Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Yes, I finally started reading Harry Potter series. I know this is book two but I didn't like book one, I couldn't finish it. It was too much like the movie which I've seen so many times. Although I didn't read it I was impressed with it's similarity in the part I did read.

I honestly feel like I don't need to explain what this book is about. There is so much hype around this wizarding world that if you haven't heard of Harry Potter then you've mastered a skill I wish I could have. In this book, Harry and his friends find out about a secret chamber created by one of the founders of Hogwarts that supposedly contains a beast so vicious it was impossible to defeat. This chamber can only be open by an heir of Slytherin, and no one knows who that is. Harry is worried that something bad is going to happen and knows he needs to try to stop it. 

Clearly there are many many reviews of this book, most of them being positive. I want to talk about the negative ones I've found. Most of them are just magic haters, don't really get into the magic 'thing', or it wasn't adult enough for them. All valid reasons. Others trash J.K. Rowling's writing and the way she goes about writing the book. I disagree but okay. Then there are the people who start to get too personal. They hate the characters, one specifically stated that she felt Harry shouldn't even be in the book at all and that he is so dull and predictable that it made the whole series "fall flat" in her mind. Wait what? 

I personally loved this book, but I can see how it may not be for everyone. So far I am in love with the characters and I can't wait to keep reading these books! If you're into magic, and fantasy you'll love these books. I especially recommend these books to middle schoolers. Being in high school and reading many different reading levels I can see that this book/parts I've read so far is definitely catered to younger kids in the difficulty levels. That being said, I know many adults who have loved it and have claimed that it made them feel like a kid again. So who really knows. 

The last thing I want to say is: don't let the coverage and media around this series decide whether you read them or not.

Books like this:
I'm not going to do this. I have honestly never read or heard of anything like this.

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Unforgiven by Lauren Kate

Now that Luce and Daniel have found their happy ending Cam is left wanting to find his own. Cam wants to find Lilith, the girl he almost married years ago.  When he finds out that she is being put through hell by Lucifer he does everything he can to get her out. Lucifer gives Cam 15 days to get Lilith, who remembers nothing about him, to fall back in love with him. It is much harder than he could ever imagine but with Luce and Daniel as his inspiration, he keeps fighting no matter what.


I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I always liked Cam throughout the whole series and when I found out that there's a book just about him I was so excited. There were many people that were excited about this book too, even people that didn't like the other books. This book allows you to see a different side of Cam and that's what I loved most about this book.

I recommend this book to readers who loved Cam in the other books. Although I do think this book is for readers who liked Cam I also think that if you like Lauren Kate and the Fallen Series I think that you'll still like this book. It really gives you another step into that world and if you didn't like Cam before I bet you will after reading this book.


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The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

Ezra Faulkner believes that everyone will have some tragedy in their life that marks the start of your life. Ezra's tragedy was getting into a car accident after finding out his girlfriend cheated on him. Ezra was a star at his high school. Top tennis player, and popular. His accident ended his tennis career and completely changed the corse of his life. He makes new friends, joins the debate team and even gets a new girlfriend. But everything still doesn't play out the way he thinks it would.

This book was surprising, you don't really know what to expect with this book. There's absolutely no predicting with it, no guessing. Which makes it really hard to say much about it, so I've turned to others. In a few reviews they mention how this book is funny but not easy to laugh at. I agree, there were many parts that made me laugh out loud and it's not like the book ended unhappily. But it was just a very weird story line and I still don't know what to think of it.

I don't know who to recommend this book to. It's kind of a mix between Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and We Were Liars because Ezra has a very similar voice to Greg from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, he has similar feelings, opinions, and acts very similar in some ways. But this book also has a sort of tragedy aspect to it like We Were Liars and that's why I'd compare the two. Honestly, I don't really know but look, I've filled 3 paragraphs.

Books like this:
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

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Short Story Saturday!

It’s hard for me to write about myself and then share it with other people. Sure I’ve put parts of myself into characters but that’s different. Not everyone knows everything about me and when I put small things like opinions or feelings in my writing someone reading it won’t always know. This is me using my safety net to break away from my comfort zone a little. Writing allows me to branch out and move forward, to grow. I’m thankful I’m a writer because it makes me feel good to write. Whenever I’ve had a rough day I can always go and write about it or just sit down and write something, and then I feel better. Writing is something that allows me to be creative and express myself. I’ve never considered myself a creative person or an artist but I’ve come to realize that there are many forms of artists; there’s painting, drawing, music, photography but mine is writing. Writing is the way I make something, and even though I rarely share all of it with people I still feel great doing it. Putting pencil to paper, fingers to keys, no matter what way it happens it clears my mind. When I write it feels like I’m taking words out of my head and putting them somewhere else. My mind is cleared and I feel better. I can escape from everything and dive into something else. I love how you can write about anything you want to. If you don’t want to be where you are in the moment you can put yourself on a beach somewhere or anywhere else you want to go. If I don’t want to be sitting at home, doing homework, I can take a break and write about being somewhere else. I could go anywhere with a piece of paper and pencil. I am thankful I’m a writer.

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Greg has managed to make it to his senior year in high school completely invisible. He has one friend and that's Earl. Earl and Greg make movies together that nobody is ever allowed to see. Everything is fine until one day Greg finds out that his childhood friend, Rachel, is dying of cancer. Greg's mother forces him to hang out with her and cheer her up. Eventually Rachel decides to stop treatment and let things run it's corse. This is when Earl and Greg decide to make her a movie. This movie brings Greg out of his veil of invisibility and into the spotlight, and the movie isn't even good.

This book is told by Greg and he constantly talks about how he hates writing it. Greg's voice is relaxed and nonchalant. He goes back and forth from him telling the story to the story being told in script form. Many people, myself included thought that this book was absolutely hilarious. Which is true! Greg is a typical teenage boy out of touch with his emotions and at times obliviously in denial, but that's what makes this book so good! 

I recommend this book to people who liked The Fault in Our Stars but could have done without the romance. What Earl and Greg do for Rachel is sweet but there's nothing romantic about it. Every time you expect something romantic to happen it doesn't. The story is great and funny, but don't expect it to be romantic at all. It's a perfect read for non-romance lovers and I'd say from ages 13 and up.


Books like this:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green- but with less romance
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider- the main characters have a similar voice and view

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There's also a movie but I haven't seen it so I can't compare the two...

The D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

Bianca Piper is the Designated Ugly Fat Friend. All this means is that in her friend group she is technically uglier than her other two friends. When she is told this by Wesley Rush, a guy she absolutely hates, she actually throws a drink in his face. Bianca's home life isn't doing too good, her mom keeps leaving, and her dad keeps thinking she'll come back. So Bianca is in desperate need of a distraction. That's when she ends up kissing Wesley, who ends up being her perfect distraction. Bianca still hates Wesley but she continues to use him until she realizes that he may be more than just a distraction. 

I started reading this book because I watched the movie and thought it was really good. I loved the book just as much but I do have to warn you: they are nothing alike! There is almost no resemblance between the book and the movie, and I can't figure out any explanation of why they did it that way. There are a lot of mixed reviews on this book and I don't even know how to explain them. Some say Bianca's voice as a character is very strong and really brings you into the story but some think that that's not true. They're all conflicting and I'll just say this. This was a good book but don't compare it to the movie or expect them to be alike. 

I recommend this book to people that like high school stories. Bianca is an awkward, cynical girl who doesn't really fit in. Her voice is what separates all of the other books like this. If you like that sort of story then you'll like this one too.

Books like this:
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

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Rapture by Lauren Kate

Luce and Daniel, as well as the others, only have a few days to find the site of the fall and stop Lucifer from deleting the past. All they have to do is follow the clues, get to the fall, and then Luce and Daniel have to make the same choice they chose years ago, again. 

This is the last book in the Fallen series and it is brilliant. So many questions are answered, so many 'oh my gosh' moments. This is one of those endings where there is no way you could have guessed it or have seen it coming. I turned the last page and was simply left in awe. There aren't many reviews at all of this book, I think all the angry reviewers finally gave up on this series which makes me glad. This book was wonderful.

I feel like every recommendation I've given for this series has been the same so I don't really know what to say about this one other than tell you that this book makes the series even better. It is the best ending and I am so glad it ended the way it did. If you've enjoyed this series so far you'll love this book and the end of Luce and Daniel's tale. 

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Short Story Saturday!- A Captivating Presence

I’m sitting a room, only lit by the almost overcast sky that shines through the windows, reading from my kindle. This is a place that, even early in the morning, explodes with chaos but today no one’s even bothered to turn the lights on. Although nothing special, like a long weekend, made this Monday morning harder than previous ones, it was clear that this sluggish mood would define the rest of the day. I'm not alone. He is also in here, the one I’ve mentioned before, pacing from instrument to instrument. My eyes follow his every move, completely forgetting my book. I try not to let him catch me watching him but I know he’s seen that I’m here. He doesn’t move like today’s a groggy Monday morning, he walks swiftly and with purpose. I suppose that’s simply his walk. A walk with meaning and destination.

He handles each instrument with careful calloused hands, and it’s beautiful. Without knowing a thing about him you can tell that his respect for each one is a mountain's worth. I’ve known him for almost four years now. We’ve played music together, in this same room, filled with other people playing too. We’ve gone to movies, walked on the beach, and sipped hot chocolate together. I have shared many deep and meaningful conversations with him and him with me. All these memories and yet I can’t find anything to say to him. I keep opening my mouth to say something but each time I bite down on my lips to close it. I really don't know what to say. Do I tell him that just his presence captivates me? I’m sitting here, my hands starting to sweat, holding another world in my hands but the only thing with my attention is him. I can’t go back into my fantasy world, I can’t even tear my eyes away. Should I tell him that being in the same room as him causes my heart to race? My hands that usually shake with chills could burn through the floor with just a touch. My face burning as red as a fireplace. My heart beating faster than a drum. Why can’t I say how I feel? How do you tell someone you’ve built a friendship with that you secretly hope your hands touch in the dark movie theater? How do I tell him that every conversation rings word for word through my head days later?

My attention snaps back to focus. He’s moving towards the door now, maybe the bell rang while I was lost in my thoughts. Just before he goes, he turns around and looks at me. His eyes are so intense they’re hypnotizing. A smile is spread across his face. He lifts his hand and gives a swift wave. For a split second, he doesn’t move, it looks like he’s going to say something. Then the moment passes and he turns back towards the door and goes on his way. I didn’t tell him anything and probably never will. I’m happy where I am. I love what we are. The thought of ruining that is terrifying. So this right here remains a secret. May it never past the confines of this single sheet of paper for if it did I would never be able to forgive myself.

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Franny Banks is an actress living in New York City but she has a deadline. If she doesn't get a good acting job by the time her self-set three-year deadline then she has to go back home. It's getting really close and she's starting to get nervous. She lives with her best friend from college, Jane, and a sci-fi writer, Dan. Dan has feelings for Franny but she has no idea. Her agent isn't return her calls, her dad wants her to come home, and her new friend Penelope turns out to be her competition. 

This book was written very well. Lauren Graham includes pages of weekly schedules and it is filled with her witty charm. It wasn't a love story, it wasn't too exciting but it was still overall enjoyable. I feel like it's really delved into what the acting world can be like. The people that didn't like the book are people who don't really like Lauren Grahm. They couldn't get into the book because her voice bugged them. I totally can see that. This book definitely appealed to me more because of her. I love her and have always looked up to her.

So, I recommend this book to fans of Lauren Grahm and people that like books about the acting world (fiction style of course). Someday, Someday, Maybe really touches on that lifestyle, and it's coming from a true actress who probably has some true experience. If you like Lauren Graham I can almost guarantee that you'll like this book.

Other books like this:
Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess
My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi

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The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger

The Perfect Storm is a book written with stories, dialogue from interviews and memories, plus lots of research. This book not only tells the story of the storm that took down the Andrea Gail of the coast of Nova Scotia but it also shows what the life of a fisherman typically is like. Sebastian Junger starts on shore, explaining everything the crew did, what they each were like, how they all felt and what they had to come back to. He also talks about swordfishing in general, and different facts about the ship; all sorts of technical stuff. You'll then move on to the perfect storm, the one that joined together and struck all at the 'perfect' time.

This book was wonderful but also a little heartbreaking. No one truly knows what happened on the Andrea Gail, neither it nor the crew were ever found. All this book can do is tell you what might have happened. What I liked most about this book was that it did have a lot of information about the storm itself as well as other storms throughout history that are like it. The reviews on this book are almost all praising. It's just all around a good book.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories of the sea or is curious about what it can be like. The ocean is a marvelous and mysterious thing, and this book truly shows that. 

I have never read another book like this but my pal Goodreads recommends:
The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw
Ten Hours Until Dawn by Michael Tougias
South by Ernest Shackelton

Check it out!