Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne | Book Review

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne 

Reading Group: Potterheads

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: "The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on July 30, 2016. 
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."

Cover: The cover of this book shows Albus in a nest with bird wings.  I'm not really sure what the nest has to do with everything, but the wings were the same as the one Delphi has tattooed on her back as a sign to Dark Magic.  The nest may be symbolic of a child who is born into something he maybe doesn't want, but can't control.

My Review:  I would like to start out by saying that I was a little skeptical about this book because it is written like a play and typically when I read plays I don't pay attention as to who's speaking and I get confused and lost very quickly.  It didn't take me long into this play that I realized my reason for being lost was probably because most of the plays I've read have been written by Shakespeare and I had no idea what he was trying to say anyway.  This play was amazing, I mean obviously because it's Harry Potter.  It made me want to jump on a plane and see it in person.  And if it wasn't sold out for months and months I might have.  It was just such an interesting story of Harry's son, who at the end of Deathly Hallows I kind of assumed he'd be just like Harry, but he's not.  The two of them can't seem to find anything to talk about and Albus seems to think that Harry is a fraud for not wanting to help Mr. Diggory.  However, changing the past changes more than Albus and Scorpius ever wanted and they have to figure out a way to fix it before it's too late.  It's a little funny that Voldemort is what brings Harry and his son closer.  It's weird to think that Voldemort was a dad, but I'm not surprised it was Bellatrix's kid.  She was creepily in love with Voldemort and that was evident very early on in the series.  This play is about kids trying to prove something to their parents, which is something most kids want to do, but it's also Harry Potter which makes it absolutely amazing and something everyone should read.

Click to stay connected:

Main Twitter: @juliann_guerra

Second Twitter: @writerjewels

Instagram: juliann_guerra

Second Instagram: writerjewels

Tumblr: juliann-guerra

Goodreads: Juliann Guerra

Wattpad: @writerjewels

Pinterest: Juliann Guerra

Spotify: juliann.guerra

Bloglovin: Juliann Guerra

Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling | Book Review

Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination by J.K. Rowling

Reading Group Rating: Anyone & Everyone

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: When J.K. Rowling was invited to deliver the commencement address at Harvard University, she chose to speak to the graduating class about two topics very close to her heart: the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination.  Having the courage to fail, she said, is so vital to a good life as any conventional measure of success; imagining ourselves into the place of another-particularly someone less fortunate than ourselves-is a uniquely human quality to be nurtured at all costs.

The stories Rowling shared and the provocative questions she asked of those young graduates have since inspired countless others to consider what it means to live a "good life."  Now in print for the first time, her words serve as both a comfort and a call to arms for anyone-of any age- who finds themselves at a turning point.  In daring to take a risk, and perhaps fail, and by harnessing the power of our imaginations, we can all begin to live less cautiously and, in doing so, become more open to the opportunities life has to offer.

"As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters."

-SENECA

Sales for Very Good Lives will benefit Lumos, a charity origination founded by J.K. Rowling that works to transfer the lives of disadvantaged children, and university-wide financial aid at Harvard University.  

Cover: The cover is simple, yet still a little cartoony.  There are cartoon drawing throughout the entire book so I think having drawn words on the cover really ties it together.

My Review: I read this book in fifteen minutes and I felt a gained enough knowledge to last me a lifetime.  It's amazing to me that words can do that, that words can open up so many things to the people who are willing to read them.  Now, obviously J.K. Rowling has a way with words and the ability to make them sound magical, however I could completely relate to her advice.  Failure and imagination and incredibly important aspects to lee with you at all times.  Failure reminds you that you're human and that you're not invisible.  But imagination can give you a reason to believe you are.  You can be invincible if you remember that it's okay to fail as long as you can rebuild from it.  Live your life without the fear of failure because you are going to fail, and you will all live very good lives. 

To me, this book, along with books like The Last Lecture and Oh! The Places You'll Go are coffee table books or books you would give as a graduation present.

Smile! I'll talk to you soon!xxx

Stay Connected:

Main Twitter: juliann_guerra

Second Twitter: writerjewels

Instagram: juliann_guerra

Tumblr: juliann-guerra

Goodreads: Juliann Guerra

Wattpad: writerjewels

Pinterest: Juliann Guerra

Spotify: juliann.guerra

Bloglovin: Juliann Guerra

Blogger: Juliann Guerra