Reviews by Category: Fantasy

Harry Potter’s second year at Hogwarts takes a turn for the worse when a hidden chamber is opened, unleashing a dark creature that terrorizes students. As fear spreads throughout the school, Harry, Hermione, and Ron are determined to piece together clues about the chamber’s origins and its connection to Salazar Slytherin. With the help of a mysterious diary, they uncover bewildering secrets about the school’s past - but time is running out, and Harry must face grave danger before his closest friends succumb to the growing threat.

In his third year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter faces a new threat when Sirius Black, a highly dangerous prisoner believed to be one of Voldemort’s followers, escapes from Azkaban, the jail for the most ruthless rule-breakers of the wizarding world. Rumors spread that Sirius is coming after Harry, prompting Dumbledore to lock the school down, surrounding it with terrifying, soul-sucking dementors. As Harry dives deeper into the situation, he learns new information about his fateful past, and the event that changed his life forever. 

For Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry is unexpectedly selected to participate in the legendary Triwizard Tournament, a magical competition meant for only the most talented wizards. With three dangerous tasks laid ahead of him, Harry will have to take heavy losses, face massive, fire breathing dragons, and navigate a treacherous maze. His journey will take an unexpected turn for the worse when Voldemort’s return becomes inevitable.

Eleven-year-old Harry Potter is first introduced to the wizarding world by a towering, sasquatch looking man named Hagrid, who informs him that he’s a wizard and is invited to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here, he will begin a journey of magic like no other. He will make loyal friends, learn of the rich history of the magical world, and conjure otherworldly spells. Along the way, he will uncover secrets about his dark past and face off against the most dangerous wizard known to man - all in his first year.

Namesake by Adrienne Young is the sequel to Fable. This book continues the story of Fable, a 17 year-old girl who was left on the island of Javal by her father. Fable is able to save up money to seek voyage out of the island with West and his crew. They travel across the Narrows and attempt to survive the challenges that come along their way. Fable learns more about her mother and a family friend Clove, who she thought was dead.

In We Hunt the Flame, the world of Arawiya is on the brink of destruction. In order to save it Zafira, a hunter who always finds her way, and Nasir, the prince of death, are forced to work together. They are joined with others who have their own motivations for going on this journey. Many lies and truths are uncovered throughout the journey and the fate of the world rests in the hands of an unintentionally united Zumra (as one of my favorite characters, Benyamin, calls their unlikely grouping). 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is an emotional retelling of the Greek myth of Achilles and Patroclus from Homer’s Iliad. Under the narration of Patroclus, he and Achilles create an inseparable bond despite the onset of war. Their relationship is portrayed through their contrasting perspectives as Patroclus is compassionate, gentle and quiet, while Achilles is charismatic and bold.

In a world where the first-born child of every noble family is burdened with a horrible curse, the second-born daughter of the Solon family, Cerise Solon, is an acolyte to the court. Like all the second-born children of the realm she is beholden to serve the goddess and become a Seer, only Cerise has no magical gift at all. But the only possible way to end the curse lies in Cerise's hands.

With the wizarding world now aware of the Dark Lord’s awakening, chaos ensues as Harry and Dumbledore scramble to identify Voldemort’s darkest secret. Guided by the headmaster, Harry dives into the memories of Voldemort’s past, piecing together fragments of a dangerous truth. As trust wavers, a mysterious book claiming to belong to the “Half Blood Prince” offers unforeseen powers - some of which test his greatest friendships and rivalries. In the race against time, Harry knows that the question isn’t just how to fight Voldemort, but whether he can stop him at all… 

In The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan, Percy just wants a peaceful life and a normal senior year, especially after saving the world multiple times since he was 12. Percy wants to attend college, and the same one as his girlfriend, Annabeth. As Percy prepares for next year, he is less than thrilled to discover that he must obtain recommendation letters from Mount Olympus through completing quests for the gods. Percy takes on a quest for the god Ganymede, who has lost his chalice that he uses to serve the gods.