To Read Or Not To Read: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling

In this new discussion type post, I'll be talked about whether or not I really want to read the next book in a series and what my reasons are.

As all of you probably know, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child came out today (the play debuted in London yesterday).  It takes place years after the original series ended with Harry now married to Ginny with three children enrolled in Hogwarts and a job at the Ministry of Magic.

Harry Potter #8

Goodreads

Goodreads Blurb:

"Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a new play by Jack Thorne, is the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. It will receive its world premiere in London’s West End on 30th July 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."

When the book (or rather, screenplay) was first announced, I was so excited to get a peek into Harry's life after the whole Voldemort storyline.  We got a little bit at the end of The Deathly Hallows which was so, so cool and I wanted more!  So I found all the news I could on the subject and learned as much as I could of what the plot would be like and when it would be released and all of that.  And I settled down for the wait.

After a while though, I got lost in other series' and in other character's lives.  After finishing a few series', I thought about how wonderful the endings were because they left just enough to the imagination and allowed your mind to wander.  Everyone could choose how they wanted the characters to end up and it really emphasizes that the future is a mystery and you don't know what will happen.

So the release date drew ever closer and I was resucked into the excitement via other bloggers and fellow bookworms.  But this time, I just felt... meh.  I actually didn't really want to know what happens to Harry as he grew older.  I didn't want to see how his marriage with Ginny was holding up and how his kids were doing and what job he had and just what his life was like.  As terrible as it sounds, I really liked the happily ever after in Deathly Hallows and I'm content with that.

So will I be reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?  The answer is probably not.  I honestly just don't want to know what happens.  It's like how I felt after watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  I really shouldn't have seen it because I was content with how things ended in the original series.  I don't want another generation (but, of course, now that I've seen it, I have to see the next one coming out in December).

However, I AM really excited to see Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them!  It's set in a new setting with different characters (I still have to take the new test of what house I'm in for the US wizarding school!) which I'm really excited for.  The wizarding world is very fascinating to me and I would like to read more stories that take place in it, however I think I'll leave Harry Potter right where I left him at the end of Deathly Hallows.

Are you planning on reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?  Or, if you're lucky enough to live in England, are you planning to watch it?  How do you feel about books that pick up a character 20-30 years later?

Life Update: Vacation Pictures Part 2

This is part two of the vacation pictures!  I didn't want to make the first post super long so I decided to split it into two.  If you didn't get to see the first post, and you'd like to, click HERE.  In that post, there were pictures of the Four Corner Monument, Sedona, AZ, San Diego, CA, LA, CA, Hwy 1, Big Sur, and Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA.  In this post, there will be pictures from San Francisco, CA, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Salt Lake City, UT, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone National Park!  Let's get into it!

Life Update: Vacation Pictures Part 1

When I first got back from vacation a couple of weeks ago, I promised to share some vacation pictures when I got everything in order.  Well, that day has come!  First, I'll share some of those and talk about what I got to see and at the end, I'll update you guys with what's coming up book-wise for me!  Because the trip was so long and there are so many different places, I'm going to split this post into two and Part 2 will go up tomorrow!

Review Tuesday: Dark Fae by Lillian Cartier

Amazon  Goodreads  Barnes and Noble

Stand-alone novella/short story

Goodreads Blurb:

"Tessa James has never been able to figure out the puzzle that is her life, until a mysterious key and a hidden closet lead the way to a realm beyond her imagination. The Fae are real. Magic exists. And Tess’s world has just drastically changed. 

Nyx Steele, the leader of the Fae, is ruthless as he is beautiful, especially when it comes to keeping the humans out of his realm. Their role in slaying his people will never be forgotten, even if they stumble on him in the form of an alluring being like Tessa. No matter how strongly he's drawn to her, Nyx must never forget what Tessa's ancestors did to his. 

Lost in a land filled with wonder and dangers, Tessa cannot resist her attraction to the enigmatic Nyx. The most breathtaking love she's ever found may also bring her ultimate ruin and death."

Seaside Lovers Preorder Blitz

Release Date: July 20th, 2016

Seaside Summers is a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.

"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely

In SEASIDE LOVERS...

After months of long-distance communication, actress Parker Collins and artist Grayson Lacroux finally plan to reconnect in the seaside town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts. But Parker never shows, and weeks pass without a word, leaving Grayson to believe he's misinterpreted their budding relationship.

Parker has been running on autopilot ever since she lost her friend, mentor, and the only family she's ever known, Bert Stein. Armed with junk food, tequila, and her big, lovable dog, she's prepared to hole up and mourn--and determined to mend a fence Bert had never been able to with his estranged and bitter brother. But Parker didn't count on the sinfully hot artist she's been fantasizing about for nearly a year walking in on her grief-induced drunken night.

When Grayson stumbles across Parker, he has no idea what to make of the gorgeous blonde who blew him off despite the heat sizzling between them. But that doesn't stop him from feeling protective of the woman who's consumed his thoughts for months, and when he learns of Parker's plans to confront an angry old man, he refuses to leave her side. As Parker's past unfolds, they're led on an unexpected journey of discovery. Their connection deepens, and late-night fantasies become passionate realities, until good intentions spark painful secrets, threatening the love they've found.

***

Seaside Summers is part of Melissa Foster's bestselling Love in Bloom series. All Love in Bloom books may be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, or as part of the series.

SEASIDE SUMMERS

Seaside Dreams (Bella)

Seaside Hearts (Jenna)

Seaside Sunsets (Jamie)

Seaside Secrets (Amy)

Seaside Nights (Sky)

Seaside Embrace (Hunter)

Seaside Lovers (Grayson)

Seaside Whispers (Matt)

***

Read the complete LOVE IN BLOOM series:

SNOW SISTERS

THE BRADENS (at Weston, CO)

THE REMINGTONS

THE BRADENS (at Trusty, CO)

THE BRADENS (at Peaceful Harbor)

SEASIDE SUMMERS

WILD BOYS AFTER DARK

For a complete reading guide, family tree, checklists, and more, visit Melissa's website.

Amazon I B&N I Kobo I iBooks I Google Play I Smashwords I Paperback

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Join Melissa’s Street Team on Facebook

ARC Review Tour Friday: The Daydreamer Detective Braves Winter by S.J. Pajonas

Miso Cozy Mysteries #2

Amazon  Goodreads  Book Depository  Barnes and Noble

Goodreads Blurb:

"December has set in and just when the rural town of Chikata is recovering from one murder, Mei and her new boyfriend, Yasahiro, find their friend, Etsuko, dead in her apartment. Etsuko was sweet and talented, and now everyone suspects her longtime boyfriend killed her. Mei doesn’t believe it, though, and she vows to help solve the crime.

But Mei has more to think about than murder. With the barn gone and their vegetable stores destroyed, she and her mother are down to their last canned goods and no money for heat. Mei’s mom is fortunate to find work, but Mei must fend for herself, get a job, and keep their financial situation a secret from Yasahiro. In pursuit of paying work, she stumbles onto a new witness to the crime, and before long, the dead woman's secret life unravels before everyone’s eyes. Half-starving and out of her element, Mei is on thin ice, and it’s going to take a whole lot of ingenuity and quick thinking to solve the crime before the killer gets to her as well."

Fantasy Favorites Read-a-Thon: Playlist Shuffle Quiz

The first event I'll be doing for the Fantasy Favorites Read-a-Thon is a playlist shuffle quiz!  There are 10 questions and for every question, I'll hit shuffle on my iTunes library to see what song comes up!  That song is the answer to the question.  If you'd like to learn more about the read-a-thon, my introduction post is HERE.  Let's get into it, shall we?

Fantasy Favorites Read-a-Thon

Because it's been such a long time since I've been able to dive into something, I decided to join Olivia, Aly, and Inge for their fantasy read-a-thon they're hosting and what better genre than fantasy?  

There are 3 featured series': Throne of Glass, Grisha, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  You can also read any other fantasy books you'd like!  I'll be rereading the Throne of Glass series since I'm behind on reviews for that series anyway!

With each of those series', there are different activities!  I'm not going to tell you what they are to keep it a surprise but I'll be posting them on July 10th, 13th, and 16th!

If you'd like to read more or sign up, click HERE.

So let's talk goals!

Return of the Elusive Laura! (...and other updates)

Hello everyone!  It feels like forever since I last posted something (other than those two blitzes)!  You may be wondering "Laura, you just dropped off in the middle of 30 Days of Books and vanished!  What's the dealio?"  Answers are coming your way as we speak!

So for the past 3 weeks, I was on vacation!  Before I left, I thought I would be able to get all of my posts scheduled and it would be like nothing ever happened.  Except that clearly I don't have that amount of planning smarticles.  And, you know, a whole lot of other stuff was happening as I was trying to prepare and pack (ie. graduating, planning multiple trips with friends, planning the vacation, getting someone to come and take care of my two cats while I'd be gone, etc. etc.).  I was pretty busy!  And now I'm super behind on reading all of your posts and commenting on other blogs.  I'm slowly digging through the pile of emails!  But now I'm back :)

So where does that leave us?  I've missed lists so let's do a list:

30 Days of Books
I'm going to pick up where I left off with this (I think I was on Day 12 or something...) because there are so many good prompts that I want to answer!

Some Upcoming Reviews
I have several reviews that I need to publish within this week.  They are:

Until Then by Krista Noorman

Dark Fae by Lillian Carter












Recent Reads and Therefore Reviews That Are Also Coming Soon
I currently have 34 books that need reviewing but these are the ones that will be coming first (if nothing crazy happens!).

Meritorium by Joel Ohman

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski

Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott












So there you have it!  I'll do a separate post tomorrow or on the 4th to tell you all about my vacation!  I hope you all have had a wonderful two weeks!  Happy reading!