Tag: English

Books

Book 128: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – J.K. Rowling

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read this in July 2018 click here.]

How many times can I say ‘WOW’ to open a book response? Especially if I’ve read the book already? Apparently, every time because these books just make me so happy. Definitely considering abandoning all challenges next year and just reading whatever strikes my fancy, but I doubt I will.

When I first read this book, I wasn’t that impressed. For some reason it just didn’t mesh well with me, but unlike Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this book has definitely grown on me. Whereas Book 1 introduces us to the world of Harry Potter, Book 3 introduces us to some of the vitally important characters to the world and the series. How can you not be intrigued by Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew and want to find out even more about Severus Snape? You can’t! Rowling gives you just enough information to make you question what you know about all of the characters, but not enough to reveal who or what they really are or where they’re going or who they’ll be at the end of the series.

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 127: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read this in July 2018 click here.]

Two down, five to go! So my month of bucking reading challenges may be a little longer than a month. I’m totally finishing the series again before I move on to anything else! On to the response!

SO MANY HINTS AND REFERENCES to the later novels its unreal! This time as I’m reading, I’m not finding as much I haven’t found before, but it keeps striking me how many hints and details there are in these first few novels that she carries through the entire series. Just one example is the cabinet Peeve’s smashes to get Harry out of Filch’s office. I mean seriously, that doesn’t make an appearance again until Book 6, but it and it’s partner are both in this book!

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 126: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling

Geoff W

[To see an updated review of when I re-read this in Spanish click here or for a July 2018 re-read click here.]

YES! I’m definitely glad I bucked all my challenges for the month of July and just explored what I wanted and took time for a few re-reads (specifically seven of them :-D).

I can’t believe it has been over three years (probably closer to four) since I last read the Harry Potter series. That really makes me sad. I really should just have my sets (yes, that is multiple sets of Harry Potter books) sent up from North Carolina. There’s always something missing from my bookshelf when they’re not there. I guess I’ve made up for it by slowly accumulating another set in hopes that Tom will read them. Everyone should comment and tell Tom how great this series is so he will start reading them. Plus tell him they’re fun and relaxing so he can’t use stress as an excuse!

Click here to continue reading.

ARC, Books

Book 125: The Secret Lives of Codebreakers – Sinclair McKay

Geoff W

I stumbled across The Secret Lives of Codebreakers on NetGalley and decided to request a copy as I planned on reading David Leavitt’s The Man Who Knew too Much, and I am glad I did. This book tells the stories of the individuals of Bletchley Park—not just what they were working on, but what they did in their spare time, where they came from and where they went after the war. In essence, it does everything I wanted The Man Who Knew too Much to do about Alan Turing but didn’t.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher. This response to the novel is my honest opinion and I did not receive any compensation for it. Penguin Group USA is releasing The Secret Lives of Codebreakers by Sinclair McKay in September of this year.

Click here to continue reading.

Books

Book 123: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy РJohn Le Carr̩

Geoff W

John le Carré’s espionage thriller can definitely carry it’s weight, but for once I think I prefer the film to the book. This is the third book in a row (of five) which have absolutely nothing to do with my challenges, but I wanted to read them.

Overall Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy was well written and the story was interesting, but if I hadn’t seen the film I would have had very little idea about what was going on in the story. Le Carré, pen name of David John Moore Cornwell, definitely has a way with words and there were a few turns of phrases which struck me as extremely well written or beautiful, specifically the fourth and sixth quotes below.

Click here to continue reading.