Reading Harry Potter... for the first time!

It's true, I'm an adult bookworm who is just now reading the Harry Potter series.

To be fair, I tried to read the first book when it initially came out; I made it a couple of chapter in and had to put it down. I've never been into fantastical books or movies, so wizards and magic didn't interest me much. Plus, I was a teenager who had tons of homework and limited reading time, so I'd rather read what I loved. (I'll also admit that I had a pretty narrow reading scope at that point.) I saw the first two movies because a friend wanted to see them, but I didn't get into them, and can't remember too much about them now.

Then the hype hit. To be fair, the book was probably already wildly popular when I attempted it the first time, but no one can deny that Harry Potter fever took over as the books were released. I have this weird thing with hype, where I get annoyed when I hear about something too much and want to shun it as much as possible. Even with things I love! I just feel oversaturated by it and want to ignore it. So that, of course, is what happened with All Things Harry Potter.

Fast forward to now, when I am grown up and finishing my master's degree and doing an internship with the public library system. I am setting up my internship hours with the children's department manager when I am told that something Harry Potter related is coming out on July 31st, and that is also Harry Potter's birthday. It is also the last day of Memphis' summer reading program, meaning the library will have a huge party celebrating all of these things.

Well, if I'm going my internship in the children's department, and helping out with this party, I better know what's going on! I don't want a day of kids running up to me, asking Harry Potter questions or spouting off Harry Potter trivia while I smile and nod dumbly.

I am going to read Harry Potter!

I started towards the end of May, a little nervous that I was going to be "forced" to read seven books that didn't interest me at all. Booknerd friends on social media warn me that the first book isn't very good, but they all get better as the series progresses. Ok, here we go.

I remember the first chapter, and the second. Ok, this is the point where I stopped reading before, but this time... I'm into it! I LIKE HARRY POTTER! I feel pretty accomplished at this point, because I like a book that hardcore Harry Potter fans admit isn't too great. (It's not as fantastical as I thought it would be; the "real" world is pretty well-represented. My problem with fantasy is that you're usually just thrown into this world that is crazy-different from ours, and are expected to believe it exists and has always been this way... Sometimes creatures are too far-fetched, and names are so ridiculous you can't believe anyone, in a fantasy world or not, would burden their offspring in such a manner. But Harry Potter seems real enough, because the worlds are explained thoroughly, but not in such a descriptive way that you get bogged down in the details, trying to figure out if something is really possible. But I digress.)

I finish the book. I start the second. I finish the second. Yup - I like Harry Potter! This summer will be a breeze. I will finally get references people around me make. No one will look at me in shock when I say I've never read the series, because I will have read the series! 

Then I start book three. It's longer than the first two, but it's still pretty much the same - Harry is famous! Everyone loves Harry! But a lot of people also hate Harry! They want to kill him. He might be in trouble. He should be cautious and not leave the school building. But that's not Harry's style!

I get that some authors find formulas that work. I get that most books have the same setup and story arc. It's a predictable, not-horrible format for a juvenile adventure book: boy is living life; boy gets warning that something is changing and might be life-threatening; boy encounters enemy; boy vanquishes enemy; everyone is satisfied, but enemy is still out there because it's not just one, it's an army.

Like I said, I get it, and it's fine. But after reading the same basic story twice, I'm a little burnt out. So I'm hardly reading right now, because I'm just not into the story anymore. After such a high, I'm a little worried - can I finish the series before the end of July?

May Favorites

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Loved this. I love how Rowell can create such a cozy, inviting world in her books. I want to hang out with her characters and still find myself wondering what they’re up to. This book was about real life, two teens who don't fit in anywhere falling in love and trying to see if they can make it work in high school.

The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams. David Walliams is hilarious, and this book is funny and touching. Quick read, highly recommended for middle graders regardless of gender. It's not totally in the realm of transgender issues, more about a boy who likes fashion being teased for that instead of encouraged to explore his passions.

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios. LOVED this book! The characters and setting were so cozy, I wanted to crawl in and never leave. Touching story, well-written without being overly sappy. Skylar is ready to get out of her tiny town and go away to art school, even if that means leaving her mother, a recovering alcoholic, behind. When Josh, an old coworker, comes back from Afghanistan, Skylar starts re-thinking her place in the world, and where she can do the most good.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bergman. If you never read any other book I recommend, please read this one. I love this book SO much, I already want to re-read it. Codes, hidden books, visiting landmarks in an historical city - what’s not to love? Emily has been an active Book Scavenger for years, so she’s excited when her family moves to San Francisco, even though she’s tired of moving once a year. Now she’s in the hometown of the man who created Book Scavenger, and he’s about to release a new game! But when he’s mugged in a subway station, no one knows if the game creator will make it, and Emily is worried her family will move again before she can participate in the game.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. Yes, I’m just now reading Harry Potter for the first time. I tried to read it when it first came out, but it just wasn’t my thing. Also, my reading interests were narrower, and I had less time to read. I also saw the first two movies and wasn’t blown away, so I just figured I’d never read the book. This year’s summer reading theme made me interested in trying, so I started… and I actually love it so far! Much less fantastical than I thought they would be; I like how everything is explained parallel to “normal” life, which keeps it grounded for me. Eager to finish the series.