J. K. Rowling continues her phenomenally popular Harry Potter series with yet another tale of magic, mirth, and mayhem. Like its predecessor, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is chock-full of fascinating characters, frightful events, and fun wizardry.p

The Dursleys were so mean and hideous that summer that all Harry Potter wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and WIzardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor, Gilderoy Lockhart, a spirit named Moaning Myrtle who haunts the girl's bathroom, and the unwanted attentions of Ron Weasley's younger sister, Ginny.

But each of these seem minor annoyances when the real trouble begins, and someone - or something - starts turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects... Harry Potter himself?

Rowling packs this tale with plenty of adventure and action, keeping the pace fast and furious. There's plenty of humor, too - both subtle and bold - as well as a few moral lessons. With overlapping themes that range from the simple to the sophisticated, Rowling's Potter tales should appeal to readers of all ages - the young as well as the young at heart.

When I put down for the first time, my first thought was, “That was a really good book. Wow!” I was pretty happy to have Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to move on to right away. This one pulled me right away and had me laughing harder and gasping more loudly than before. J.K. Rowling has done it again, and the series only gets better and better after this.

While some series may suffer from a sophomore slump, this is not the case with Chamber of Secrets. Even before our heroes arrive at Hogwarts, this sequel is completely action packed. From chapter one Rowling has the reader asking questions and wanting to know more. Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys all find themselves back at Hogwarts this year, but this time they have the youngest Weasley, Ginny, in tow.

Of course, given the ending of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, not everything is perfect at Hogwarts. The danger in this novel is palpable and the stakes are higher. Rowling does an excellent job of developing each of her characters more without overloading the reader with information. Part of the reason why I love this book is because we get the opportunity to know the entire Weasley family better. I would jump at the chance to and live in The Burrow. I also feel like we get to know a lot of Hufflepuffs individually in Chamber of Secrets, which I thought was kind of cool, because they didn’t get a whole lot of love in Sorcerer’s Stone.

Can I conclude by saying how awesome the climax in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is? J.K. Rowling created a brilliant puzzle, and I didn’t quite put all of the pieces together when I first read the book. Every time I look back I appreciate how well-crafted the story is. The best part is that with every installment the world-building becomes more intricate and I rarely spot inconsistencies.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book.

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For review: by Alicia Whittaker
by Jennifer E. Smith
by Michelle Moran
by Faith Erin Hicks
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Pedro the Penguin
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by Andrea Cremer
by John Green
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Read:
by Wendelin Van Draanen
by John Green
by Kirsten Gier
by Lauren DeStefano
by David Levithan
by Jennifer E. Smith
Currently reading:
by Bree Despain
by J.K. Rowling
What I plan to read:
by Sherry Shahan
by Jennifer E. Smith
by Erin Morgenstern

I know a lot of bibliophiles and movie lovers are sad because the eighth and final Harry Potter movie came out this summer. Instead of moping, I’ve purchased a compact box set of the films so that I can enjoy the movies repeatedly from the comfort of my own home. I intend to attempt doing the movies justice by sharing some of my thoughts on them here. Although it’s been done by a lot of bloggers, I wanted to share my take with you guys.

When I rewatched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in preparation for the post, I was struck by how young the actors and the characters are. I can see why I loved these books when I started them in sixth grade--I had just moved to a new state and was starting a new school, so I could totally relate to what Harry was going through. His mixture of excitement and nerves translates nicely across mediums and is palpable in the film.

Throughout the movie, the characters and settings are well utilized to capture the ambiance of what Harry’s going through. When we see the interior of the Dursley’s house, you only need one look around at all of the pictures of Dudley to tell that Harry is disregarded whereas Petunia is a simpering mother to her spoiled child. The attention to detail is impressive. Plus, Diagon Alley and Hogwarts both look totally magical. In other scenes, little tricks like the lighting or the music (which I adore) are used to help give the entire film a more magical scene.

In addition to an appropriate atmosphere, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has a great cast. Sure, in this film, some of the younger actors seem a bit inexperienced--there’s one scene where they are all supposed to be panicking, and it looks a bit fake. However, I’d say everyone got way better as the movies continued. Plus, the entire Weasley family? Hagrid? Professor Flitwick? Amazing casting.

As much as I enjoy Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I can’t help but nitpick over a few details. For example, I wish the warning poem in Gringotts and sorting hat’s song had been included. I also think Percy is a little less snobby in the movies, which is unfortunate because that’s what makes his character so hilarious in the books. I like to think the movie makes up for it with a few other elements, such as the brilliant foreshadowing. The movie also adds some extra elements--Harry and Ron’s romance is more exaggerated than usual, and Hagrid repeatedly says, “I shouldn’t have said that,” which I’m pretty sure isn’t in the book.

The first Harry Potter movie isn’t perfect--it’s a little bit cheesy and the acting isn’t as great as it could be. Nonetheless, it brought the magic of Hogwarts to life for 2 hours, and played a major role in my childhood. Harry Potter was a major figure in my childhood, and those of many other people my age, which I think counts for more than anything.

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Chime is not a book that every reader is going to love. I spent the first 150 pages trying to decide whether or not I even liked Billingsley’s novel, but kept reading because I’d heard it was good and my book club was reading it. While it took me a while to adjust to Briony’s novel, Chime turned out to be a well-plotted and lyrically written novel.

The world of Chime is an intoxicating mix of enchanting and dangerous. Billingsley’s setting had an ambiance that was both historical and magical. I was never able to guess exactly what was going to happen, which was a major plus.

Briony is one of the quirkiest characters in young adult literature. She has quite a bit of internal dialogue, and it took me a while to adjust to that. I’ve since picked up the audiobook of Chime and while I’m not done yet, the story flows much more smoothly when it’s read out loud. It’s probably because the narrator is amazing and does Briony perfectly.

Finishing Chime was like polishing off a rich chocolate dessert. The writing made this story delicious, and the ending left me feeling content. I didn’t want more or less--I was happy with Chime as it stands. This is the perfect novel for readers who like their magic blended with quirkiness and poetic language.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book.

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she's missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that's not enough for her now. She doesn't just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.

I ran competitively for seven years of my life, and still run on occasion, so young adult novels about runners feel like they were written specifically with me in mind. I’m really glad that my book club gave me the opportunity to read this book as it’s been chilling on my shelves for a while. It sounds like the weirdest thing to say about a book where the main character is an amputee, but The Running Dream made me all kinds of happy.

The Running Dream is one of the most readable books I’ve read in 2012. The chapters are incredibly short and packed with emotion, but usually not melodramatic. At times it felt a little bit predictable, but I liked what was happening as the plot progressed, so I didn’t mind.

There are a lot of complaints a reader can make about The Running Dream, particularly that Van Draanen tried to tack too many issues and themes. Jessica’s friend Rosa has cerebral palsy and there’s a bit of romance in the novel. I actually felt that both of these things were tied into the story in a way that didn’t feel contrived. Plus, I was so happy to be reading a book about running that I just didn’t mind other minor issues with the story.

The Running Dream is a book that began as a roller coaster ride and left me in a great mood. My middle school aged self would have loved this book even more than my adult self. Even if it’s not a perfect book, The Running Dream is a great book for readers who are just stating to read YA and want a great novel about sports.

Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book.