Category: Bookish Owl

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The Bookish Owl – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Let’s give it up for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling!

We have now reached the end of my backlog of owl photos and ironically, it seems like Artemis is showing off the leg he doesn’t have anymore in this one. Thankfully he’s recovering well and has been far more lively since he got off the pain meds, so once I get a new jess (falconer for ‘leather strap’) attached to his remaining leg, he should be ready to pose a bit for the camera.

I’m sure everyone who’s going to read this book have already done so, so let’s get straight to the spoilers. Obviously ‘the Goblet of Fire’ is where we reach the point in the series where every new book will now leave you feeling slightly depressed. Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuffiest Hufflepuff there ever was, is such a nice guy and we all know he’s going to end up as cannon fodder.

But otherwise, it’s a great book! I mean, it’s got dragons and everything…

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
by J. K. Rowling

The Triwizard Tournament is to be held at Hogwarts. Only wizards who are over seventeen are allowed to enter – but that doesn’t stop Harry dreaming that he will win the competition. Then at Hallowe’en, when the Goblet of Fire makes its selection, Harry is amazed to find his name is one of those that the magical cup picks out. He will face death-defying tasks, dragons and Dark wizards, but with the help of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he might just make it through – alive!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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The Bookish Owl – Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

Let’s rock and roll with Soul Music by Terry Pratchett!

This isn’t my favorite Discworld novel, but the reread was all worth it just for the scenes with Susan and Ridcully. I find the whole rock music plot a little tame, but there’s still some first class jokes along the way, so I’ll still recommend reading this book.

Either way, please enjoy Artemis’s “Are we done now…?”-face in the photo below. We did 4 book photos in a row that day and by the end he couldn’t even be bothered to glare at the camera or try to eat the book.

Soul Music
by Terry Pratchett

Other children get given xylophones. Susan just had to ask her grandfather to take his vest off.
Yes. There’s a Death in the family.

It’s hard to grow up normally when Grandfather rides a white horse and wields a scythe – especially when you have to take over the family business, and everyone mistakes you for the Tooth Fairy.

And especially when you have to face the new and addictive music that has entered Discworld.

It’s lawless. It changes people.

It’s called Music With Rocks In.

It’s got a beat and you can dance to it, but…

It’s alive.

And it won’t fade away.

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

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The Bookish Owl – In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

In the Hands of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

I think it’s time for another Bookish Owl post, so let’s have In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce!

Mind you, this is another backlog photo. Artemis is still recovering and hasn’t magically grown a new leg.

He’s doing well, though, so I’m sure he’ll be back to scowling at books in no time.

This book is the second in the Song of the Lioness Quartet, the sequel to Alanna, and I really enjoyed it. I avoided YA books with a female protagonist for years, because I, at one time, ended up reading book after book that was just the main character pining over one guy and letting all her decisions be ruled by infatuation. But with this one, I got a teenage girl falling in love and then NOT throwing her life away over the guy, even though the plans she had for her life could mean an end to the relationship.

Yay for sensible female main characters!

In the Hand of the Goddess
by Tamora Pierce

Alanna, disguised as a boy, becomes a squire to none other than the heir to the throne. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna’s liege lord, he is also her best friend—and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a vicious sorcerer threatens the prince’s life, it will take all of Alanna’s skill, strength, and magical power to protect him, even at the risk of surrendering her dreams…

In the Hands of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

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The Bookish Owl – Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Here we go with Maskerade by Terry Pratchett.

Artemis is home at the moment, but still quite unwell. But don’t worry, I’m still working through my backlog of owl photos, so he’s not being forced to do any posing. You’ll get the whole story as soon as I’m able to take my vet off speed-dial, but you can always follow my running commentary on Twitter. Apparently I get real chatty when I pretend I’m not worrying.

I hope you’re getting a lot of reading done and not going too crazy from social distancing.

I also hope you don’t have to give an owl antibiotics every day.

If you’re in need of more books to read, and would like to know what happens when you take Phantom of the Opera and add grumpy old witches, ‘Maskerade’ might be for you. It’s another Discworld book with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, but it also have the added pleasure of Agnes Nitt/Perdita. It’s full of crazy, but then again, so are the news these days.

Maskerade
by Terry Pratchett

THE SHOW MUST GO ON, AS MURDER, MUSIC AND MAYHEM RUN RIOT IN THE NIGHT…

The Opera House, Ankh-Morpork…a huge, rambling building, where innocent young sopranos are lured to their destiny by a strangely-familiar eveil mastermind in a hideously-deformed evening dress…

At least, he hopes so. But Granny Weatherwax, Discworld’s most famous witch, is in the audience. And she doesn’t hold with that sort of thing.

So there’s going to be trouble (but nevertheless a good evenin’s entertainment with murders you can really hum…)

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

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The Bookish Owl – Alanna by Tamora Pierce

Alanna by Tamora Pierce

Here’s Alanna by Tamora Pierce.

Artemis is currently hospitalized with an infected talon, but I got a backlog of these book owl photos and writing blog posts helps distract me from worrying about possibly becoming the owner of a one-legged owl tomorrow (for once I’m not exaggerating – it might actually be that bad).

A friend recommended this book to me, since she thought I would enjoy a book about girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to become a knight.

I did.

It’s a short and entertaining read with likable characters and a simple story, and that’s something I think the high fantasy genre needs a bit more of. It doesn’t all have to be huge sagas with enough storylines to make your head spin (though I do like those as well).

The full title is ‘Alanna: The First Adventure’, so you can probably guess it’s part of a series, in this case the Song of Lioness Quartet.

I think more people should write four-book series. Quartet is a great word and ‘trilogy’ has had a good run.

Alanna
by Tamora Pierce

“From now on I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.”

In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants nothing more than to be a knight of the realm of Tortall. So she finds a way to switch places with her twin brother, Thom. Disguised as a boy, Alanna begins her training as a page at the palace of King Roald. But the road to knighthood, as she discovers, is not an easy one. Alanna must master weapons, combat, and magic, as well as polite behavior, her temper, and even her own heart.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna’s first adventure begins—one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and make her a legend in the land.

Alanna by Tamora Pierce