Harry Potter Group Buddy Read Schedule

Hey reader friends and (hopefully) fellow Potterheads!  I talked on Twitter and Facebook about starting a group buddy read/re-read of the Harry Potter Series!  It was an idea to help people have a little fun reading a loved series with others during this shelter in place/quarantine/social distancing time.  So, without further ado: The Buddy Read Schedule:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Saturday April 18 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Chapters 1-5
Sunday April 19 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Chapters 6-9
Monday April 20 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Chapters 10-13
Tuesday April 21 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Chapters 14-17

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

Wednesday April 22 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Chapters 1-4

Thursday April 23 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Chapters 5-9

Friday April 24 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Chapters 10-13 

Saturday April 25 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Chapters 14-18

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

Sunday April 26- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapters 1-5

Monday April 27 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapters 6-10 

Tuesday April 28 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapters 11-15 

Wednesday April 29 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapters 16-19 

Thursday April 30 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Chapters 20-22 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

Friday May 1 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 1-5

Saturday May 2 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapter 6-9 

Sunday May 3 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 10-14

Monday May 4 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 15-19 

Tuesday May 5 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 20-23
Wednesday May 6 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 24-27

Thursday May 7 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 28-32

Friday May 8 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Chapters 33-37 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

Saturday May 9 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 1-4 

Sunday May 10 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 5-8

Monday May 11 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 9-11 

Tuesday May 12 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 12-15 

Wednesday May 13 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 16-18 

Thursday May 14 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 19-22

Friday May 15 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 23-27

Saturday May 16 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 28-31

Sunday May 17 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 32-35

Monday May 18 - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapters 36-38 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 

Tuesday May 19 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 1-5

Wednesday May 20 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 6-10

Thursday May 21 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 11-15

Friday May 22 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 16-20

Saturday May 23 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 21-25 

Sunday May 24 - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - Chapters 26-30

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

Monday May 25 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 1-4

Tuesday May 26 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 5-9 

Wednesday May 27- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 10-14

Thursday May 28 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 11-15

Friday May 29 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 16-20

Saturday May 30- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 20-24

Sunday May 31 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 25-27 

Monday June 1 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 28-30

Tuesday June 2 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 31-33

Wednesday June 3 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapters 34-Epilogue 

During the Buddy Read Along, we'll also have group discussions after each book, but we'll have a discussion with each other about when we want to do those!  That way we can have as many people involved in the group discussions with each other.

If you are interested in joining The Book Nerd Discord Group, we will have a chat in that group specifically for the read along - here's the invite to join: https://discord.gg/jFf4VN

If you'd rather join us in our messenger group chat - find me on Facebook at The Book Nerd, and I will add you to the group chat!

Post Apocalyptic Fiction Recs

Hey reader friends. So, we're all in the same boat right now - social distancing and self-isolating and all that lovely stuff.  You're probably getting a little antsy and looking for something to pass the time. If you've finished all your work from home tasks, or your on leave, or you just need a new book to read, here are some recommendations!

The Rot and Ruin Series - Jonathan Maberry
The Walking Dead Graphic Novels
The Last Man - Mary Shelley
The Zombie Survival Guide - Max Brooks

Also, check out these booktube channels for some more recs! 

If you have some apocalypse books you love, tell me about them! Drop some recs in the comments below.

Some Girls Bind - Rory James

Title: Some Girls Bind
Author: Rory James
Format: Paperback
Rating: 3 Stars

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Jamie knows that she isn't like other girls. She has a secret. She binds her chest every day to feel more like herself. Jamie questions why she is drawn to this practice and why she is afraid of telling her friends, who have their own secrets. Could she really be genderqueer?

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There has been some hype about this book. I personally didn't understand all the hype

This was not a terrible book, but I didn't find it as hype worthy as some people did.  It just felt kind of flat and unimpressive to me.  Of course, take this at face value, because this is coming from someone who is not genderqueer, trans, or NB.  That could have been why I had trouble feeling a connection with the main character. 

My thought on the main character was this: I didn't feel like she really had that much tension or external struggles with being genderqueer or questioning.  There, to me, was not much conflict in the book.  Showing more of a struggle with the character and her friends, family, other people, etc, could have made this a better, more well developed story. 

I personally did not feel there was much internal struggle as well.  Or rather, I felt like the internal struggle Jamie experienced was not as well developed or fleshed out as it could have been.  This story had a real chance to show what being genderqueer is like, and to me, it missed the mark just a bit. 

Top Ten Tuesday - Authors Who Have a Fun Social Media Presence

Hey Reader Friends - welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday. This is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

This weeks topic is: Authors who have a fun social media presence.

My favorite authors to follow on social media are:

Susan Dennard
Twitter: @stdennard
Instagram: @stdennard

Adam Gaylord
Twitter: @AuthorGaylord

Sandhya Menon
Twitter: @smenonbooks
Instagram: @sandhyamenonbooks

Angie Thomas:
Twitter: @angiecthomas

Leigh Bardugo
Twitter: @LBardugo
Instagram: @lbardugo

Marie Lu
Twitter: @Marie_Lu
Instagram: @MarieLuTheWriter

Maurene Goo:
Twitter: @maurenegoo
Instagram: @maurenegoo

Seanan McGuire:
Twitter: @seananmcguire
Instagram: @SeananMcGuire

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Okay, reader friends - your turn. Drop me a comment down below and tell me your favorite authors to follow on the social media! 

Dating Profile Friday - Rowan Damisch

Name: Rowan Damisch
Hobbies: Taking down corruption in whatever way possible.

People frown on love when you're a scythe, but that's okay for me because I'm not really a scythe.  I seek out the corrupt, the wrong doers, the evil that surrounds us and I take my revenge because if I don't, who will?  If you have a heart for seeking out the bad in this world and trying to change it, I have a feeling we'll get along well.

I like to be in my home and out of the public eye when I can. If you are a part of the same group as me, chances are you know where to find me when I'm not out.  If you do see me out in public, and you're interested, approach me first. I look forward to making new acquaintances.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books With Single-Word Titles

Hi everyone! Happy Top Ten Tuesday.  If you've never heard of it: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This weeks topic is: Books With Single-Word Titles 

My favorite books with one word titles are:

1. Scythe
2. Serafina 
3. Stargirl
4. Cinder
5. Cress
6. Scarlet
7. Winter 

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Ok reader friends, What are your top books with only one word titles? Talk to me in the comments down below.

Come Tumbling Down - Seanan McGuire

Title: Come Tumbling Down
Author: Seanan McGuire
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 3.5 Stars

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The fifth installment in Seanan McGuire's award-winning, bestselling Wayward Children series, Come Tumbling Down picks up the threads left dangling by Every Heart a Doorway and Down Among the Sticks and Bones

When Jack left Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children she was carrying the body of her deliciously deranged sister--whom she had recently murdered in a fit of righteous justice--back to their home on the Moors.

But death in their adopted world isn't always as permanent as it is here, and when Jack is herself carried back into the school, it becomes clear that something has happened to her. Something terrible. Something of which only the maddest of scientists could conceive. Something only her friends are equipped to help her overcome.

Eleanor West's "No Quests" rule is about to be broken.

Again. 

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This is the fifth book in the Wayward Children Series.  This story, once again, follows Jack (and in a manner, her sister Jill.) This is the second book in the series to follow Jack and Jill to the moors.

I liked this book, but not as much as its predecessors.   I personally felt like another trip to the moors and Jack and Jill's world was repetitive. It wasn't a necessary book that added much to the series.

I felt like there wasn't much character growth in this book. Where is there to go when you already know Jill is a murderous bitch who has no desire to change?  The other characters didn't show much growth though either.  It leaves me wondering where the story will go in the future, because I don't think the author has any notion of ending this series any time soon. 

There was, as usual, a lot happening in this story, and it was dark, and a bit twisted, because it is Jack and Jill's world after all. But I didn't really feel like the things that happened added much to the story and or the series.  The book and story and events weren't terrible, but this book didn't feel as exciting to me as the other books in the series. 

I'll probably continue reading the series if the author continues it, but right now I am totally feeling Dean Winchester Meh about it. 

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If you've read this book, what did you think of it. Let me know in the comments down below.