Friday, October 25, 2013

Bookish Survey: Cast a Harry Potter Spell - Part 1

This is a fun-looking survey created by Jasmine at Flip That Page.  I thought I'd give it a go!  I'll let Jasmine explain:
So how does it work? Basically, it’s a survey of sorts, where I give you a certain spell from the Harry Potter series, and you answer with the title of a book you’d like to cast the spell on.
Here goes!

Reparo
fixes damaged objects
A book that needs some serious fixing: The Lake and the Library by S. M. Beiko.  First, let me say that this is not a bad book.  It actually has an amazing plot, and I quite enjoyed it.  It did, however, have some instances of bad writing and a few characters could have been developed a bit more.  If these issues were fixed, it could be a great book!

Lumos
creates a narrow beam of light
A book that deserves more attention: Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis.  It's one of my all-time favourite books, and yet I rarely see it discussed; I don't think a lot of people have even heard of it!  Reminiscent of One Thousand and One Nights, it has a gorgeous setting and unforgettable characters.

Nox
counters the effects of Lumos
An overhyped book: If I Stay by Gayle Forman.  I read this one because everybody said how good it was, and I thought the premise sounded really interesting.  I found it extremely disturbing, yet paradoxically boring, and I thought the out-of-body experience idea was completely underutilized.

Accio
summons an object from a significant distance
A book you’re anticipating: World After by Susan Ee.  I'm kind of embarrassed to even admit it, as Angelfall was kind of a fluffy, guilty-pleasure book for me.  I guess I could have also said Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, but it seems weird to anticipate the third book in a series when I haven't even read the second one!

Alohomora
opens unlocked doors, unless bewitched
A book you want to be more open about: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.  Okay, maybe this is just because I feel I should read it at some point.  I've tried twice already, but I just couldn't get into it.  Maybe the third time will be the charm!

Expecto Patronum
conjures an incarnation of positive feelings
A book that made you cry, or at least want to: The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman.  I must have read it over a decade ago... and I'm still gutted.

Morsmordre
conjures the Dark Mark
A book you wish to mark as one of your favorites: Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones.  My favourite book from one of my favourite authors.  It's not as well known as Howl's Moving Castle, but it's a lovely fairy tale retelling and well worth reading!

Petrificus Totalus
petrifies victim
A book you wish to keep forever: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.  It's one of my favourites, and I hope to always have a copy in my collection.

Protego
shield charm
An intimidating book you keep putting off: Under the Dome by Stephen King.  Maybe it's not the best choice for someone who's never read a Stephen King novel, but the premise looks really interesting.  However, at over a thousand pages, this one has me running scared.

Riddikulus
used against a boggart
A book with a deceiving synopsis: Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore.  There was nothing in the book about "Parry's involvement with a league of sorcerers who torture fairies for sport"... which is actually kind of disappointing, because that could have been a really interesting subplot.

Lacarnum Inflamarae
shoots fireballs
A book you wish to burn out of your mind completely: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  But if I got rid of the memory of it, I'd still feel like I needed some resolution to the cliffhanger at the end of Catching Fire... and then I'd have to read Mockingjay and be disappointed all over again.

Wingardium Leviosa
levitates objects
A book you wish to reread: The Light Princess by George MacDonald.  It's short and sweet and one of my favourite fairy tales of all time.  I don't generally reread books, but I might make an exception for this one.

Avada Kedavra
causes instant death
Worst book EVER: Basajaun by Rosemary Van Deuren.  Not only did it have a horribly misleading synopsis and a creepy plot, it was also one of the worst technically written books I've ever had the displeasure of reading.  I'm sure it's not the worst book ever, in the history of all books... but it's probably the worst one I've personally ever read.

1 comment:

  1. Definitely accio World After!! Have you read it yet?? Because of exams I still haven't managed to get my hands on it :( Also, I was in the same boat as you for Wuthering Heights, I could never get past the first few chapters, however when I did, I thought it was absolutely amazing . The romance is so unconventional and gothic, wish you luck the next time you try and tackle it :)

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