My Harry Potter Story

I did a post like this a while back about The Hunger Games. So in honour of Harry's Birthday, the Queen's birthday and this year being a pretty special year for Harry Potter books (It completed 20 Years #HarryPotter20). I thought I'd share my HP Story.

I got into Harry Potter fairly late. I still remember the first time I heard of Harry Potter.

A little backstory, I was on an extended reading hiatus. I used to read books when I was younger but for some reason, I had taken a break and hadn't read anything for years.

I was visiting my cousin and was just waiting for her to get ready so that we could leave. Me and another cousin of mine were just passing time and surfing through the different channels on the TV. Suddenly I saw something that caught my eye. There it was a scene in a movie that would change everything. Okay that was overly dramatic. But it did change things.

I caught a brief glimpse of the Quidditch scene from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

I asked my cousin which movie it was, and she said, "Its just Harry Potter, come on lets go." I was pretty fascinated by it already and I just knew the movie's name.

When I got back home, I asked my mom about it. Then we found out there was a series of books that the movie was based on. The next day my mom got a copy of it from her Library's Children's Library section. I was over the moon!

I finished reading the book and I was completely in love. In love with the characters, the words and in love with the Wizarding World. I proceeded to talk to everyone who would listen to me about the book and how wonderful it was.

My uncle, bless him, must have been amused by my tiny little obsession. He told me that he'd check the local bookstores and see if he could find the books for me. The next time I went to visit him, he got me all the books of the series that had been released. I had my first proper paperback copies of books 1-5.

I read all of the books multiple times. By then the first three books were made into movies already. I sat down to see all of them whenever they came on TV (I still do).  I also dragged my mom to see all the movies from Goblet of Fire to Deathly Hollows Part 2 when they released. I became a Potterhead.

Harry Potter has been a truly wonderful escape for me. It bought back my love for reading. And for that I couldn't be more grateful. Harry Potter books and movies have saved me, more than once. They have taught me what true friendship should look like, they have taught me about courage, and they have taught me more about myself.

I would truly not be the person I am today without them. I still am hoping to forge friendships like the books. But for now, I've found comfort between the pages of these books and in the scenes of the movies.

Thank you JK Rowling for a wonderful childhood, for the great stories, and for the best escape a lonely little girl could ask for.

Happy Birthday Queen! And Happy Birthday Harry!

Your Potterhead,
TJ oxox

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Blurb:

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

Review:

While I was reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Simon and Baz's story stood out for me. I was so anxious to read what would happen and how that story would end. It seemed like a pseudo cliffhanger, if you will. But then the author announced that Simon and Baz would be getting their own novel, and I was so excited!

When I started reading Carry On, naturally my Potterhead mind (is that even correct?) started drawing references to the magical world of Hogwarts. I feel anyone would draw comparisons to Harry Potter because of the similarity between them, it's only natural to do that for us fangirls (and boys). Its a magical school where gifted students are taught magic, with a chosen one. Of course my brain jumped to HP, like it would jump to Vampire Academy if it was a school for vampires instead.

That was a rather long justification. Oops... 

Anyway... Carry On is not all like Harry Potter, nor is it a fan-fiction. It is different in its own right and had it has its own voice. But it does fill, to some extent, the HP shaped hole left in my heart. 

In a story that we only saw the finale of, the author has created a rather endearing and magical world. It made me smile and cheer for the characters. The cliches made me giggle (only a little... Oh who am I kidding, I live for the cliches!)

Loved the characters, loved the writing style and loved the story. I wish I could read more of Simon and crew's adventures apart from the gripping finale that we were given, but I'll take what I can get. 

Enjoy this little nugget, may it temporarily satisfy/fill the HP shaped hole in your hearts as well!
Carry On....

(See what I did there? ;) )

PS: Exams start soon my lovelies! Wish me luck! I'll be back hopefully, next week for a bit!