Ten Books I Will Buy With a Fully Loaded Gift Card

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's Top Ten Tuesday asks bloggers share their top ten books we'd buy right this second if someone handed us a fully loaded gift card. The following books are in no particular order.

1.  The Fireman by Joe Hill is a book that Elizabeth from Book YAbber recommended and it definitely sounds intriguing. Because of it's massive size in length, I have been holding off to pick it up. If you enjoy horror and thrillers, definitely check out this book!

2. The Museum of Heartbreak by Meg Leder is a book both Emma from Miss Print and Marci from The Plot Bunny recommended to me. The main character curates her own mini-museum to deal with all the heartbreaks which include love, friendship and growing up.

3. Past Perfect by Leila Sales is a book that has been on by TBR list every since I read This Song Will Save Your Life. I heard good things about Past Perfect. The main character is a ice cream connoisseur and works at Essex Historical Colonial Village. How awesome is that? I am a huge ice cream lover and have worked in an ice cream shop for 7 years. I also love visiting places with reenactments such as Plimoth Plantation and Salem.

4. The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp is a book I want to read before I see the film adaptation. Not only has a few of my friends been raving about the book but I know a lot of people enjoyed the movie as well. I want to see what the hype is about.

5. Tangled Thoughts by Cara Bertrand is the third book in the Sententia series. If you like paranormal boarding school books, definitely check out this series! I enjoyed reading the first two installments and I cannot wait to pick this one up.

6. Circle of Jinn by Lori Goldstein is the sequel to Becoming Jinn. I can't wait to find out more about Azra and about her heritage. Her strong sisterly bonds is something I hope to see evolve into something more.

7. The Love and Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking by Jeanine Donofrio is a cook book that I have had my eye on for awhile. Not only are the recipes super healthy but the formatting of the book is simple and easy on the eyes.

8. Harry Potter: The Character Vault by Jody Revenson is a book that has been on my wish list for some time and for good reason. I mean it's about Harry Potter! Of course I want it.

9. Harry Potter: The Artifact Vault by Jody Revenson is also on my wish list. I recently attended Leviosa, a Harry Potter and YA lit con, and attended a panel about Material Culture in the Wizarding World. This book would definitely be a good read.

10. Ravenous by MarcyKate Connolly is a companion novel to Monstrous. I enjoyed Monstrous and I am very excited to read about the Hansel and Gretel retelling.

What books would you purchase if you had a preloaded gift card? Do you own any of the books above? Let me know in the comments below.

The Eighth Epic Story: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Happy birthday Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling! The day has finally come and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is out! For those who cannot attend the live show, they can read the play script about what happens 19 years after the Battle of Hogwarts. This is an extension of the epilogue found in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I cannot wait to dive into this book. I scheduled this post to go up at midnight on July 31st. If you are reading this around midnight on July 31st, I am in line to get my book at Harvard Book Store.

Harvard Square located in Cambridge turned into Hogwarts Square for the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Starbucks sold Butterbeer Frappucinos and Grendel's Den sold wizard drinks such as Polyjuice Potion. A recap of my adventures will be posted sometime next weekend as part of the Marauders feature.

For those who don't know about the eighth book, check out more information below.

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Author: J.K Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (US), Little Brown UK
Publication date: July 31, 2016
Pages: 320

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

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.

Are you excited about Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Did you attend a midnight release party? How did you celebrate Harry's and Rowling's birthday? Let me know in the comments below.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Title: Labyrinth Lost
Author: Zoraida Córdova
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication date: September 6, 2016
Pages: 336
Source/format: e-ARC from publisher

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

"Enchanting and complex. Every page is filled with magic."-Danielle Paige, New York Times best-selling author of Dorothy Must Die

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...

Praise for Labyrinth Lost:

"Zoraida Cordova's prose enchants from start to finish. Labyrinth Lost is pure magic." -Melissa Grey, author of The Girl at Midnight

"Magical and empowering, Labyrinth Lost is an incredible heroine's journey filled with mythos come to life; but at its heart, honors the importance of love and family." -Cindy Pon, author of Serpentine and Silver Phoenix

"A brilliant brown-girl-in-Brooklyn update on Alice in Wonderland and Dante's Inferno. Very creepy, very magical, very necessary." -Daniel Jose Older, author of Shadowshaper

"Labyrinth Lost is a magical story of love, family, and finding yourself. Enchanting from start to finish." -Amy Tintera, author of Ruined.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

Alejandra Mortiz (Alex) lives with her mother and her sisters Lula and Rose in Brooklyn, New York. Alex always wanted to have a normal life without magic. Alex is approaching her Deathday and her powers have not waken yet. Deathday, a bruja's coming-of-age ceremony, is similar to a quinceañera.

After wakening her powers, Alex unfortunately find out that she is one of the most powerful brujas of her generation, an Encantrix. When she casts a canto to rid of her magic, something goes wrong. Instead of her magic gone, her family ends up being trapped in another dimension. With the help of Nova, a brujo, Alex enters Los Lagos to save her loved ones.

The family dynamics are strong between the females in the family. I also like the connection between living and the dead. The first person perspective works well in Labyrinth Lost. Zoraida Córdova creates a world with magic and diversity. Córdova enlightens her readers with Latin American culture and folklore. There aren't many paranormal books rich with culture and diversity in terms of ethnicity and bisexuality.

Labyrinth Lost is an bewitching coming-of-age journey exploding with magic, love and family values. Labyrinth Lost sets a new bar for paranormal fantasy!

Pages to Tea (6)

P A G E S  to  T E A

I'm not sure if you know but I am a big tea fanatic. I have so many bags and tins of tea I probably can create a great wall of tea. I love how different teas have different properties. Some teas can be energizing and some teas can be calming. My favorite time to enjoy a cuppa is when I am reading a book. Hence why I am showcasing some fantastic book and tea pairings.

Since it's July and I have been talking about Harry Potter constantly, I figured why not have a Pages to Tea post featuring some Harry Potter character tea pairings.

[Remus Lupin from Harry Potter + Moonlight Sonata by Tantalizing Tea] 

Remus Lupin, aka Moony, is one of my favorite Harry Potter characters. Tantalizing Tea's Moonlight Sonata is a delicious combination of dark chocolate pieces, vanilla, mint and rooibos, with a trace amount of dairy & sugar. This is perfect for the Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) teacher who actually knows what he is doing, unlike some of the other DADA teachers. The tea tastes like a peppermint patty without the caffeine and is perfect for the night.

[Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter + Lemon Drop Organic Black Tea by American Tea Room]

Dumbledore is very fond of the Muggle treat called the Sherbet Lemon. This black tea is an organic blend of Chinese black tea with a burst of lemon sunshine. It's a modern take of the classic black tea with a twist of lemon. The sweet citrus notes of grapefruit lemongrass, orange and bergamot blends well together and the hearty Chinese Yunnan leaves rounds out the tea. This tea is good hot or iced. 

[Severus Snape from Harry Potter + Qu Hao Silk by The Tea Spot]

Qu Hao Silk is silky smooth and a rounded rare black tea. Qu Hao Silk has a low tannin count and a natural note of chocolate, earning it the nickname “Black Silk”. The aroma is full-bodied but has a delicate sweetness. The beautiful dark red liquor is just as tasty as it sounds. Just like Qu Hao Silk, the Potions Master is one of a kind and has a silky voice. Snape also has a nickname that is very important to him. 

Pokémon Go Book Tag

I found the Pokémon Go Book Tag on Aentee's blog, Read at Midnight. Pokémon Go is the latest sensation and many people are addicted! All graphics in this post are created by Aentee. For abbreviations in this post, Pokémon Go will be known as PoGo.

Remember, in terms of books, you do not need to catch them all. Do not force yourself to read a book if it's not for you. It's okay to DNF a book or to not pick up a book because it's not for you. Everyone has different tastes. Don't feel bad if everyone likes a book you do not or vice versa.

I can't recall my first few books that got me into reading but I know as a child I loved reading the 

Berenstain Bears books and anything written by Shel Silverstein and Roald Dahl. My favorite starter Pokémon is Bulbasaur.

I will always love the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Although not originally a classic, the series is becoming a new classic. I will re-read the series multiple times and will never get sick of it. I am fortunate enough to have caught two Pikachus and I hatched one so far.

Don't get me wrong, I love Rick Riordan books but it's getting to the point that the spin-offs aren't grabbing my attention like the Percy Jackson series. Also, Zubats are a pain to catch.

The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey reminds me of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare but I love both. The bantering and the friendships are very similar between the two. I have not encountered Ditto yet in PoGo yet.

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo is over 1,400 pages and it's one ridiculously long book. However, I am very intrigued to read it. I have seen the movie and read a retelling of the original story and I want to read this wonderful classic someday. I have not encountered Snorlax yet in PoGo.

The Women in the Walls by Amy Lukavics has kept me up during the night. Maybe because it didn't help that I read the horror/thriller novel at night but this book is addicting! If you are looking for a quick horror read, definitely pick up this book the fall. I have not evolved my Gastlys into Gengars yet.

My bookish OTP is definitely Sydney and Adrian from the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead. They are perfect for one another. Remember, "the center will hold." I have not evolved my Nidorans into the Kings and Queens but I did catch a Nidorino the other day.

Some of my fast paced reads include Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbuam and When We Collided by Emery Lord. Both are cute contemporaries that will capture your heart. You won't want to put the books down. I love Ponyta and Rapidash by the way.

I will never get sick of spin-off by Cassandra Clare. Although The Mortal Instruments series isn't my favorite by Cassandra Clare, I love the Shadowhunter world. I love The Infernal Devices series which is a spin off of The Mortal Instruments series. It's one of my favorite series of all time. 

Also, I will never get sick of anything Harry Potter related so any spin-off book that is released, I will pre-order or buy right away. Eevees are so adorable and I love all three evolutions! I am currently away on business and I am catching Eevees like crazy!

The Lonely Ones by Kelsey Sutton is a book that wasn't on my radar until someone asked me to join a blog tour for the book. It's well written in prose and I highly suggest people to read it. Also, I plan to catch a bunch of Magikarps so I can evolve one into Gyarados.

The Covenant series by Jennifer Armentrout has been on my TBR list for the longest time. Everyone raves about it and I want to see why everyone loves the series so much. Also, I am Team Mystic for those who don't know. 

I want to own all the Harry Potter collector's editions known to man. Harry Potter is one of the series that means the most to me and I would love to own multiple editions of the books. So I found out a MewTwo was in Las Vegas when I was visiting the area and of course I didn't download PoGo until I was waiting for my departure flight to Boston.

There are many upcoming debut novels and frankly I don't know too much about what is coming up. However, I am interested in Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popović. It sounds very intriguing. Two sisters must trace their ancestry to break an ancient curse when their mother is threatened. I love Poké Eggs. It's awesome how you can hatch more eggs the more you walk.

My auto-buy authors include Cassandra Clare, Stephanie Perkins and Emery Lord. I can't limit myself to one author because there are so many awesome authors out there. I have never activated a Lure Module but I have seen plenty of them around. They are only useful when you actually have enough Pokéballs.

The Last Harvest by Kim Liggett is a book I have been dying to get my hands on. Her debut novel, Blood & Salt, is fantastic and I cannot wait to read more novels by Liggett. Also, she is such a sweetheart! That anticipation to play PoGo drives me nuts sometimes but it's worth the wait when the server is up and there is a Pokémon that I have been dying to catch.

I am tagging the following people to do the Pokémon Go Book Tag

Ellie
Marci from The Plot Bunny
Elizabeth from Book YAbber
Kim from Book Munchies
Molly from Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup
and any Pokémon Go player

Harry Potter Beyond the Books and Movies: A Focus on Fandom

Thank you to Aentee from Read at Midnight for hosting the Potterhead July Blog Festival! I am very grateful for being able to participate in such a wonderful feature. Also, thank you Aentee for the fantastic header template. Harry Potter is my number one fandom and I am excited that a lot of bloggers share the same love and are participating in the festival. For the Potterhead July Blog Festival schedule, please check it out here.

Most of you know about Harry Potter. But did you know that Harry Potter is beyond the books and movies? The Harry Potter fandom is huge! It's been about 19 years since the first book was first published and people of all ages are devouring everything to do with the wizarding world. And I don't blame them.

Marauders map dress and time turner

Not only is Harry Potter magical but Harry Potter means so much to people. The growing love for Harry Potter now expands to fan fiction, fan art, meet ups, cosplay, amusement parks, exhibitions, midnight parties, Wrock shows, Quidditch, conventions and etc.

I was fortunate enough to dive into many forms of fandom since the first day I picked up Harry Potter. I have been a Harry Potter fan for around 15 years. The Harry Potter fandom community is amazing. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. The community is very open to everyone. They are not judgmental and they treat you like family. After all, my Harry Potter friends are my second family. I feel like I am going to a reunion every time I attend a Harry Potter convention.

I was fortunate enough to attend Leviosa which is a Harry Potter and YA Lit convention in Las Vegas. You can read about my recaps here: Days 1 and 2 & Days 3 and 4. Leviosa is a fairly small convention with only 700 or so attendees. It provided the perfect atmosphere for quality bonding time without it feeling too empty or overwhelming. I have met countless of people at Leviosa and I feel like I've know them for years. That is what makes a Harry Potter convention unforgettable. Every Harry Potter fan should experience a Harry Potter convention at least once in their lifetime. This experience is completely different from visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or attending a midnight release party. Not only are you meeting new friends and reuniting with old ones but everyone is there for one thing and that is everything Harry Potter. You will find YOUR people at a Harry Potter convention!

Harry Potter conventions are comprised of many different tracks and also include many special events. For an example, Leviosa had six tracks which included the following: Academic, Fandom, Creativity, Slash & Queer Lit, YA Lit Track and the Writing Track. Leviosa also had a lot of special events such as a Karaoke with Chris Rankin, a Magical Ball and Keynotes.

Leviosa is my fifth Harry Potter convention I have attended. Although Leviosa is over for the year, I heard rumors of it coming back next year or in 2018 in Las Vegas once again. Can't make it out to the West Coast? Check out MISTI-Con which will occur May 18, 2017 - May 22, 2017 in Laconia, NH. I have been to MISTI-Con twice and it's definitely my favorite convention to attend. The Margate Resort is reserved only for the attendees of MISTI-Con which means no Muggles! Next year's theme is "Coming Home" to celebrate 20 years of Harry Potter fandom. You can check out my MISTI-Con 2015 recaps here: Day 1 and Day 2, Day 3, Day 4 and 5.

My sister and I at MISTI-Con 2015

As I said in a previous post, the love for Harry Potter is strong. The fandom of Harry Potter will never die. Can't make it to a Harry Potter convention anytime soon? Check out other ways to immerse yourself into the fandom below.

How be a Harry Potter fan beyond the books and movies?

Check out Pottermore
Watch Potter Pupper Pals or Severus Snape and the Marauders
Keep updated with Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron
Listen to the following Harry Potter podcasts: MuggleCast, Alohomora,  Mugglenet Academia and SpeakBeasty
Read Harry Potter fan fiction
Rock out at a Wrock (wizard rock) show or listen to Wrock music. One of my favorite bands is Ministry of Magic.
Play Quidditch
Visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter or The Harry Potter Studio Tour
Go see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London
Cosplay as a Harry Potter character
Attend a Harry Potter midnight release party

How do your celebrate Harry Potter fandom? Do you go beyond the books and movies? Have you been to a Harry Potter convention before? Comment below.

Leviosa Recap: Day 3 and Day 4

I recently came back from Las Vegas and I am sharing my experience at Leviosa. For those who don't know what Leviosa is, Leviosa is Harry Potter and YA Lit convention that took place earlier this month. I shared my recap for Day 1 and Day 2  a couple of days ago. Check out the second half of my journey below.

Day 3

The second day of full programming was chock full of fun activities. I ended up skipping my first panel of the day because I wanted to sleep in for a little bit. My first panel of the day was Teaching Harry Potter in the College Classrom. Gareth, who is a good friend of David and Alyse, led the panel and he delved into his curriculum for his course, "Fantasy and Social Values," which he taught to undergraduate honor students this past semester. Not only was the panel fascinating but I loved how Gareth gave each attendee a copy of his curriculum. He has some good pointers about how to incorporate Harry Potter and other fantasy stories into a class curriculum.

I spent a couple few hours wandering the Vendor Room, catching up with friends in the Common Room, eating lunch and also playing some Harry Potter games such as Harry Potter Guess Who. I stayed for part of the MISTI-Con meet up before wandering back to the room to rest for a bit. I also donated about eight books to those who are in need within the Nevada area.

MISTI-Con postcard

At 4:00 I attended Has the Sorting Hat Been Wrong which was a very interesting panel. The presenters discuses multiple characters and whether they should have been sorted into another house. This panel was open to the audience to discuss what they thought about the sorting and whether certain characters were properly sorted. It was a very in depth discussion about whether the hat really chooses the best house for the witch or wizard or does it pick the house the person sees themselves in. I plan to recap this event at a later time in more detail.

Afterwards, I attended Snape and Sirius in Canon which is a reading by Lorrie Kim. I also was able to get by Snape: A Definitive Reading by Lorrie Kim signed! She's pretty amazing and I love her personalizations. I see Lorrie all the time at Harry Potter conventions and it was lovely to see her every day at Leviosa. Her insightful discussions about Snape is something I look forward to at every convention.

Snape is currently at the pool! 😃 Thanks Lorrie for signing my book!!!! #LorrieKim #SnapeADefinitiveReading #Snape #SeverusSnape #NicoleAtLeviosa

A photo posted by Nicole Moy (@nicolecmoy) on Jul 10, 2016 at 4:05pm PDT

I visited the the Craft Faire which is small but there were a lot of amazing artists. Kaci sold bracelets and bookmarks. I eventually bought a bookmark from her on Sunday. Davina of Popsiclesticks sold handmade cards and wonderfully smelling candles. I ended up buying a few candles in the following scents: Dumbledore, Knight Bus and Voldemort. Davina's special touches with the twine and charms are perfect.

Harry Potter Book Cake

I went back to the East Tower to meet up with Kristina for dinner. We ended up meeting up with Kaci and Danielle for a bit and then got ready for the ball. The Magical Ball had a cash bar with some Harry Potter specialty drinks. I got a Ravenclaw Tower but unfortunately, mine was made too strong and I couldn't finish the rest of it. However, the ball was a great event to see wonderful outfits and to meet new people. The decorative Harry Potter book cake was a must see as well!

Day 4

Sunday was a half day for most people. Programming and events ended around 2:00 p.m. and most people were spending the rest of the vacation with old and new friends before they depart for the Muggle world. Unfortunately, this was my last day in Vegas before going home.

My first panel of the day was at 9:00. I have attended many panels by David Martin in the past. This year, he had a panel called Material Culture in the Wizarding World. He opened up the panel with observing objects in the Muggle world to make sure we feel comfortable. He then brought up why the Wizarding World is very old fashioned. Objects play a big part of the setting for Harry Potter. I might recap the panel at a later date as well. I found the subject fascinating.

Inspired by Potter was a must go to panel with Natalie Simpson, Victoria Aveyard, Alexandra Bracken, Lindsay Cummings, Stephanie Diaz and Tobie Easton. It's always fun to hear about how authors are influenced by another author's book. Not only did I find out about all the authors' houses but I got to hear what they thought about Harry Potter. They discussed what they learned from Harry Potter and how Harry Potter helped shape their writing. I love how the authors who attended Leviosa are huge Potterheads. This panel will definitely be recapped at a later date.

I ended up skipping two panels that I was planning to attend on the Sunday but I ended up catching up with Sidney from the House of Wormwood. Not only was I able to purchase amazing soappes from her but it was interesting to learn the millinery process and also about her lines of soappes and how she decided to expand her Harry Potter soappe collection. Since I already missed a couple of panels, I decided to purchase a few gifts for friends.

I had a lot of time before my flight departed so I took advantage of relaxing in the framed rectangle lounges. Kristina and I agreed that they were so comfy. Look how amazing these lounges are! They are perfect to kick back and relax. Grab a drink or a book and soak up the view while staying cool in the shade!

After relaxing near the pool, I ended up back in my room to pack my bags for my red eye flight. Since my flight got delayed, I ended up hanging out with Leviosa staff and we went to Primarily Prime Rib for some of the best prime rib that I have ever tasted. It was so juicy and the flavor was fantastic! They also served sourdough bread with butter when we got there. I had a delicious spinach salad with peaches, dried cranberries and candied pecans in a fruity vinaigrette. My sour cream & chive potato was the perfect side to my prime rib. I was fortunate to be able to join such a lovely group of people for dinner before departing to the airport. Of course, my flight was delayed again but got home safely!

Even though Leviosa is over, I cannot wait until my next venture to a Harry Potter convention. I am not sure when I will be able to visit Las Vegas but I had an amazing unforgettable time and I am glad I made memories that will last a life time.

I know a lot of people have read Harry Potter books and watched the films but attending a Harry Potter convention is a different experience that you do not want to miss. You will find your people at a Harry Potter convention. Unite with all the Potterheads! 

If you are planning to attend a Harry Potter convention in the future, I highly suggest attending Leviosa or MISTI-Con. 

Thank you for reading about my adventures with Harry Potter and YA literature. You can also check some of the Instagram photos and tweets under the hashtag #NicoleAtLeviosa.