A Couple More Books

Since my last post I have finished two more books.  There has been little time for recreational reading lately (Boo!).  I guess the upside to that is the laundry monster seems to be tamed and the few areas I have decluttered are still decluttered.  I am also managing more and more of the regular household tasks weekly.  A slow and steady start to some changes for this year.  

So I finally got around to finishing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  I started rereading the series last year before our trip to Universal Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I didn't make it all the way through before our trip so I took my time finishing the series.  I was casually reading Deathly Hallows then BOOM!  I remembered why I loved this book so much.  It literally just takes off!  Once it got to that point, I couldn't put it down (it was good to have that feeling...I really adore a good book that you really don't care what happens around you while you are reading it lol!).  It was bittersweet this second time around.  All the movies are out and this is the end.  Truly, though, Deathly Hallows is really a book about love and friendship and the fight for what is good and right.  I was sad to leave Harry, Ron, and Hermione and all the rest.  

759 pages

Rating:  PG/PG-13 This is a really tough rating to give.  This is the darkest of all the Harry Potter books.  There is quite a bit of violent actions that take place.  Some that could be scary to some youngers.  This one really depends on the reader.  There are a few mild swear words scattered throughout and a couple kissing scenes.  (For a reference Aly, Bryce, and Carter were all under 10 when we read it out loud.)

I have been eyeing this book for a couple of years now.  Skyeler read most of the series when she was younger.  It always looked cute but I have had other things to read.  I was kind of wishy washy about what to read next after Harry Potter.  I also needed something light to read when I'm not reading Hamlet.  When I saw this in Aly's library stack, I decided to give it a go.  The Fairy-Tale Detectives is about two little girls who are the descendants of the fairy tale authors, the Brothers Grimm, who have a mystery to solve.  The story and characters reminded me of a mix between the Ella Enchanted movie and the Hoodwinked movie.  It was cute and light, and I enjoyed it.

284 pages

Rated: PG for a few scary/suspenseful scenes.  Otherwise, cute and clean.