16-Jan-17: 8 / 10
30-Dec-23: 6 / 10

This was such a cute festive read! Whilst I’m obviously not the target audience for this I still enjoyed it. It did feel slightly too long though, I’m not sure it needed to be 380 pages. The artwork throughout the book was beautiful and full of Christmas charm! I appreciated some of the topics covered here; divorced parents and differently abled children. It’s always nice to see representation in children’s books. I felt it could’ve done without some of the elves songs as these got slightly annoying, but again maybe that’s because I’m not the target age.

Hardback, owned.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

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adventurous funny lighthearted 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? No

3.0

I've never read these books before and I've only seen the movies once a looong time ago, so I basically went into these blind only knowing the very well known key points. I really enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would! This book does a good job at world building and introducing you to the characters and the Hogwarts lore. "It didn't come ... he kept on running ... he opened his eyes. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock." I found the characters to be loveable and my favourites are Fred and George (despite their depiction in the films really annoying me). Plot wise it's not as action packed as the other books in the series and does feel more aimed more at children hence the average rating.

Hardback, owned.

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

So I read this in a day, I was gripped. Freida McFadden definitely knows how to write an addictive book that's for sure. I still am not fully sold on Millie as a loveable character, I felt annoyed by the way she treated Brock and led him on for him to get no resolve. That aside, I enjoyed this a lot more than the first! Once again I didn't expect the twist and loved the setting for the final third of the book, it felt very traditional thriller / horror movie-esque. I would really love these books to become movies as I think they'd translate well. I can't wait to read the third book as the preview seemed intriguing!

e-Book, Kindle Unlimited.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious 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? No

4.0

Wow this series just keeps getting better and better! I always think reading a book fast is a testament to how good it is and this series definitely reflects that; I finished this within 4 days as I was hooked! I adored Sirius and Lupin's characters, as well as their friendship. I also found it interesting to find out some of the back story of Harry's dad, James. I loved all the scenes with the Marauder's Map and Harry sneaking around, I feel I can vividly picture Hogsmeade the way the author intended. (The way this book made me desperate to book a trip back to Universal Studios). Overall, really enjoyed this story, even though I think The Chamber of Secrets may still be my favourite book so far!

Hardback, owned.

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juliettee_x's reviews 81 reviews

juliettee_x's reviews
81 reviews