Muggles & Magic/George Beahm/393 pages

                                                 Muggles and Magic is a fantastic book that is more "Everything You
                                            Always Wanted To Know About Harry Potter" than anything I have ever
                                            seen before!  This book is very readable!  It starts with the life of J K
                                            Rowlings, portions of multiple interviews, a bit about her life growing up
                                            and her life as a writer.  There are sections that deal mainly with the
                                            movies; others deal mainly with the books.  Characters are identified and
                                            in some cases interviewed.  Background information on where ideas
                                            might have come from, why she used certain names and how certain
                                            parts of the books parallel Rowling's own life.  Much of the
                                            information is not new, but it is all in a concise volume with photographs
                                            and illustrations and a 22+ page trivia quiz in the back!
                                                 This is not the type of book one usually reads cover to cover all at once.  It has taken me weeks to make it all of the way through the book but I can highly recommend it to any of the Harry Potter fans out there that haven't had a chance to look at this one.
     ***Only one real problem with the book--it was written before the last two books were published so it is by no means a "complete" authority.

                                                                                                                              

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / J.K. Rowling / 320 pgs

I probably have not read the first Harry Potter book in a decade, though I am a huge fan of the series. Since the ReadHarder challenge requires you to reread a book, I chose Harry Potter. I wanted to see if anything new leapt out at me, considering I know the whole story now. First, I had forgotten just how nasty Snape really was to Harry throughout this whole book. Second, Dumbledore explains to Harry that Snape was especially upset with Harry's dad because James Potter saved Snape's life at some point, and Snape hated being in Harry's dad's debt. Did we ever learn just what James did to save Snape's life?

If you've never read the Harry Potter series, do yourself a favor and start! The books become progressively more mature as the author's audience matured through the years that the series was being written. So, you find that the first book is maybe too juvenile for you, keep reading because you'll find that the writing becomes more and more sophisticated. Will happily recommend to anyone, no matter the age!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay / J.K. Rowling / 304 pgs

First, I should note that this was a screenplay, complete with stage actions for the actors, how they should comport their facial features as they were saying their lines and the complete script. As such, although it was 304 pages, it is a very quick read. I have yet to see the movie, and so I did just spoil myself, but it was totally worth it. Since the movie is such a big deal right now, I don't want to say much about the story itself. Suffice to say, after the disappointment that was Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which read as so much bad fan fiction, this is most definitely a return to form. It is completely evident that J.K. Rowling had her hands all over this screenplay, rather than the multiple names you find on the complete script of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I can see why the movie is doing so well and I hope to get to see it this weekend if not the next weekend. Reading the screenplay has only whetted my appetite for the movie.

Newt Scamander, a Hufflepuff, lands in 1926 New York City with a suitcase full of magical beasts that get loose during a hilarious comedy of errors. Helping Newt are sister witches, Tina and Queenie, as well as a No-Maj (the American word for Muggle), Jacob. However, Newt finds that he has a villain working against him, as well as the Magical Congress of the USA (America's equivalent of England's Ministry of Magic).

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child/ Jack Thorne/ 325 pg

Harry Potter and the Crused Child, a collaborative script, is a play put together by Jack Thorne, J.K. Rowlings, and John Tiffany.  The play picks up with Harry seeing his youngest son Albus, off to Hogwarts.   Albus quickly befriends Scorpius, son of Draco Malfoy and before long trouble ensues.  Time travel by the two young men create chaos in the present when parents switch partners and good switches with bad.  Eventually everyone realizes what's really important and Voldemort is once again defeated.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne / 328 pgs

Harry Potter, 19 years after the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic and father to James, Albus, and Lily. When Albus goes off to Hogwarts, however, and befriends the son of Draco Malfoy, the rift between father and son grows too wide with devastating consequences. I think the most surprising thing about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was how quickly I finished it. Obviously, a play is only dialogue and a few stage directions, taking up far less space on a page than a novel would, but it still surprised me that I read the book in only a little over two hours. For that reason, I'm quite pleased I resisted buying the book. I'm so mixed about what to rate this. It just wasn't quite enough for me. Obviously, like I said, it's a play, and perhaps seeing it live would make it enjoy it more than I did. I don't want to spoil the major plot points, so it's hard to say more. Some have said that it reads more like an average-written fan fiction, and I would heartily agree with that assessment. I'm not even sure if I accept the story as canon.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire / J.K. Rowling / 734 pages

Harry Potter's adventures take a darker turn in this 4th book of the series.  The imagery and magical violence conjured in the text may be too strong for young readers.  The teenage angst common in young adult books is very present in this volume.  Harry finds friends who turn out to be enemies and enemies who turn out to be friends.  He seems unable to decide who to trust.  To make things worse, Ron gets angry with Harry (over Harry's fame and fortune) and ignores him for weeks.


Hermione takes on a crusade against prejudices of all kinds in this volume.  Fans of the movie may appreciate this deeper look into Hermione's psyche.  Another difference between book and movie is in how distant the teachers seem in the book.  Snape is even worse to Harry in the book than ever in the movies, Dumbledore and McGonagal seem to hardly notice Harry's troubles and rarely help him.  The only teacher seeming to help this year (besides Hagrid of course) turns out to be arranging Harry's death.  (What's a year in Hogwarts without someone trying to kill Harry?)


This book, like all the others in the series, is well worth the read.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban / J.K. Rowling / 435 p.

The 3rd book in the Harry Potter series is wonderfully written as always.  The animosity between Snape and Potter is more apparent than ever.  Harry has a new foe to worry about - the prisoner of Azkaban, who might have gotten out in order to kill him.  Harry remains the intrepid hero and faces all his challenges bravely - finding friends where he thought to only find enemies and learning more about his own past and parents.  Hermione and Ron help as much as they can and are by Harry's side through the worst of his challenges.  Fans of the movies will begin noticing more pronounced differences between text and film in this book and the next.  This series is excellent for reluctant readers or those who need a little magic now and then.