The Christmas Pig

Not my favorite JK Rowling book by any stretch. Don't get me wrong it's unique and inventive but it also seems to be trying too hard. Also, I expected it to be a lot more Christmassy based off the title and the cover but really it was a kids fantasy adventure. When a young boy loses his beloved toy on Christmas Eve he discovers that he can travel to the Land of the Lost to try and recover his beloved DP (a horrible name). The Christmas Pig, a sad replacement for the toy he lost, takes him to this mysterious land full of lost things and they most go on a quest and try to evade the scary Loser who tries to destroy lost things. It's ok. Kids would enjoy hearing this as a bedtime story but it's nothing to write home about. 

The Ickabog

I have to preface this by saying - no I don't support JK Rowling and her deluded thoughts on transgendered people. I felt icky for even reading this, I had to completely separate the author from her work. That being said, I did enjoy the story and I thought it had a good moral lessons and was an overall good kids story. I also loved that children were the illustrators; it added a little extra whimsy and fun. The Ickabog is about monsters and kings, deceptive advisors, loyalty, friendship, and tall tales. What happens when a King swears he saw a monster? A monster that killed the captain of his guard - what happens if it was all a hoax? How wrapped up can the kingdom get? How can one lie hurt everyone? Scarily relevant and timely. 

Troubled Blood

First off, obligatory disclaimer that I do not endorse JK Rowling and her transphobic views. I am eliminating the author from this book series (as I have with Alexi, Diaz, Carroll, and others) and appreciating the story for the story. Personally I think this is my favorite in the series. Which says a lot as this dense book is over NINE HUNDRED PAGES! I've been all in on Cormoran Strike since the first book in the series and I love him even more now. I love that Robin is his full fledged partner and I love that beneath their mutual respect is simmering slow burn attraction (kiss already!). For the first time ever they decide to take on a cold case about a woman who disappeared more than thirty years prior and what they have to go on isn't much. Everyone assumes the Essex Butcher murdered her along with others but there has never been any proof. When Strike and Robin finally get their hands on the police notes they're horrified by the state of the case. It was mishandled from the beginning and the officer in charge back in the day suffered a neurotic break in the middle of it - attributing suspects to black magic and astrology. On top of that Strike's aunt, the woman who raised him, is slowly dying and Robin's ex-husband is determined to draw out the divorce proceedings. They have their hands full. So many layers and twists and turns - I didn't see the end coming. Fantastic detective novel!!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I re-read this book roughly, every two or three years. It's magical each and every time, although I wish I could experience the joy of reading it for the first time again. This re-reading was even better than most because I got the new beautifully illustrated edition. It's stunning and the pictures add soo much to the story. Worth every penny! I sincerely hope they illustrate all seven books. Take my money already!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Worth the wait, I loved every word in this book. I refuse to post any spoilers, just know that it takes place nineteen years after book seven and is in play format. It's a quick read and once you get going you forget you're reading a script. It's dark, beautiful, and it drops you right back off into the wizarding world. I laughed, I cried (a lot, but that's just me), I was enchanted. I cannot wait to see this acted out on stage. It's wonderful, JK Rowling never disappoints!

Career of Evil

Another great installment in Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike series. Honestly, they keep getting better. I don't know if this or the first one (The Cuckoo's Calling) is my favorite. As all good mystery stories start, this one begins with a murder. Of who, it's not entirely sure. A package containing a severed human leg is sent to Robin at the detective office. Quickly other body parts start mounting up and it's clear that someone is trying to take down Strike and his reputation. He's convinced that it's one of three people from his past so Strike and his beautiful assistant, Robin, start doing a little sleuthing on their own. They're worries that the police will blunder (as usual in this series) and Strike is worried for Robin's safety as the killer is targeting young women. Amidst all this, Robin is having a trying time with her fiance, Matthew. Is her work life going to interfere with her wedding? Fast paced and intriguing, I didn't solve the mystery until a chapter before it was revealed. I already can't wait for the next one!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I re-read this book roughly, every two or three years. This re-reading was even better than most because I got the new beautifully illustrated edition. It's stunning and the pictures add soo much to the story. Worth every penny! I sincerely hope they illustrate all seven books. Take my money already!

Very Good Lives

Ahhh, one of my most anticipated books for the year. I have to devour anything that JK Rowling writes and this slim little book was no exception. It's her only anticipated book release for 2015 and it does not disappoint. "Very Good Lives" is an illustrated commencement speech that Rowling gave to Harvard University in 2008. It's a fantastic and inspiring peice about the fringe benefits of failure and the importance of imagination. In it she discusses the failure of her marriage and her parents hopes for her prosperity (although she was able to turn that one around) and how her failure become her foundation for success, "... rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life." Then she describes how having a good imagination allows one to empathize with others. Something she learned to do well when she was working for Amnesty International. Overall it is an inspiring and uplifting little book that will be sure to put a smile on everyone's faces, especially the Potterheads :)

The Silkworm

I know, I know. I'm a horrible JK Rowling fan, this book has been out for nearly three weeks and I'm just now getting around to reading. I'm awful! I loved the first Comoran Strike novel and I'm glad to say I loved the newest addition as well! For readers that haven't read the first book, don't be alarmed. As with any good mystery series they all serve well as stand alones and don't have to be read in order.

This mystery was fast paced and had me guessing the entire time. I had no idea how it was all going to possibly come together. This mystery follows the disappearance of a b-list author. His wife contacts Detective Strike to find him after he's been gone for ten days thinking that he's off on some writer's retreat or worse with a mistress. Strike soon finds out however, that things are much, much worse.

For fans of JK Rowlings, mysteries, and anything set in London.

The Cuckoo's Calling

Wow, what an exciting romp! I enjoyed this work infinitely more than I did Rowling's other non-Harry Potter piece, "The Casual Vacancy." This is just a good ol' fashioned murder mystery with a down on his luck detective and a bright beautiful secretary.

The story opens with the "suicide" of world famous model, Lula Landry, and all the hype it caused. Fast forward to three months later and Lula's adopted brother hires a private detective to look deeper into the mysterious circumstances shrouding Lula's death. Comoran takes the case even though he doesn't think there's anything to be uncovered, but he soon discovers just how wrong he was. He and his secretary Robin team up to find the lost and scattered breadcrumbs that lead them into a life so distinctly different from theirs, the life of the rich and famous.

This fast paced novel will keep you turning pages and guessing who killed Lula (if she was killed after all). Highly recommended and I can't wait to read the next in the series!

She's Still Got the Magic!

It took me a while but I finally completed this bad boy. This was one of those books where I was immediately hooked then lost interest for a while in the middle and then got hooked again. There is a lot of back and forth and reading it you have no clue how the story will end, you just don't know where it's going! And boy o boy, there is a lot to keep track of! The story follows a community's reaction to the untimely death of Barry Fairbrother, one of Pagford's councillors, and as the story progre...morIt took me a while but I finally finished this bad boy. This was one of those books where I was immediately hooked, then lost interest for a while in the middle, and then got hooked again. There is a lot of back and forth and you have no clue how the story will end. And boy o boy, there is a lot to keep track of! The story follows a community's reaction to the untimely death of Barry Fairbrother, one of Pagford's councillors. As the story progresses the townspeople's different "hidden agendas" come to life. The story is viewed through about 20 of Pagford's citizen's eyes and sometimes it's hard to keep track of who's who, and who has biases against whom and so on and so forth. The good thing is that most of these characters are relateable on some level and the other ones? Well they're just fun to hate :) Part of me was disappointed that this was not Harry Potter, I know, I know, she's trying to break away from that and do her own thing, but it's soo new to me. One good thing is that her writing style is still the same and her words still have a magical, flowing quality about them. Overall, this book was different from anything I have read in a long long time. The concept may sound kind of droll (who cares about a small English town?) but it hooks you regardless and Rowling keeps you guessing til the very end. Who will fill Barry's seat on council? Will his agenda be dropped? Who is spilling Pagford's darkest secrets? This is one of those books that everyone is reading and you need to be in the know. So read it! And let me know what you think of JK Rowling's newest project!