Beyond the Wand

 I'm not a huge non-fiction fan, I probably only read the genre once a year, but when I heard that Tom Felton had written a memoir, I knew that I absolutely HAD to read it. Hey, guess what? I am a hardcore pott-head, who knew? (That was sarcasm in case you missed it). I am also a huge Tom Felton fan. While a lot of the other actors have moved on to other things, Tom Felton is constantly keeping the magical world alive on social media. He is hilarious, kind, and nerdy in the best way. 

The book is perfectly titled, 'Beyond the Wand'. Although Tom is mostly known for his role as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movie series, he gives us a detailed outline of his life, starting from adolescence, to his years after the Potter films. Tom is open and honest about his problems with alcohol. He addresses his families mental health problems. He illustrates the darker moments of his life. However, the book is not all about his hardships. He also tells us of his best moments. His funniest moments. And how honored and grateful he is for the life that he has lived. 

I loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Tom Felton's witty sense of humor, his crazy antics as a child, and his in depth look at working on the Harry Potter sets. It was so interesting to get a glimpse of the other actors and actresses through Tom's eyes. I loved hearing about the deleted scenes, the sets, costumes, special effects, basically I was eating it all up. This is definitely a must read for any and every pott-head out there!

The Giver of Stars

 

When Alice married an American man she was sure her life was about to be one big adventure. She was leaving her family, friends, and country behind for a man who was as dreamy as a movie star. However, Alice finds herself in a strange new land where she definitely does not belong. No one seems to like her, she can't seem to do anything right for her new husband, and her father-in-law is downright insufferable. So when news spreads in the small town of Baileyville, Kentucky that a library is opening up and all of the books will be delivered by women on horseback, she quickly volunteers for the job. 

'The Giver of Stars', by Jojo Moyes, is based on the  true stories of the pack-horse libraries that were set up by Eleanor Roosevelt to increase literacy throughout the United States. These women librarians would ride through all kinds of conditions, delivering books to people who lived in the furthest reaches of their communities. They were tough, brave, and strong women who were true literacy warriors. 

Being a huge book nerd, any book about other book nerds is bound to be an immense favorite, and this novel definitely did not disappoint! From the very first page I was hooked into a plot line so intriguing, suspenseful, and heartfelt I never wanted to stop reading and was incredibly sad to reach the end. There are rumors that this one is going to be turned into a movie so fingers crossed for that one! (They better not ruin it!) This story is one that I am sure I will be revisiting again and again. It was an instant favorite for sure!

The Little Paris Bookshop

"The Little Paris Bookshop", by Nina George, was a book of the month from my book club. It is about a Frenchman, Jean, who re-purposed a boat and turned it into a book store. Jean is a "pharmacist" of the literary world. He listens to people's problems and then prescribes a book that he thinks will help them through it. Jean is also a hypocrite of sorts. He is still mourning over a long lost love, the one that got away, and instead of dealing with his pain, he shoves it into the back of his heart and mind and continues on as an empty shell of a human being. For over twenty years he has become an expert at feeling nothing. His life is routine, he does not let anyone get close to him, he doesn't even really have friends. In his mind, that is the only way to keep his heart safe from being pulverized again. One day, an unexpected letter appears and Jean is forced to confront his past and set out on a journey of self discovery.
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I was really excited to read a book about "book love". Connecting with a character through the shared love of the written word is one of  the ultimate "nerding out" euphoric experiences for me. It is why I love Hermione and Belle so much. While I thoroughly enjoyed that aspect of the book, the plot fell a little flat for me. Maybe I just have not met these kind of men in the novel, but I personally have never experienced a man who cries so much. And it wasn't just the protagonist either. The emotions felt by all the men in this novel were just not realistic to me. I suppose I could have believed one "sobbing" melt down, but the continuous, raging emotions felt by all were over reaching. After so many crying sessions you really just wanted to scream, "suck it up buttercup!". It did have its moments of delight however, and I am glad that I read it at least once. If nothing else, it gave me some wonderful book recommendations and definitely lengthened my "To Read" list.
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"Often it's not we who shape words, but the words we use that shape us"
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"A bookseller never forgets that books are a very recent means of expression in the broad sweep of history, capable of changing the world and toppling tyrants"

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows is the story of a young author, Juliet Ashton, who is searching for a topic for her next book. When a man from Guernsey Island writes to her telling her that he found her name in an old book, they begin writing letters to one another. Eventually she learns that he is a member of a book club that was created as an alibi given to the Germans that were occupying their island. Juliet becomes fascinated by the eccentric members of the book club and begins a correspondence with all of them. She ends up visiting the island and learns about the toll WWII had on their lives.

This book was beautiful. Beautiful words. Beautiful characters. Beautiful story. You can't help but fall in love with the quirky characters and the lives they live on their small island. It's one of the most heartwarming books during the WWII era that I have ever read. It's a tale of friendship, courage, hope, and the power that books bring to our lives. Books matter.

The Orphan Keeper

Have you ever read a book that left you speechless? It was so mind-blowing that you almost can't even process it? That's how 'The Orphan Keeper' by Camron Wright was for me. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that this book is based on a true story. That the events in this novel actually took place. I can't say enough good things about this book. It takes you on quite the journey with the highest of the highs and the lowest of the gut wrenching lows. Please open this book. I can guarantee you won't want to put it down.

Chellamuthu  is a young boy living in poverty in India. He is rambunctious, full of life, rash, wild, and a little disobedient as most youngsters are. He longs for things like playing in the wealthy children's park, eating ripe mangos, and proving to the other kids that he is big and tough. One day he is waiting for his father when an older boy lures him into his own kidnapping. He is placed in a Christian orphanage that he can't escape from and is eventually adopted by an unsuspecting family in the United States. Chellamuthu finds himself in a foreign country where he doesn't speak the language, has new parents and new siblings, and is thousands of miles away from his own loving and worry stricken mother. By the time he learns enough English to tell his adopted parents that he actually has a family back in India, they are shocked and do everything in their power to find his family, but with very little luck. 

This novel is a story of endurance, strength of families, and hope. It is sure to touch your heart and bring forth more empathy then you ever knew you had.

The Vicar's Daughter

Cassie is the youngest of six sisters. She is bubbly, social, and can't wait to enter society to find her match. The only problem is that Cassie's father won't let her enter society until her older sister, Lenora, marries. He believes that only one of his daughters should be a debutant at a time. The problem is, is that Lenora is timid, with crippling shyness. As she enters her third season Cassie begins to lose hope of ever having her own chance at happiness. Lenora's anxiety attacks and insecurity are standing between Cassie's happily ever after. Then one night, Lenora comes home from a social event with a positive encounter with a gentleman named Evan. That's when Cassie hatches a plan to start writing Evan in place of her sister. Cassie could have never predicted that she, herself, would start to fall in love with Evan through her letters to him as she pretends to be her sister. When Evan and Lenora finally start courting, Cassie tries to conceal her broken heart, and be happy for her sister. After all, it's her fault she's in this mess in the first place.

I love books that keep you guessing until the very end. How can Evan, Lenora, and Cassie all come out of their situations with happy endings? It seems impossible that this tangled trio can all come out unscarred. While this is not my favorite book from Josi Kilpack, it's high on the list. If you love proper romance novels then you will love this book.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

EEEEEEEEK! Dreams DO come true! I was so excited to get my hands on this book and of course, I devoured it. Heading into it I was a little apprehensive... Do I even like reading plays? Will it be worthy to carry the Harry Potter name? My answer is YES! It is amazing and wonderful and so much more then I expected it to be! I was literally giddy with excitement reading this book because it surpassed all of my expectations!

So what is it about? Well, this is a script for a play. It takes place right where the last movie ends, on Platform 9 3/4 on Albus Sirius Potter's first day of school. When Albus sits by Scorpius Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express, an instant friendship strikes up. Rose, Albus's cousin, is apprehensive of Scorpius, fretting that the mysterious rumors of his origin might be true. To Albus's dismay, and Scorpius's delight, both boys are sorted into Slytherin. Albus fears what people will think of Harry Potter's Slytherin son, but worse, he is worried about what his father thinks of him. Harry and Albus always seem to butt heads and this may just drive the father and son apart for good. When Albus convinces Scorpius to right a wrong made by his father a long time ago, the results are astronomical and lead the two boys on quite the adventure!

I couldn't put this book down. It kept me up way too late at night, but was oh so worth the caffeinated coma I was in the next day. To quote Ron, it was "bloody brilliant!" Now if only I was rich and could jump on a plane to London to see the play... what are the chances it will come to Utah do you think?? Better yet, how about turning THIS into a movie eh?

I Opened a Book

Re-reading a book

Encountering Life in a New Way

This is so me