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

     Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling - 309 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

    Summary (from Goodreads):

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

    Thoughts:

When I was younger, I started reading the HP series, and I only made it through The Prisoner of Azkaban. I've always loved the movies, and since my mom and I started the thousandth marathon of the movies, I decided I would start the series again. It's just as magical and funny as I remembered (perhaps even more so), and I'm excited to keep reading the series. 

Snow White with the Red Hair (Manga) Volume 1

Snow White with the Red Hair (Manga) Volume 1 - 200 pages

Sorata Akiduki, Sorata Akizuki

Summary (From Goodreads)

Shirayuki is an herbalist famous for her naturally bright-red hair, and the prince of Tanbarun wants her all to himself! Unwilling to become the prince’s possession, she seeks shelter in the woods of the neighboring kingdom, where she gains an unlikely ally—the prince of that kingdom! He rescues her from her plight, and thus begins the love story between a lovestruck prince and an unusual herbalist.

Review

Not sure I'm in much of a hurry to continue this series.  Anything mentioned in the summary is resolved in the first chapter.  After that, the remaining chapters nearly feel like their own standalone stories, and formulaic ones at that.  As much as I admire Shirayuki's spirit, tenacity, and initiative, she doesn't get much opportunity to solve her problems entirely on her own.  

Mend!: a Refashioning Manual and Manifesto by Kate Sekules

Mend!: a Refashioning Manual and Manifesto by Kate Sekules, 227 pages

I got this book because I am interested in mending my own clothes, despite my woeful lack of skill with a needle. Sekules is nothing if not thorough with the whos-whats-whys-whens-wheres and hows, in addition to an ample collection of charts detailing strengths and weaknesses of fabrics and which methods work best on what you've got in front of you.  But I learnt much more than rudimentary mending skills.

My favorite bit of trivia I learned was that fabric could be used as a sort of currency, and was so valuable that it would require its own provenance, from who grew the plants, who processed the materials, who wove the fabric, to who cut it, who tailored it, and who wore it. As someone who grew up in the grips of fast fashion, that fact was a paradigm shift.

 

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah-464 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goodreads Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras—the Great Depression.

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

Thoughts: This is such a good book. It has really opened my eyes to the experiences of those who went through the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression simultaneously. Elsa and her family's experience was harrowing. I had only heard about Kristin Hannah and I have been highly anticipating reading many of her books. This one is heavy, but really good. 

The Hemlock Queen

 The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten 400 Pages

Summary: In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten's lush, romantic epic fantasy series, a young woman who can raise the dead must navigate the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King's royal court.

The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the sainted court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kyrithean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore's old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian's changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he's reckless, domineering and cold.

And something's been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that's telling her there's more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything.

With Bastian's coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed.

My Thoughts:  It was harder for me to get into this second book of the series. I really enjoyed the first and the fact that Lore seemed like an Anti-Hero to me. This book had a love triangle which was annoying to me. However, the storyline continued in an excellent way and I love the descriptions the author gives. 

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates

 

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates - 384 pages

It was supposed to be the party of the miles of idyllic white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage...and a dark legend nobody dreamed might be all too true.

When an online influencer and several hundred of his most loyal fans land on Prosperity Island, the plan is five days of elaborate games, drinking, and suntanned fun.

A week in paradise should have been a welcome respite. The only survivor of an infamous cult, Ruth wants nothing more than to keep her head down and not draw attention. She's spent decades outrunning her blood-soaked childhood, and her identity is a closely held secret.

But then the true history of the island is revealed…along with its sinister connection to Ruth's past. As guests go missing and games turn deadly, Ruth and the rest of the attendees are forced to question whether they've really been invited to paradise...or whether something much darker―and far bloodier―is waiting for them just beyond the bonfire's light.

Normally I think of Darcy Coates as the Freida McFadden of horror, but I was surprised that this book actually had some bloody, gory parts, which is fine by me. This was a good story but I wasn't a huge fan of Ruth.  I felt that she was portrayed as weak or meek but she survived a cult; it takes a strong individual to do that.  Anyway, it was a good book, glad I read it.

Death at the Door (Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #2) by Olivia Blacke

 

Death at the Door (Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #2) by Olivia Blacke - 352 pages

Ruby Young is slowly adjusting to her new life in Boston. A big part of that is her unexpected roommate—the ghost of the woman who lived there before. For Cordelia Graves, she may no longer be breathing, but it’s still her apartment and Ruby is the somewhat unwanted houseguest. They’re both happy they’ve managed to become friends, which is a miracle considering they struggle to communicate with each other. Cordelia even set Ruby up with her old job.

When Ruby discovers the body of a delivery guy at work, the new life she’s been building hangs in the balance. The last time Cordelia dragged Ruby into a murder investigation, it was almost two ghosts living in the apartment, not one. Determined to protect Ruby, Cordelia tries to shield her from the investigation, but Ruby has other ideas. It will take both of them working together to navigate the fine line between the dead and the living to bring a killer to light.

This is such a good cozy mystery series, I really hope the author comes out with more.  I was hoping she'd dive in a bit into Cordelia's death but she doesn't.  Fingers crossed that there's a third and it's handled in that one.