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jls6283's reviews
109 reviews
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Wow! The book Order of the Phoenix is immensely better than the movie. I know there are time restraints on them, but the movies fail to capture so much of the character development - especially of the side characters. (And it’s weird that the longest book has the second shortest movie adaptation…)
Parts of this one are annoying to read as you are following a moody 15 year old boy who is dealing with amind connection with the dark lord so his mood swings are A LOT. 😅 (Understandably so!)
I have unanswered questions aboutwhat exactly happened with Sirius and “the veil” / curtain room in general.
It’s heartbreaking to know that if Harry had just used the mirror instead of floo powder to talk to Sirius, he may not have suffered the same fate. 🥺
And of course we’re reminded that the Department of Mysteries has the ability to meddle with time…. So many questions/plot holes there…. I know all the time turners are smashed so they can’t use them AFTER this, but no one could come up with a time-related plan to stop Voldemort before this? Dumbledore casually let 3rd-years use a time turner to save Sirius, yet he wouldn’t mess with time to stop the dark lord?? 🤔🤔🤔
I also start to disagree with Dumbledore in this book. In Goblet of Fire he says “It is my belief that the truth is generally preferable to lies.” (This is one of many great Dumbledore quotes!❤️) Yet in Order of the Phoenix he says”I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth.” Which is a sentiment I understand, but wholeheartedly disagree with.
Parts of this one are annoying to read as you are following a moody 15 year old boy who is dealing with a
I have unanswered questions about
It’s heartbreaking to know that if Harry had just used the mirror instead of floo powder to talk to Sirius, he may not have suffered the same fate. 🥺
And of course we’re reminded that the Department of Mysteries has the ability to meddle with time…. So many questions/plot holes there…. I know all the time turners are smashed so they can’t use them AFTER this, but no one could come up with a time-related plan to stop Voldemort before this? Dumbledore casually let 3rd-years use a time turner to save Sirius, yet he wouldn’t mess with time to stop the dark lord?? 🤔🤔🤔
I also start to disagree with Dumbledore in this book. In Goblet of Fire he says “It is my belief that the truth is generally preferable to lies.” (This is one of many great Dumbledore quotes!❤️) Yet in Order of the Phoenix he says
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Grief
Moderate: Torture, Violence, Death of parent, War
Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is a difficult one because I watched the live Broadway musical in my youth and then read the book. It’s hard to not compare this to the musical when it was so popular and influential at that time in my life…
So first off I’ll say, I’m not in any way opposed to “spicy” scenes in books, but the sexual content in here is just odd and cringeworthy. I get its importance to the story and it’s not supposed to be an enjoyable aspect of the book, but it definitely impacted my low rating.
There are also some parts of this book that just drag on and on… Sure, it is much more realistic that the relationships between these characters were built over many years of their lives and not a single school year at university, but man does it get dull at times!
I was genuinely surprised (spoiler warning for both musical AND book) that Fiyero truly dies in the book and wasn’t the scarecrow. I had myself convinced he would come back especially since Liir wished for a father.
I guess coming from the musical (which is very stereotypically a musical in the emotional journey you go through) I hoped to love Elphaba and you just don’t. I mean I get the point and she’s truly not “wicked,” but…it’s just too hard to be objective when I just want to sing “For Good.” 😂 Major kudos to Stephen Schwartz for reading this and then writing that. Not that we didn’t already all know he was a genius! 🎶
(Needless to say I don’t think I’ll continue the series)
(Needless to say I don’t think I’ll continue the series)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Sexual content
Moderate: Violence, Murder
Minor: Rape, Slavery, Death of parent
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Was it kind of predictable? Yes. Was it still poignantly thought-provoking and made me cry? Also yes…
I also just don’t like the “fake relationship” trope much. It was a little different here since it was more of a “we didn’t tell them we broke up” situation but still…
I also just don’t like the “fake relationship” trope much. It was a little different here since it was more of a “we didn’t tell them we broke up” situation but still…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The most emotional of the series! So much happens in this book and I’m sad the movie version was so different!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Death of parent
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I WANT so badly to give this five stars because it’s one of my favorite of the Harry Potter books (from what I remember. This is my first re-read after reading them 15 years ago!) This book is the glimmer of hope before all hell breaks loose in #4. Lupin and Sirius Black are two of my absolute favorite characters. But this book also gives us the biggest plot hole in the series, so….I can’t quite give that 5 star…
I understand that there are strict laws about the time turners, but you’re telling me the ministry of magic - all these smart witches and wizards - couldn’t have found a way to safely use a time turner to stop or kill Voldemort? And if the ministry wouldn’t, surely Dumbledore (who forsakes the laws and lets them use it here) would’ve come up with a time-related plan?? 🤔 Maybe this is explained away in later books. I do hope so 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Violence
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent
Iron Flame (Parts 1 & 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I rated the actual book higher. Things about the graphic audio annoyed me greatly (like how the main narrator mispronounced timbre and macabre) and the cheesiness of some of the sound choices.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
Fourth Wing (Parts 1 & 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read the physical book first and gave it 5 stars. I was excited to listen to the graphic audio to prep for onyx storm releasing next month.
Maybe I just don’t like graphic audio! 🤔 I enjoyed that each character had their own voice, but a lot of the sound effects and music sounded cheap and not well done to me. Also the main narrator mispronounced “macabre” 3 times. 🤦🏻♀️
Both Liam and Xadan’s voices made them sound a lot older than they are. 🤷🏻♀️ The extra sounds added in the spicy sections were cringe-worthy…
Another moment I felt was ruined by the addition of bad music (I’m a little biased here as a classically trained French horn player) was whenMira and Violet see each other in Monserrat. (That location might be spelled wrong, sorry!) The music was just not good and therefore I felt it cheapened this impactful, heartfelt moment! 🫣
The pace of this version does feel faster somehow though!
Maybe I just don’t like graphic audio! 🤔 I enjoyed that each character had their own voice, but a lot of the sound effects and music sounded cheap and not well done to me. Also the main narrator mispronounced “macabre” 3 times. 🤦🏻♀️
Both Liam and Xadan’s voices made them sound a lot older than they are. 🤷🏻♀️ The extra sounds added in the spicy sections were cringe-worthy…
Another moment I felt was ruined by the addition of bad music (I’m a little biased here as a classically trained French horn player) was when
The pace of this version does feel faster somehow though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, War
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I do see how people say this one is slow, but I love the Andy Serkis narration. His take on the many songs and poems makes it move along nicely.
It’s a beautiful classic read by a master! ❤️
It’s a beautiful classic read by a master! ❤️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief, War
Minor: Xenophobia
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I haven’t read these since the first time over 10 years ago in school! I forgot just how fast paced and adventurous the first is despite building the world of magic for us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail