

(In regards to the "Harry Potter Re-read Wonderfulness" part of the blog post title, if you missed one of my previous posts wherein there was Part 1 or 2 of this reader review series, the update is that I'll be re-reading and reviewing the entire HP series front to back, but reading a different YA/MG/Adult book in between, like I usually do. Because, like many of us bookish fiends, my TBR pile is too big to ignore for too long. You understand, I'm sure.)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J. K. Rowling
5 STARS
This HP book is just FUN. That's really the number one opinion I took away from re-reading it. The Triwizard Tournament is such a fantastic premise. Perhaps the books get darker, and perhaps it's not your cup-of-tea, but I love her persistent originality throughout the series' development. I also love how this is a mystery novel, very similar to Chamber of Secrets as well. There's a very specific and obvious mystery that needs to be solved (i.e. Who opened the chamber? Who put Harry's name in the goblet?) that I thoroughly enjoyed, and makes me want to pick up some of Rowling's other mystery work. No pun intended.)

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, April Genevieve Tucholke
3 STARS
I've started this new Book Buying Diet where I only buy new releases, and I only do so when I have something momentous in my life go down, so I not only get the pleasure of celebrating the said momentous occasion in the book store, but also writing and dating it in the book. It's like a little YA booknerd/scrap book project of mine, and also my one justification for buying new releases when I totally don't have the space or cash to do so. Henceforth, I bought this book. I wasn't absolutely taken with the blurb, but the first page did me in. In fact, it's the book's best feature: the blindingly/jealousy instigating/visceral prose of Tucholke.
Violet is our heroine, and she lives in the Citizen Cane near the misty, lonely ocean cliff-side with her brother, sans parents cause they kind of suck and like to spend their time being artsy somewhere in Europe. Their quiet life of the poor and the lonely is interrupted with the arrival of River, who rents out the little house behind the Citizen Cane. When mysterious, terrifying, and even tragic things begin to happen, Violet begins to wonder if she can trust this seemingly beautiful and wonderful boy, who goes from being too good to be true...to too terrible to be true.
Anyway, despite the FRIGGIN' GORGEOUS prose, this book didn't deliver entirely as I was hoping. I had mixed feelings about the romance, mixed feelings about the MC and her personality. But as always, I want YOU to make your own opinions. So, I'd say that if you're a sucker for killer prose, mystical/intriguing setting, dealing with the feeling of being an outsider (because the mc definitely deals with that), romance so intense it's creeptastic, and charged, spine curling climaxes, then pick this one up. Tell me what you think! 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J. K. Rowling
5 STARS
This is probably the installment of HP of which I feel gets the most grump from readers, but honestly, I love it! I think Umbridge is a phenomenally terrible villain, perhaps nearly as terrible as Voldemort. I also love the presence of the media and the government-through-media (aka government censorship) in this book. What fear can do to the masses and those in charge of them--it's a terrifying reality and it's not one of the impossible. In fact, for all we know, it could be happening right now. For all we know...

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