Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (John Tiffany and Jack Thorne) (J.K. Rowling) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

13. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne (based on an original story by J.K. Rowling)

Synopsis:
The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.
Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play received its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

My Review:

As a Harry Potter fan, I was excited to read this book. It's weird, though, because if I didn't have to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for school in 7th or 8th grade, I don't know if I would have ever read the Harry Potter series or not.

Since this is a play version and written as a script, you can't expect this one to be like the original Harry Potter series. There's a different vibe during this story and it didn't feel like the eighth book in the series. Yes, I am one of those people who felt that the series should have concluded with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. That book just felt right for the story to end at that point; I felt that it was the right conclusion to the series.

It was hard to feel connected to the kids in this, especially Albus, as they just weren't going to compare to their parents. There was something magical in Harry, Ron, and Hermione and the rest of the characters and I felt like since it was written as a play format, you couldn't feel the magical connection to their kids.

I can appreciate the format of this book because I have performed in plays and musicals in the past, but at times, I was left bored and disinterested. It ended being more nostalgic as I liked meeting Harry and everyone else in his class again as I grew up with those characters (as someone who is 30 now, I feel as if I got older with them as they got older). It was nice seeing the original group change into the adults they are in this story because we all change as we grow into adults and figure out who we are.

Now, let's actually talk about the story itself, as that's what this review is supposed to be about. Albus feels the weight of the world on his shoulders as the son of Harry Potter, something he never asked for. Throughout Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Albus struggles with that and he wants nothing more but to try to do whatever possible to create his own identity and distance himself away from being Harry's son. He finds help with Scorpius (Draco's son) and together they team up to create some mischief, but don't realize how dangerous that can be, just like Harry and Ron used to do. It causes the past and present to come together and keep things interesting, as I don't want to give the story away.

There were a couple things I enjoyed. First, I appreciated the relationship between Albus and Harry. They may have been in conflict with each other more often than not, but I thought it kept the story interesting. Second, I enjoyed how Albus and Scorpius became friends despite being sorted in different houses and what the lack of friendship was like between their fathers. I feel like it can be applied to the world today. Too often, there are people who tell us not to be friends or associated with so and so because of different beliefs, race, etc. As long as we have things in common or similar interests with others, it shouldn't matter what race, religion, beliefs (they have), sex, identity, etc, they are.

Final Thoughts:
I had a love-hate relationship with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

1. Don't compare it to the original Harry Potter series. You'll just end up being disappointed.
2. While I didn't mind the play format, I thought it got in the way of the dynamics of the actual story.
3. It would be better to see this performed than to read it. (And yes, I usually like the book more than a movie or play version)
4. As a Harry Potter fan, you will still enjoy getting to know Harry, Ron, Hermionie, and Draco as adults.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

The Shack Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

12. The Shack by William Paul Young
      Topic/Prompt: book that's becoming a movie in 2017

Synopsis:

Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation, and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his "Great Sadness," Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

My Review:

I read this book several years ago, but wanted to read it again since the movie was coming out this year. I can honestly say that I really enjoyed it both times. When I read it the first time, I was left feeling confused after I finished it. This time around, I had a better understanding of what the book was truly about.

Mack's daughter was abducted and murdered in a shack in the wilderness. Several years later, Mack receives a letter from God inviting him back there for a couple days. He's basically given a choice and decides to take Him up on the offer. While Mack doesn't want to revisit that nightmare, he figures he has nothing to lose. In the several years since his daughter died, Mack had doubted and questioned his faith. During the weekend, he has conversations with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. These conversations are meant to answer his questions about why it happened and how he can overcome this dark time in his life and any other questions he has to help him re-discover God and his faith.

Controversial at best for its theological viewpoints, I wrote this review not from the theology view, but about the story itself. When we go through hard times in our lives, we often question God and everything we believe in. While this book and the God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit presented in the story are not a substitute for the Bible and God's Word, it does help provide answers to some questions you may have like why did God let this happen? The book is about the relationship between Mack and God and what God means to him. It provides some thought provoking and life changing (for some people) conversations that you may ask yourself. If you ever find yourself doubting or questioning God, you should first and foremost seek out God's Word in the Bible, but this book can be a start. It was a story filled with moments of happiness, as well as sadness, and pretty much every emotion people go through when they lose a loved one.

I enjoyed the story and the concept. When a book is fiction, you should be able to distinguish between what's real and not when it comes to a spiritual subject like God and religion.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Be Thou My Vision (Faith Blum) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

11. Be Thou My Vision by Faith Blum

Synopsis:

Anna Stuart is comfortable with her life. She may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has her routine and enjoys taking care of her father and older brother. One letter shatters all her routines, comfort, and enjoyment. After learning of her brother’s death, Anna feels like her life will never be the same again. Then she meets two motherless boys. Did God place them in her life to lead her to a new vision of life? Can she trust God to give her the desires of her heart before she even knows what they are?

My Review:
I thought this was a thoroughly good read overall. Anna may be a 30 year old spinster, but she has enjoyed being the caretaker for her father and older brother. Everything changes one day when she receives a letter that her other brother died and he also wrote something to her right before that. Anna, torn into despair and grief, starts to question everything she believes in, God included. However, the letter also inspires Anna to seek out God again. She does it for herself and nobody else. She does have a relatively quick transformation, but it doesn't happen overnight either. When she goes back to Church, Anna is in for the unexpected surprise of befriending two boys. James and John just happen to be the preacher's sons, who are motherless and one of which is deaf (James I believe). They are drawn to her and end up encouraging her more to believe in God without even knowing it. Anna does meet Miles, of course the preacher. They hit it off, but he's so guarded that it takes him awhile to let her in his heart. Miles has had his hands full with not only the Church, but his boys, and Anna ends up being the answer to his call. Despite their personal struggles, both seem to realize that they are meant to be together. One of my favorite parts was Anna truly wanting to learn sign language so she could communicate better with James.

There was only part of the novel that I didn't really like. The Church had a gossip group of ladies who were not very welcoming to either Anna or the budding relationship with Miles. I really didn't find that to be Christian-like of what seemed to be true God-loving characters at first. And also, they knew Miles needed some support, but didn't offer any. Since it was a small Church, I thought everyone would be supportive of each other in the community and church as well.

While this is a Christian fiction novel, the story wasn't overly preachy, but still maintained that strong sense of Christian faith. I would have liked to have met some more characters from the community and got to know them as well. It was a well written story filled with some decent plotlines. I know I probably mentioned this before, but I really feel that people are in our lives for a reason and that's how I felt that Miles, James, and John were meant to be in Anna's life to gain a new perspective or vision in her life.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

10. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
      Topic/Prompt: book you got from a used book sale (in my case, a used book store)

Synopsis:

The story is set in Clayton County, Georgia, and Atlanta during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era. It depicts the struggles of young Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner, who must use every means at her disposal to claw her way out of the poverty she finds herself in after Sherman's March to the Sea. A historical novel, the story is a Bildungsroman or coming-of-age story, with the title taken from a poem written by Ernest Dowson.

My Review:

I saw Gone With the Wind when I was about ten or so and enjoyed it, even though at that age, I probably didn't understand everything going on. I've wanted to read the book for awhile now before watching the movie again. 

This review has been so hard to write because as a popular American classic, everything that could be said about it has been said before. I will say that I'm glad I waited to read this book until my 30s because I can appreciate it more now than if I had read it as a teenager.

Everyone know the famous line from this when Rhett says, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." I'm pretty sure that everyone know what Gone With the Wind is about, so I'm not going to give too much depth into the plot.

Gone With the Wind is a rich historical novel about life before, during, and after the Civil War in the South. It delves into the times of racism on both sides of the spectrum, slavery, the Ku Klux Klan, politics, and the depths of the war taking place in Georgia (for the setting of the book). While I don't necessarily agree with racism and slavery, without writing about it would have made the book worthless. But considering this novel was written in the 1930's about the 1860's, it had to be included. It's all part of history and while racism still exists today, we can't forget about the past, as it shapes our world today. The characters are unforgettable and portrayed remarkably well for the time, for both blacks and whites, that this book was written. Margaret Mitchell did a great job with character development in the beginning and it made you feel like you knew them. Mammy is hands down one of the most memorable African American characters of all time.

Gone With the Wind follows the journey of Scarlett O'Hara during the time mentioned above. Yes, I couldn't stand her throughout most of the book. She starts out being a spoiled member of a wealthy family to losing it all when the Civil War starts. Then Scarlett does whatever it takes to keep Tara Plantation up and running, even if it involves deceit, betrayal, unethical business practices, and so much more. However, Scarlett is one of the strongest feminist characters you'll ever read about. There was so much she did despite what everyone else and society said and you have no choice but to respect that quality. I did like her transformation after the climax and the infamous line said to her at the end. She never gave up in her pursuit of survival and what she wanted. When she loses everything at the end (Rhett I'm talking about), Scarlett goes back to Tara Plantation and the caring hands of Mammy to rebuild herself back up in a time when you can't help but feel sorry for her. I love how, even in her grief and loneliness of losing Rhett, that the book ends with Scarlett thinking of a plan to win Rhett back.

Just like with Scarlett, I had a love-hate relationship with Rhett. While he was a caring father and loving husband at times, there were times when his ego and pride and the things he did made me mad at him lol. One of my favorite characters was Melanie because I could relate to her. She took everything in stride and mostly kept to herself, but she maintained a strong and powerful inner persona. I've already mentioned that Mammy is a memorable and strong African American character that kept Scarlett in line, the one person that Scarlett could count on to make everything better.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~
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Reinventing Mona (Jennifer Coburn) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

9. Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn
    Topic/Prompt: book with a character's name in the title

Synopsis:

What's new? Me, for starters... It all began when my job offered me a buyout package. That's when the realization hit: I'm young, I'm rich (thanks to a hefty inheritance), and I'm boring. Things are gonna change-starting now... Building a better man trap... First things first: Exercise. Carrot juice. Straight hair. Whiter teeth. Clothes that fit. But wait-there's more. I'm finally ready to take a chance on love with the perfect guy. He's handsome. He's smart. He's reliable. He's my CPA. Problem is, I'm clueless about winning him over. It's time to call in an expert. It's time to call in The Dog. Down, boy. Mike "The Dog" Dougherty is a man's man. A guy's guy. Okay, he's a chauvinist pig, and his sty is "The Dog House," a testosterone-charged column in Maximum for Him magazine. On one hand, I abhor all he stands for. On the other hand, who better to coach me? So here I am. Learning the complex unspoken language of the American male (Talk, bad. Sex, good.); trying exciting new things (Stripping lessons are empowering. Really.); falling for Mike. Uh oh. But the Mike I'm getting to know is different from The Dog. And the Mona I'm becoming isn't quite who I expected, either. This whole makeover scheme is getting crazier by the minute. But "crazy" beats "boring"...right?

My Review:

First and foremost, the writing style used in this story was a bit different than what I am used to. It was also hard to get into the story as well. This is a book with a lot of sarcastic humor.

After Mona accepts a buyout package from her work, she decides that it's the perfect time to reinvent herself. Mona chooses a few areas of her life to focus on. She sets goals to accomplish new changes in those areas, kind of bucket list style. To help get a man to like her, Mona hires a coach, a man who writes a column on what men want from women. Mike is a chauvinistic man who guides her along the way, even though he's one of those characters you love to hate. She steps out of her comfort zone and tries to figure out who she really is. We meet some interesting characters throughout, who also try to contribute to see where and how she can make changes in her life. Mona realizes that the perfect man she thought she wanted was not the type of man she wanted in the end.

The story was just alright. It didn't hold up to its potential. While I was disappointed overall in the story, I did like the premise of the story of reinventing yourself. It's never too late to make changes in your life, figure out you are meant to be. However, I think it's important to make those changes for yourself and not for some guy or anybody else. Stay true to yourself and anything can happen. It's never too late to chase and follow your dreams.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

A Sister's Promise (Karen Lenfestey) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

8. A Sister's Promise by Karen Lenfestey
    Topic/Prompt: a book with a family member's name in the title

Synopsis:

Kate Hopper can list a million reasons why she doesn’t have kids. No, more like reasons why she shouldn’t have kids: genetics, a dysfunctional family, and ultimately, the fear that she wasn’t cut out to be June Cleaver or Carol Brady or Claire Huxtable. TV moms always made it look so easy, but Kate knows better.
When Kate’s little sister, Joely, refuses a medical treatment because it will leave her infertile, Kate is willing to say anything to save her sister’s life—even promising to have a baby. Kate decides to keep her rash words a secret from her husband until she can figure out whether she really wants to be a mother. Especially since they agreed their marriage would remain childless.
A sister’s promise and a wife’s promise: Kate must break one. Should she risk everything she has for the unknown?

My Review:

Sisters share a special bond with each other that can't be broken. Although Kate and Joely are complete opposites, they will always be there for each other. After their mom died, Kate felt she had to take on the responsibility of taking on that role. It's some years later when Joely gets diagnosed with lupus. She refused to receive treatment unless Kate promises to have a child since the treatments will make her infertile. Joely is the sister who has always wanted to have children, while Kate has never seen herself fulfilling that role for several reasons. Without thinking about it and wanting her sister to get the care she needs, Kate agrees to have a child. Kate has a lot to think about as she has also made a promise with her husband that they wouldn't have children. 

Kate doesn't like to break a promise, but for the first time in her life, she has to with one of two people she loves the most. For Kate, it's a journey of self discovery while she decides if she wants to be a mother and then breaking the news to her husband. She doesn't take the decision lightly and she has to decide all the while dealing with work politics and dealing with the emotions of her sister's diagnosis.

For Joely, she goes through another journey through the emotions of dealing with and coming to terms with a terminal illness. There's no right way of trying to receive a medical diagnosis of any sort, especially if it's something that you'll have to live with for the rest of your life or a terminal illness. 

This is a story about the bond between sisters, confronting fears head on, and a family's reaction to Joely's lupus diagnosis, which includes their father. And just like any sisters, Kate and Joely didn't always agree with each other and the choices they made. No matter what, though, they were always brought back together. It really defined that family is everything and sometimes family is all you have. It brings about a reminder to treasure the time with your family because you never know how long you have with them. 

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~