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

Yesterday a musician that I've loved passed away. Many of you out there loved him and I just needed to share a little about him.

Last night just before I headed off to bed, I saw a notification from Facebook. I checked the notification and as I was backing out I saw an article that said that Chester Bennington  (of Linkin Park fame) had passed away. I grabbed on to the table next to me because I was afraid I'd fall down. I read the headline again, and quickly dismissed it. Then I scrolled down. I saw article upon article reporting his demise. I couldn't believe it. I refused to.

I closed the app and just went off to bed with his songs stuck in my head.

He was a part of one of the first bands I loved. I discovered Linkin Park through my then close friend. We listened to Numb, the first song I'd ever heard from Linkin Park, and we were done for; fans for life. It spoke to me on a different level entirely.

As I woke up I didn't remember about what I'd read last night. Then as I logged in to aimlessly scroll through Facebook it hit me again like a ton of bricks. Chester Bennington was gone. How could he just be dead? I was expecting tears, instead I was just numb.

A post shared by TJ 📖 (@thecuriositykey) on Jul 21, 2017 at 11:03am PDT

I read two amazing articles by Buzzfeed India. You can check them out HERE and HERE.


I'll end it here. I just need to listen to his words and drift off to sleep. Chester, you'll forever be missed. I hope you are in a better place now and I hope that you know that in the end it did matter. You've touched the lives of thousands of people everywhere, and we'll sorely miss you. RIP ♥

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Cover Reveal for 19 Marigold Lane by R.M. Gilmore

19 Marigold Lane (Prudence Penderhaus #2) by R.M. Gilmore 

Blurb:

New foes and old come together in this second episode of Prudence Penderhaus's wild ride called life. Cassius, Bonnie, Heego, Mom, and the douche bags of Flintlock are back to tie up loose ends and dig up more than they ever bargained for.

**Release date TBA

Excerpt from 19 Marigold Lane

Consciousness was a fleeting thing. In and out. In and out. Without Cassius and Bonnie to keep me motivated, the exhaustion from healing mixed with the pain meds and swept me quickly into dreamless sleep. It wasn’t real sleep. Not that deep, restful sleep that comes naturally when the sun goes down and your body has had its fill of humaning. It was shallow and in the end really only perpetuated my exhaustion. I did snore, however. Apparently.

“You snore loudly, Prudence.”

My eyes were hardly open and my brain still foggy from sleep refused to comprehend what I was looking at. I jarred awake, startled, shoving myself away from the thing beside me, and yelped both from pain and fear.

“What. In. The Hell. Are. You. Trying to kill me?” I said, words stunted around panting breaths and raging heartbeat.

His black eyes stared deep into mine. “Why would I do that?” Cassius, in his innocent glory, asked in a tone that questioned my sanity instead of his own.



Catch up on the series now with 17 Marigold Lane! Check out my Review for 17 Marigold Lane the first book in the series HERE.

SO EXCITED FOR BOOK 2!!!

Check out R.M. Gilmore on the interwebs:

www.RMGilmoreAuthor.com

www.Facebook.com/rmgilmoreauthor

www.Twitter.com/rmgilmoreauthor

www.Instagram.com/rmgilmoreauthor

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray by Tarryn Fisher

SURPRISE! #AWKAP is LIVE!!! Who's ready for Yara and David? Available NOW on

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | iTunes | B&N

Yara Phillips is a wandering muse.

She dates men who need her, but always moves on to something new, never staying in one place for very long.

David Lisey is in need of a muse.

A talented musician lacking lyrical inspiration. When he first sees her, he knows he's found what he's been looking for.

Yara believes she can give David exactly what he needs to reach his full potential:

A broken heart.

David’s religion is love.

Yara’s religion is heartache.

Neither is willing to surrender, but religion always requires sacrifice.

 

Yara’s Yesterday Spotify List:

https://open.spotify.com/user/1226318453/playlist/6h5mCg008D4VxjkWuudzQ7

 

Dear Yara, The bands in London, November 12th. Want to catch up? David So casual. So nonchalant. You’d think we were only acquaintances, that we’d once sipped a couple of beers together instead of tattooing love on our skin and reciting marriage vows. I read the e-mail again and analyze the shit out of it. How can I not? I count out the words: thirteen. The punctuation: four. His name, my name. A flippant, casual turn of phrase: catch up. In the end, there’s only so much psychoanalyzing you can do to a thirteen-word e-mail. I move on with my life, feeling rather pathetic. But not before I e-mail him back. And okay, sure, I don’t move on with my life. What does that even entail? Forgetting? Forgiving? Being happy? Besides, I know what he wants to talk about. I know why he’s coming. Hi David, Yeah, sounds good. Let me know when and where. Yara My e-mail is a word shorter. I’m that petty.  

Tarryn was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. She immigrated to America with her parents when she was thirteen, and spent the next eighteen years in South Florida where she earned her degree in Psychology, wrote her first novel, and had two children. In 2012, on a whim, she moved her family to Seattle, Washington where she currently makes her home safely away from the sun. Tarryn is the founder of Guise of the Villain, a fashion blog, and has written eleven published novels. Tarryn is a Slytherin.
Website: www.tarrynfisher.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortarrynfisher Instagram: https://instagram.com/tarrynfisher/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tarryn__Fisher        

 

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Review for Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Blurb: 

 Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege.

Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people.

When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, dark family secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point.

Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips--Triton.

Review:

Who here loves Disney?! You do? Do you love The Little Mermaid? Of course you do! 

I also love The Little Mermaid. I'd sit up glued to the TV whenever it would come on. Even back then I'd wonder what happened to Ursula? What made her "her", you know? Worry not, for here's an answer for you in an amazingly well written book format! (Wow, I'm feeling super hyper today. Tone it down TJ!)

Lately,I've been on a re-telling and anti-heroes kick. And you know I love a good back story. So OBVIOUSLY, this book hit just the right spot! I absolutely love books by Stacey Rourke. She has a way to just pull you in and keep you hooked. I expected no less from this book and it absolutely delivered. 

Rise of the Sea Witch is the back story for Ursula, or Princess Vanessa as she was known back then. I absolutely LOVED it. The characters were amazing and the writing style, as usual, was brilliant. There was a little surprise character that I totally did not expect to see in this particular story, but I hope he/she comes back in the next instalment. (No, I'm not telling you which character. Because SPOILERS!)

I particularly loved how Stacey Rourke just incorporates these little bits that are reminiscent of the characters we know. It actually felt like the character you know? But at the same time, manages to make the story her own. She created a book world around a few characters we know and love, and gave it her own distinct voice. (That was confusing, wasn't it?)

Finally, lets take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover! How cool does that look?!

Overall, just get this book if you love The Little Mermaid, or just mermaids in general, or re-tellings. Absolutely loved this book!

PS: I don't know how she will top this book, but I have no doubt the next book will still blow me away!

Read the Prologue for Rise of the Sea Witch in my last post HERE.

Summer Reads Book Reviews!

Hello lovelies!

Here are a few reads I loved in the summer. These reviews are way overdue so I thought I'd just combine it here in one nifty little post!

Adjournment by Emersyn Vallis

Blurb:

When I chose to leave home I knew what I was giving up. I knew I was walking away from life as I knew it and the plans that we had made.
We…us…him and I…
It’s funny to think of him in a different light…or life.
That’s what it feels like, a lifetime ago.
But I’m a different person now. I have rules and goals. And if it wasn’t for my parents' vow renewal I would have successfully evaded him for the rest of my life. This is not by choice, I can tell you that.
I just need to focus and remember the key to this weekend is avoidance…and alcohol. But if anyone can pull that off it’s me, Sidney Chandler, queen of avoiding anything that will make me feel.
It’s just one weekend, right?
One very long weekend with my family…friends…my sisters and me…together, and our nemeses, the McAllister triplets.
What could possibly go wrong?
Everything.
They say you never forget your first love, now just imagine how hard it is to forget your only.
This is going to suck.

Review:

Adjournment was a book about a girl desperately trying to run from her past and leave it behind but love has different plans. This was a fun read, with relateable characters and an intriguing story line.

I quite enjoyed the book, but in some places I felt like the story didn't flow as well. I wish that this book was a little more polished. I still have some questions unanswered, but I suppose that it will be answered in the upcoming books.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

The Seer's Lover by Kat de Falla

Blurb:

For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from people, making her believe she is different. Pulled into an ancient war raging for centuries between demon hunters and seers, she's about to find out she's right.

Her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to endanger Calise by sharing it with her.

In the sultry Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human world, or will their new found love be their downfall?

Review:

I will admit, I judged the book by the cover. I did not expect that I would be so invested in the story. But I was! This book had me at the edge of my seat. 

There is just SO MUCH happening in the book that you are constantly left wondering what will happen next. My only complain would be that in some places it felt like the book dragged on and in some places it felt like the scenes were being stretched out unnecessarily. 

I don't think I've read a book in this genre lately and I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Now I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

Overall, a great paranormal read.

Crashing Tides by Casey Peeler

Blurb:

You can predict the tides but not the changes they make. Gunnison Del Valle was the current in the tide that was about to change my life.
Crash one we met.
Crash two we fell in love.
Crash three changed our perfectly planned lives forever.

Review:

Let's just start by saying that I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it but I didn't like it as much as I wanted to.

I liked the fact that the book was a quick summer romance. There wasn't much drama, but there were real emotions in there. 

But I felt like the book was too fast paced. (Is that even a thing?) 

I felt like everything went by too fast. I love the build up, the will they won't they, the chase. But in this book it was a story of insta-love, which I've realised that I'm not a big fan of. I would have loved for the story to have a little more depth and build up. Come on! Sweep a girl off her feet!

But again, the book had its sweet moments too. Hence the mixed feelings.

Overall, I think this is a perfect summer romance.

Till later lovelies!

oxox