Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I didn't "do" the Harry Potter books until quite recently. Within the past two years, to be precise. I tried to read the first one when I was younger but could not get into it. I regret shunning them for as long as I did. And I regret shunning the movies, as well. I know I'm a late fan and do not wish to label myself a "Harry Potter Nerd" because I feel that label belongs only to people who have been around Harry since the beginning (or at least close to it).

I'm a Junior Nerd.

I re-read the series (well all but two) a few months after completing it the first time around in preparation of the sixth movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Later that year, for my birthday, my mother bought me the entire series and so I decided to read them again. I'm in no rush currently and tend to just pick them up when I need some light, entertaining reading.

This book was one of the two I didn't re-read my second go through so this was only my second time reading it. The first time, I loved it and flew it so quickly. This time...I was almost bored. I cannot take the whiney-ness that is Harry in this one. I didn't like it the first time around but the story was so captivating that I was able to just put that aside. This second time, though, it was all that I seemed to notice.

While I didn't enjoy it that much the second time around, I do rate this one rather high on my list. Number 3 or 4 out of the 7, most definitely.

Paper Towns by John Green

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

This is a novel about two teens, Quentin "Q" Jacobsen and Margo Roth Spiegelman. They've known each other since they were children and Q is rather in love with this Margo who he has known for so long, yet knows nothing about. 

Although neighbors and almost lifetime aquaintances, Q and Margo never really hung out. Until one night when Margo appears at Q's window and takes him on a night of adventure full of revenge that Q will never forget. Upon parting each other, Q is left with the hope that they can finally be real friends. But the next day, Margo isn't at school. Or the next. Or the next. Margo disappearing was not anything new -- she was a very adventurous person who has many stories of just leaving. But her disappearance left Q uneasy. Why would she spend that night with him and not tell him she planned on leaving? Although she was adventerous, she didn't just up and leave. She made plans. She always leaves a trail.

This time, she left a trail for Q to follow.

Q enrolls his friends Radar and Ben and together, they try to piece together the clues. Q believes that Margo wanted to be found especially by him. And this thought left him with so much hope. So much hope.

This was my first book by John Green though I've heard good things about his other novel, Looking for Alaska (review soon). I found this to be incredibly interesting and it kept me captivated page after page. It was a very fast read and I'm rather certain I will read it again in the future -- and I'm not usually one to re-read books.