REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Order Of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Narrator: Jim Dale
Publisher: Pottermore Publishing
Publication Date: November 2015
Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Harry Potter is about to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unlike most schoolboys, Harry never enjoys his summer holidays, but this summer is even worse than usual. The Dursleys, of course, are making his life a misery, but even his best friends, Ron and Hermione, seem to be neglecting him.

Harry has had enough. He is beginning to think he must do something, anything, to change his situation, when the summer holidays come to an end in a very dramatic fashion. What Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down...

My Thoughts: At 15 years of age, Harry Potter has seen more and experienced more than anyone around him and more than anyone should or could expect. He’s nearly a man and yet everyone continues to treat him like the eleven-year-old little boy he was when he discovered he was a wizard. The gloves are completely off with book #5. Harry is very angry in this book and with good reason. He is attacked and is forced to use magic which results in a hearing to determine if he will be expelled from Hogwarts. Everyone seems to know more than he does about why he is experiencing strange dreams about “you know who” but nobody will tell him anything. Professor Dumbledore goes out of his way to avoid looking at him or even speaking to him. Everyone is tip-toeing around Harry as if he were made of glass.

After the hearing is over and he returns to Hogwarts, things don’t get better at all. The new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher is a despicable and twisted witch who quite quickly uses her influence and connections at the Ministry to take over the school and not teach any actual defense tactics. People are convinced that Harry is an attention seeking lunatic who has made up the entire story of Voldemort’s return.

The first time I read this book, I immediately despised Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. She’s a very sadistic individual who takes great pleasure in punishing people. Though the readers can certainly empathize with Harry’s hatred of Professor Snape, I can state that Umbridge beats Snape hands down in characters you would most like to see receive the Dementor’s kiss. That feeling has not changed one bit between then and now.

Unfortunately for Harry, he doesn’t seem to have an ally at the school. Professor Dumbledore is conspicuously absent and when he does make an appearance, he avoids looking at or speaking to Harry. I felt frustrated for Harry. Hagrid has been gone and when he finally returns, Harry still feels isolated. The only thing he truly looks forward to is playing Quidditch, especially now that Ron is on the team. Unfortunately, Professor Umbridge is determined ruin that for Harry too.

As a result of Umbridge’s refusal to teach true Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione insists the only way the students will learn is to do it themselves. After some persuading, Harry agrees to start secretly coaching other students on performing defense spells. They even call themselves “Dumbledore’s Army.”

Ultimately, Harry has to rely on those around him as Voldemort and his Death Eaters make their move. Just like Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix does not have a happy ending for Harry. The wizarding world is officially at war and the stakes are higher than ever.

My Final Verdict: This marks my fourth read of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It's amazing how many differences I notice between the books and the movies, as well as details in the books I had forgotten. The audio format is my favorite and Jim Dale's narration is excellent. Whether you are new to this series or a loyal fan who loves to revisit Harry and his world, this is a series not to be missed.

REVIEW: Dorothy by Anya Wylde

Title: Dorothy (Fairweather Sisters #3)
Author: Anya Wylde
Publisher: Smashwords
Publication Date: October 2016
Genre: Historical Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | Audible

Description: Anya Wylde is back with yet another Fairweather sister novel full of comedy, adventure and, of course, toe curling romance.

The Fairweather sisters adore each other and always stand by one another. But when circumstances force Dorothy May Fairweather to marry Lord William Edmund Huxley, the man her best friend is in love with and the Duke’s arch enemy, things change.

With her one foolish mistake, Dorothy manages to vex all those that mean the most to her.

Now all alone and miserable, Dorothy has to win back her sisters, the duke, her in-laws and her breathtakingly handsome new husband.

My Thoughts: This series is such a hoot and the author is fantastic. Her extraordinary talent of creating stories of romance, comedy and adventure has made me a die-hard fan. In addition, these stories feature characters that are so well drawn, I feel as if I know them personally so I am helpless to stand by as a third-party observer when I have become so invested in their well-being. Dorothy introduces us to a third Fairweather sister, who is living with eldest sister Penelope and this story appears to have taken place several years after the last story.

Dorothy is convinced she is in love with Lord Lumley and no other man will do. Never mind the fact that she has been in London for three seasons and has yet to procure a marriage proposal from any eligible bachelor of the ton. It doesn’t matter. Dorothy believes that Lord Lumley is malnourished, the skin is practically falling from his bones, he has dreadful circles under his eyes and she is determined to rescue him by marrying him and feeding him.

On the other hand, Dorothy’s best friend, Kitty, is in love with Lord William Huxley, the Duke’s neighbor and enemy. Lord Huxley shows absolutely no interest in Kitty and is, in fact, quite rude to her and Dorothy on one occasion. When Kitty goes missing, Dorothy is convinced that Lord Huxley has kidnapped her and in typical Dorothy fashion, heads off to his residence to rescue Kitty. Unfortunately, Dorothy and Huxley find themselves in a situation that is misinterpreted and leads to a wedding that neither party wants.

Dorothy now has to figure out how to obtain the forgiveness of her sisters, the Duke and Lord Huxley while navigating her new role as Lady Huxley and getting to know Huxley’s stepmother and sister, who are also less than pleased with the sudden marriage.

Dorothy is my favorite Fairweather sister. Of course, I said that about Penelope and Celine when I was reading their stories, but I truly think Dorothy has topped them all. Jane will have some very big shoes to fill when I get my hands on her story. I thought Dorothy was truly delightful and I loved how she perseveres when faced with difficult situations. Lord Huxley comes across as you would expect of the aristocracy of Regency England. Stuffy, arrogant and completely full of themselves. Hmmm, sounds familiar, doesn’t he? That’s right, he reminds me of the Duke, when I first met him in Penelope’s story. And, with the Duke, I grew to like him enormously once he let his guard down. I even warmed up to his sister a little, but the stepmother, not so much. I loved how Dorothy had the woman questioning her sanity with the stunts Dorothy was pulling.

The ragamuffin child that Dorothy is determined to take under her wing whether he likes it or not was also an interesting character that brought quite a bit of entertainment to their lives. I’m sure Huxley will never look at another Renaissance type painting without imagining a curly moustache added to the woman.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I loved this story and highly recommend it to readers of historical romance, but also comedies and adventure genres in a historical setting. There wasn’t that much romance in this story, but I give Dorothy high marks for her attempts to steal a kiss or two or three from her new husband.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Dorothy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

Title: The Locked Door
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Shaina Summerville
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication Date: September 2021
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Some doors are locked for a reason…

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door.

Decades later, Nora’s father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims.

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she’s not a killer like her father. The police can’t pin anything on her.

As long as they don’t look in her basement.

My Thoughts: I’ve heard so much about this author and am happy that I was finally able to get around to trying her and I went with the audiobook version. I regret that. Allow me to explain. I am a huge fan of the mystery / thriller / suspense genre and have found I enjoy them more when I listen to the audio format, but unfortunately for me, the narration performed by Shaina Summerville was not enjoyable. The various voices she used for the characters sounded forced and over wrought in tone and emotion level. Save yourself the agony and go with the print or e-book format.

The premise of this story is very interesting. Main character Nora Davis is a surgeon whose point of view used in telling the reader about her father, Aaron Nierling, who has been in prison for over 25 years for multiple murders. As a child, she had no idea, but she discovers his secret and is the one who turns him in when she is around 11 or 12 years old. Her mother is also arrested but commits suicide. Nora is sent to live with her grandmother and changes her last name, goes to college, becomes a highly skilled surgeon and is trying to move on with her life and leave her past in the past. Unfortunately for Nora, some of her patients are being found murdered and their hands removed, which is a trademark of her father. This whole scenario rings the creepy bell for me. Is there a copy-cat? Is Nora picking up where her father left off? In addition to Nora, the author deftly throws a couple more potential suspects at the reader to further muddy up the waters. It took me nearly the entire book to decide and guess whether Nora was the killer or if it was someone else.

When the ending comes and the killer’s identity is finally revealed, I was shocked. This author did an excellent job of distracting me with just enough details and red herrings that I didn’t see the linebacker sized surprise waiting to tackle me from left field.

Another aspect of this story that I really enjoyed is hearing Nora’s point of view both in the present and twenty-six years ago. Seeing Nora as a child added to the confusion of whether she is a true protégé of her father’s.

Besides the narration, I took issue with Nora and her hypocrisy. She keeps everyone at arm’s length for obvious reasons. The question is does she do this because she is like her father and can’t be discovered continuing his work or does she do this because she is terrified of how people will react if they found out? Being a surgeon, her reputation is everything, and it would be dragged through the mud once people found out who she really is. When she crosses paths with Brady Mitchell, the guy she dated for three months in college, she is very stand-offish with him. What annoyed me is her reaction when she finds out he has a daughter but kept it from her. What?! Hello?! Are you kidding me here, Nora? You are going to judge Brady when you are keeping the biggest whopper of a secret yourself? People in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing rocks, Miss Nora. I mean, I get it. Keeping quiet about your dad is a legitimate action. I would do the same thing. I just think she overreacted in way too many instances where Brady was concerned.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very good story that kept me engaged all the way to the end. Although I found Nora annoying for a lot of the book, I had a lot of empathy for the situation she found herself in and was hopeful that she really is an innocent party in the events occurring. I highly recommend this story to fans of mystery / suspense / thriller stories who like to be kept on edge and shocked to the core. I will be on the hunt for more of Freida McFadden’s work and look forward to my next read of one of her books.

REVIEW: Those Summer Nights by Mandy Baggot

Title: Those Summer Nights
Author: Mandy Baggot
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: May 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Sunshine, soft white sand and a sizzling hot millionaire – you don’t get trouble in paradise, right?

Imogen Charlton is sorted. Dead-beat husband? History. Dream job? Application sent. But then her impulsive brother, Harry, spends every last penny on a Greek restaurant in Corfu, and is determined to run it himself. It’s up to Imogen to bring him to his senses.

When sexy millionaire Panos Dimitriou offers to buy back his family taverna, Imogen wonders if all her prayers have been answered (and all her fantasies about to come true). But Harry won’t budge, and his enthusiasm is infectious.

Bright pink bougainvillea tumbling over whitewashed walls, endless blue skies, the sparkling Mediterranean; it’s hard not to fall for Corfu. And that’s not all Imogen is falling for…

As the sparks of passion fly between Imogen and Panos, is Imogen having second thoughts on selling the restaurant? And will she have to choose between love and a new dream?

This summer, spend long sunny days on the beach, and balmy nights in Greek tavernas on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond, Miranda Dickinson and Lindsey Kelk.

My Thoughts: A story set in a locale so richly described in detail with characters that you are rooting for is not a book to be missed. I am ready to pack my bags and get on a plane to Corfu and I’m not a huge fan of the beach setting.

Just like Imogen, I had deep reservations and concerns about Harry’s purchase of a restaurant, sight unseen in another country. My first thought is why isn’t there some kind of power of attorney in place to ensure that these type of over the top situations don’t happen in the first place as we learn early on that Harry is suffering from a manic depressive behavior disorder. Just like Imogen, I found myself visibly cringing when, upon arrival at the restaurant, they find a dilapidated wreck needing extensive work. Lastly, just like Imogen, I began to change my opinion of this adventure once I could see the potential this restaurant has and witnessed the enthusiasm and drive in Harry to make it successful. I couldn’t do anything else but root for the guy and admire his determination to make it work and reunite his family.

I liked Panos and knew there was more beneath the stuffy shirt and tie persona he presents to the world. Once his walls began to crumble and I learned why he does what he does, a tidal wave of empathy rose up for him. His grandmother, Elpida, was a spitfire and I laughed myself silly at some of her antics and loved that she was willing to help out two English strangers get this restaurant up and running.

The only issue with this story is that it ended where it did. I would have liked a little more closure regarding Imogen and Panos. I assume they got together on a more permanent basis, but is she really going to work in her brother’s restaurant after all her dreams and ambition to work in the hotel industry? I would like to think that with Panos’ influence and contacts, she could explore that more.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to readers who like to be swept away to exotic locations to spend time with amazing characters, food and drink.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Those Summer Nights from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The People Next Door by Keri Beevis

Title: The People Next Door
Author: Keri Beevis
Narrator: Shakira Shute
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Her new house has a mysterious past—and her new life in the English countryside is about to take a dark turn . . .

When Ellie and Ash move into a beautiful old house in rural Norfolk, England, they believe they’ve found their perfect home. Intrigued by the people next door, Ellie befriends shy but sweet Benjamin, and as time goes by, becomes ever more curious about his elusive sister, Virginia.

But when she discovers that her new home has a darker past and that Ash has been keeping secrets, what she thought was a perfect life in the countryside begins to unravel. Is her best friend to be trusted, are the new neighbors all that they really seem, and why is her new puppy so obsessed with the cellar? Most worrying of all is the mystery of what happened to the former occupants of the house.

When Ash goes away on business and strange things begin to happen, Ellie’s paranoia goes into overdrive. But are these all coincidences—or is she really in danger?

My Thoughts: Ellie Summers and her boyfriend Ash Brady move into their dream home. It’s in the boonies and needs a lot of work, but it has a beautiful garden. In between working on the home and adopting a dog she accidentally hit with her car, Ellie befriends her neighbor, Benjamin, who lives next door with his sister, Virginia.

Upon learning that a brutal murder occurred in the house five years before and the seventeen-year-old daughter of the murder victim is missing, Ellie is less than happy that she was not made aware of this before purchasing the home. This right here is why I prefer to buy my homes brand spanking new. I want to be the first owner in the home. I want my bum to be the first on the toilet. I can’t be having no murder nonsense happening in the home prior to my owning it.

Ellie comes across as very skittish and highly nervous and slightly paranoid. Several scenes made me feel more tense probably because she was. Maybe if she hadn’t let her guard down later on in the book, she wouldn’t have ended up in the horrific situation she finds herself. See what I did just there? Now you are just going to have to read this book to find out what the horrific situation is. I will say the mounting terror and suspense made me feel like I was in the middle of an Alfred Hitchcock movie and Norman Bates is lurking around every corner with a giant butcher knife.

Overall, I liked Ellie and Ash and thought they were good together. Ash’s best friend, Pete seemed a likable character as well. I detested Pete’s wife, Roxanne. I found her to be an overbearing and controlling character. She talks down to Ellie and is hyper-critical of everything Ellie does, from the house to the dog. The more I learned about Roxanne, the less I liked her.

Benjamin and his sister Virginia set off my creeper alarm almost immediately. Ellie meets Benjamin at the veterinarian’s office when she brings in the dog she hit with her car. They strike up a conversation and realize they are neighbors, so Ellie befriends him. The more he comes around, the more creepy he seems. It doesn’t take me long to realize he’s obsessed with Ellie and it seems like he’s always finding an excuse to come over. As creepy as he appears, he also seems harmless. His sister, on the other hand, comes across as even more creepier. She’s mentally ill, doesn’t verbalize and never leaves the house. Ellie tries to interact with her but is unsuccessful.

Things become really sinister for Ellie when Ash leaves for a week-long business trip and I’m still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor at what went down. Some of the events didn’t come as a surprise to me, but there were many twists and turns that shocked me.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the performance by Shakira Shute for the most part. Her use of various accents was performed flawlessly. Ash is from Australia and living in England and I enjoyed hearing the inflection in his voice. I found Benjamin’s voice to be highly annoying and pictured myself probably not wanting to engage in conversation with him because of it. I am going to chalk it up to not liking him in the first place, so my subconscious was probably looking for reasons to dislike him more.

My Final Verdict: This was my first Keri Beevis novel and I look forward to reading more of her work. She weaves a story that is filled with dark thoughts and darker deeds that left me tiptoeing up to doors and cautiously peering around corners in case she had something waiting to jump out at me. Readers who enjoy suspenseful mysteries and thrillers should pick this one up. I highly recommend the audiobook, as it adds to the suspense.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The People Next Door from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.