Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

by J. K. Rowling, 341 pages

Harry can't wait to get back to Hogwarts and away from the Dursleys. Unfortunately, he hasn't heard from his friends all summer.  His only contact with the wizarding world is a house elf who is determined to stop Harry from returning to school.  Things get worse when a mysterious Chamber of Secrets is opened at the school and the monster within starts attacking students.  Harry and his friends must solve the mystery before it's too late.

Rowling is fun, imaginative and always a thrill to read.  I love the experience of revisiting all those little details that can be found in a book, but don't quite make it to the movie.  My sisters and I had a movie marathon while  I was on vacation, and went through all the movies over the course of 3 days.  I'm enjoying going back through the books to compare.  I'm going to be completely prepared for the final movie release in July!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

by J. K. Rowling, 309 pages

I'm sure we all know the story by know, but just in case you've been living on Mars for the last 14 years:

Harry Potter has possibly the worst family ever.  His aunt and uncle hate anything and anyone out of the ordinary and continually find fault with Harry for not being normal. He has to live in a cupboard under the stairs and wear his very large cousin's hand-me downs. Added to that, he doesn't have any friends because everyone is terrified to cross his bully of a cousin, and Dudley's favorite pastime is picking on Harry.  His miserable existence changes with the unexpected revelation that Harry is really a wizard.  When he leaves to go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry is an instant celebrity for events that happened when he was only a baby.  Along with his fame comes the threat of an old enemy, one who strikes fear into the hearts of witches and wizards everywhere.

I'm using the upcoming release of the final Harry Potter movie as an excuse to re-read one of my favorite series.  My husband saw me with this book and asked, "Haven't you read all those books like four times already?"   Well, yes, but a good book is just as thrilling the fifth time around as the first.  And I think that's all the endorsement I need to offer.

Name of the Wind

Volume One of the Kingkiller Chronicles

by Patrick Rothfuss, 722 pages

Read Jenny E's review for more detailed explanation of the characters and plot. I loved the first person narration of a legendary character called Kvothe, from his days as a child in a traveling troupe of Edema Ru to his swift rise into the Arcanum of the University in Imre, the acclaimed capital of wizardry. Kvothe is by turns charming, insolent, brave and fool-hardy. He has a good heart, but that doesn't stop him from being the victim of malfeasance by an aristocratic bounder who is envious of Kvothe's superior talents.

I am already reading book two of the series, The Wise Man's Fear. Kvothe once again is being threatened by malevolent forces. Rothfuss is such a skilled story-teller that I am already anxious for Book 3.