Genres

1452-1519

1861-1865

1886-1924

1939-1945

A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas

A post-ep for Unbearable. Sort of. Now AU. Originally posted in 2005.

Abortion

Abortion & Birth Control

Action & Adventure

Adolescence

Adult

Adventure

Adventure stories; American

Alien Contact

aliens

All Ages

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Alternative History

Amarantha (ACoTaR)

Ambition in men

American

American Science Fiction And Fantasy

Americans

Americans - Arctic regions

Amren (ACoTaR)

anne rice

Anti-Catholicism

Appreciation

Archer

Arctic regions

Arizona

Art museum curators

Art museum curators - Crimes against

Art thefts

Arthurian

Artificial Satellites

Asia

Azizex666

Azriel (ACoTaR)

BA

Balloonists

Bedtime & Dreams

Beron Vanserra

bethany

Biographical

Biographical fiction

Biography & Autobiography

blogger

Blood and Ash

blood drinker

blood vivicanti

Boarding School & Prep School

Body

books

Boston (Mass.)

Brigands and robbers

Bron (ACoTaR)

business

Business - Leadership

Businesswomen

Cassian (ACoTaR)

Children of immigrants

Children of immigrants - United States

Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)

Childrens

Children's Books

Children's stories; English

Classics

Code and cipher stories; American

Colorado

Comics & Graphic Novels

Coming of Age

Computer industry

Computer security

Conduct of life

Conspiracies

Contemporary

Courts and courtiers

Cresseida (ACoTaR)

Cresseida/Morrigan (ACoTaR)

Crime

Crime & mystery

Crime & Thriller

Crimes against

Criminals

Criticism

Cryptographers

Cursed

da Vinci;

daemon

Daemon Black

Dark Fantasy

Dating & Sex

David_James Mobilism.org

dawson

Deity

Demonology

demons

Despotism

Discrimination & Race Relations

Domestic fiction

Dystopian

Dystopias

Ecoterrorism

Egyptologists

Elain Archeron

Elain Archeron & Lucien Vanserra

Elain Archeron/Azriel

Elain Archeron/Lucien Vanserra

Elemental Assassin#6

elemental magic

Elixir

England

English

english eBooks

English fiction

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Epic

Eris Vanserra

Erotic fiction

Erotica

ESP (Clairvoyance

Espionage

Europe

Explicit

Ex-police officers

Extortion

F/F

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Families

Family

Family Secrets

Fantasy

Fantasy - Contemporary

Fantasy - Epic

Fantasy & Magic

Fantasy fiction

Fantasy fiction; English

fantasy romance

Fantasy:Vampires

Fanworks

feminism; politics; Jacinda Ardern; Michelle Bachelet; Joyce Banda; Hillary Clinton; Christine Lagar

Feyre Archeron

Feyre Archeron/Rhysand

Feyre Archeron's Father

FIC000000 Fiction / General

Fiction

Fiction - Espionage

Fiction - Fantasy

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Fiction & Literature

Fiction:Historical

Flesh and Fire

Friendship

From Blood and Ash

General

General & Literary Fiction

George

Global warming

Good and evil

Grail

Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Great Britain

Greek gods

Guatemala

Guatemala - Fiction.

half-blood

Hart (ACoTaR)

Helion (ACoTaR)

high school

High schools

Historical

Historical - General

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction; English

History

Horror

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Horror & Ghost Stories

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Horror fiction; American

Horror tales

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Humorous

Identity

Illuminati

Immortality

Infected

Intelligence officers

Interactive Adventures

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Irony

Jack (Fictitious character)

Jeffrey - Prose & Criticism

Jeffrey Archer

jennifer armentrout

jennifer l. armentrout

Juvenile Fiction

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Juvenile Fiction / Love & Romance

Kallias (ACoTaR)

katy

Katy Swartz

Kievan Rus

Kievan Rus - Fiction

kindle

King of Hybern (ACoTaR)

Langdon; Robert (Ficticious character)

Large type books

leadership

Legal

Legal stories

Leonardo

Leonardo - Appreciation

Leonardo;

Lestat (Fictitious character)

life

Lifestyle

Literary

Literature

Literature - Classics

Literature & Fiction

Literature & Fiction - Drama

Literature: Classics

London (England)

London (England) - Social life and customs - 19th century

Louisiana

love

Love & Romance

Love Stories

Love stories; American

Lucien Vanserra

lux

luxen

Magic

Mallory

Mallory; George

Manhattan (New York; N.Y.)

Manuscripts

Man-Woman Relationships

Marriage

Mayfair family (Fictitious characters)

Medical

Medical novels

Men

Men's Adventure

Meteors

Microbial Contamination

Mind & Spirit

Missing persons

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

Modern fiction

Morrigan (ACoTaR)

motivational

Mountaineering

Mountaineers

Mystery

Mystery & Crime

Mystery & Detective

Mystery & Detective - General

Mystery & Thrillers

Mystery and detective stories

Mystery fiction

mythology

Natural disasters

Nesta Archeron

Nesta Archeron/Cassian

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New Adult

New Orleans (La.)

New Orleans (La.) - Fiction

New Orleans (La.) - Fiction.

New York (N.Y.)

Nightclubs

Non-Classifiable

nonfiction

Non-Fiction

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Novela, Fantástico

Novelists; English

obsidian

Occult

Occult & Supernatural

Occult fiction

Occult fiction; American

onyx

opal

Original Characters

Orphans

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Other

Pakistani Americans

Papacy

Paranoia

Paranoia - Patients

Paranormal

paranormal romance

Parapsychology

Paris (France)

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People & Places

Personal

Pharaohs

Philosophy

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Physicians

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Polar bear

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Prisoners

Prisons

Psychic Ability

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Psychological fiction

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Psychosurgery

pure

Race Discrimination

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Reacher

Reacher; Jack (Fictitious character)

Regression (Civilization)

Relato, Fantástico, Terror

Religious educators

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Retail

Retellings

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Rhysand (ACoTaR)

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Rich & Famous

Rich people

Romance

Russia & the Former Soviet Union

Russia (Federation)

Sagas

School & Education

Schools

Sci Fi & Fantasy

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Science Fiction & Fantasy

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Scientists

scifi

Sci-Fi

ScreamQueen

Seattle (Wash.)

Secret societies

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Self-Perception

Sex

Sexual harasment

Sexual harassment

shadows

Short Stories

Short Stories (single author)

Short stories; English

Siberia (Russia)

Signs and symbols

Social Classes

Social Issues

Social Issues - Dating & Sex

Social Science

Soldiers

South Carolina

South Carolina - History - Civil War

South Pacific Ocean

Spirit possession

Sports & Recreation

Submarines (Ships)

Subways

Suicide bombers

Supernatural

Suspense

Suspense fiction

Suspense fiction; American

Swindlers and swindling

Sword & Sorcery

Tahereh Mafi

Tamlin (ACoTaR)

Tarquin (ACoTaR)

Technological

teen

Teen & Young Adult

teen romance

Telepathy)

Terrorism

Texas

Thesan (ACoTaR)

Thriller

Thrillers

Time travel

Time travel Fiction

Totalitarianism

Train robberies

United States

urban fantasy

vampire

vampire academy

vampire action

vampire action adventure

vampire actionadventure

vampire adult

vampire adult fantasy

vampire adult romance

vampire aliens

vampire and mortal love

vampire and zombie

vampire angel

vampire army

vampire book for young adults

vampire books

vampire dating

vampire legends

vampire love

vampire night

vampire science fiction

vampire series

vampire women

Vampires

Vampires - Fiction

Vampires - Fiction.

Varian (ACoTaR)

Vatican City

Vendetta

Venice (Italy)

Venice (Italy) - Fiction

Veronica Roth

Violinists

Visionary & Metaphysical

Viviane (ACoTaR)

War & Military

War stories

Washington (State)

Werewolves

Westerns

Witches

Women revolutionaries

Women Sleuths

World War

ya

ya romance

Young Adult

Young Adult Fiction

young adult romance

Zombie Apocalypse

Frostbite

Frostbite

Richelle Mead

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…
It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if handto- hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks.... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.
But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…
False Impression

False Impression

Jeffrey Archer

SUMMARY:
hen an aristocratic old lady is brutally murdered in her English country home on the night before September 11, 2001, it will take all the resources of the FBI and Interpol to work out the connection between her death and a priceless Van Gogh, which is stolen that night. But in the end, it is a courageous young woman who escapes from North Tower of the World Trade Center after the first plane crashes into the building, who has the foresight and determination to take on both sides of the law and avenge the old ladys death. The young woman, Anna Petrescu, takes advantage of being missing and presumed dead in the days after 9/11 to escape from New York City, only to be pursued by both the FBI and a ruthless assassin across the globe, from Toronto to London, to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bucharest. But it is only when she finally returns to New York that the mystery unravels. In his first thriller since The Eleventh Commandment, international bestselling author Jeffrey Archer takes the reader on a breathtaking journey, full of twists and turns, all leading back to the question of why so many people are willing to risk their lives to own Van Goghs Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear. And its not just because it could be worth one hundred million dollars.
Blue Horizon

Blue Horizon

Wilbur Smith

With adventure in their blood, Jim and Mansur Courtney seek to carve out a life for themselves and their families in the unexplored splendor of Africa. But laying claim to a land devastated by war yields unexpected risks. No sooner does their journey unfold than their destiny changes with the daring rescue of a woman imprisoned on a doomed convict ship. Blazing a thousand-mile trail, they escape across a savage world of warring native tribes, bounty hunters, and predators driven by greed and lust. Now the Courtney's true quest begins-a life-and-death pursuit of a dream at any cost...
From Publishers Weekly
Fans of Smith's previous chronicles involving the swashbuckling Courtneys (The Sunbird, etc.) will embrace this event-packed addition, which finds the British clan plying the shipping trade in 18th-century South Africa. Set 25 years after Smith's Monsoon (1999), it concentrates on the family's "new" generation-headstrong young Jim Courtney and his proud cousin Mansur. The feverish action begins when Jim falls under the spell of a stunningly beautiful prisoner aboard a Dutch convict ship. Naturally, she is guiltless. Naturally, he helps her escape into the dark continent's wilderness, placing them both in peril and the family business in jeopardy. What follows is a relentless succession of harrowing chases, narrow escapes, battles on land and sea, assassinations and assignations. Pigott-Smith's British accent, at times clipped enough to draw blood, softens to an almost roguish intimacy during the novel's romantic interludes, when women writhe "voluptuously" or make gifts of "the flower of [their] maidenhood." For the scheming non-British villains, he opts for a sinister whine that resembles the voice of the late Peter Lorre on speed. In short, he is the ideal audio interpreter for this highly melodramatic, ripping yarn.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
The eleventh volume in Smith's saga of the Courtney clan is every bit as riveting as its predecessors. In Monsoon (1999), brothers Tom and Dorian Courtney established themselves as both swashbuckling seamen and master tradesmen on the shores of South Africa. This time around, their sons, Jim and Mansur Courtney, are equally determined to carve out their own triumphs across the African continent. When Jim falls in love unexpectedly with a beautiful prisoner he spies on a convict ship, he vows to free her from her shackles and a life of certain misery. Escaping with the emotionally shattered and physically damaged Louisa, Jim flees cross country with both his beloved and his faithful manservant, Zama, in tow. Worried about their only son, Tom and Sarah Courtney pursue the young couple, eventually bestowing their family blessing upon them. Blazing a trail across Africa, Jim and Louisa traverse thousands of miles of unexplored wilderness, encountering risk, adventure, and passion along every step of their perilous journey into the unknown. Reuniting with Mansur, Jim and the rest of his expedition face mortal danger from an unexpected source. Brimming with bravado, greed, and romance, this rip-roaring historical romp across eighteenth-century Africa will mesmerize faithful fans and win new converts to Smith's trademark brand of lushly exotic fiction. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Shadow Kiss

Shadow Kiss

Richelle Mead

Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret . . . .She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush.
Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...
Product Description
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Rose Hathaway knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa-the last Dragomir princess-must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken . . .
From the Publisher
Praise for the Vampire Academy series
"Mead...weave[s] a unique and mesmerizing mystery with a whodunit ending that even the most skilled detectives will not predict...this little gem is sure to be a hit." --VOYA
"Teens able to handle to edgy elements will speed through this vamp story and anticipate the next installment." _ --Booklist_
"In a world that seems saturated with vampire books, Richelle Mead has created characters and a world that is both unique and believable." _ --TeensReadToo.com _
Blood Promise

Blood Promise

Richelle Mead

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—This latest installment is a wonderful mix of love, loss, loyalty, and betrayal. Half vampire and half human, Rose Hathaway's world is torn apart when the love of her life, Dimitri, is turned into a Strigoi, one of a group of evil, undead vampires out to destroy the Moroi, who are living vampires. She drops out of St. Vladimir's Academy and journeys to Russia to save Dimitri from himself. In St. Petersburg, she befriends Sydney, a member of a secret group of alchemists who aids in her quest. Together they track down Dimitri's family in Omsk; her stay there gives her time to heal as well as to make an important discovery about her relationship to her friend Lissa, a Moroi princess with healing abilities. When Rose confronts Dimitri, he takes her hostage and puts her to the ultimate test. The story features strong character development and an action-packed plot full of many twists and turns. A well-written and satisfying story that will leave older teens wanting more.—_Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY_
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“ . . . The most exciting yet . . . Mead’s storytelling improves with each installment, as she keeps readers on the edge of their seats while adding a few unexpected twists.” —The Associated Press
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

J.K. Rowling

It is Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As Voldemort's sinister forces amass and a spirit of gloom and fear sweeps the land, it becomes clear to Harry that he will soon have no choice but to confront his destiny. Can Harry succeed in the death-defying tasks ahead?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

J.K. Rowling

The summer holidays seem never-ending and Harry Potter can't wait for the start of the school term. It is his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and there are spells to learn and (unluckily) Potions and Divination lessons to attend. But Harry needs to be on his guard at all times – his worst enemy is preparing a horrifying fate for him...
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

J.K. Rowling

Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing - if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.
The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.
A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham
Amazon.com Review
Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.
The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.
A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham
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Begin at the Beginning
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hardcover
PaperbackHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Hardcover
PaperbackHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Hardcover
PaperbackHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Hardcover
PaperbackHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Hardcover
PaperbackHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Hardcover
Paperback
Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  • Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
  • When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
  • Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
  • Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  • The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
  • Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
  • The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  • Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
  • Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
  • The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
  • Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  • Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
  • Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
  • Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
  • Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  • Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
  • Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
  • Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
  • Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
  • Dumbledore's confession to Harry.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • The introduction of the Horcrux.
  • Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur’s answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
  • Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling’s most ingenious inventions.
  • Fred and George Weasley’s Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
  • Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
  • The effects of Felix Felicis.
Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling
"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I’m sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling
Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.
Did You Know?
The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.
A Few Words from Mary GrandPré
"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Potter fans, relax—this review packs no spoilers. Instead, we're taking advantage of our public platform to praise Rowling for the excellence of her plotting. We can't think of anyone else who has sustained such an intricate, endlessly inventive plot over seven thick volumes and so constantly surprised us with twists, well-laid traps and Purloined Letter-style tricks. Hallows continues the tradition, both with sly feats of legerdemain and with several altogether new, unexpected elements. Perhaps some of the surprises in Hallows don't have quite the punch as those of earlier books, but that may be because of the thoroughness and consistency with which Rowling has created her magical universe, and because we've so raptly absorbed its rules.
We're also seizing the occasion to wish out loud that her editors had done their jobs more actively. It's hard to escape the notion that the first three volumes were more carefully edited than the last four. Hallows doesn't contain the extraneous scenes found in, say, Goblet of Fire, but the momentum is uneven. Rowling is much better at comedy than at fight scenes, and no reader of the sixth book will be startled to hear that Hallows has little humor or that its characters engage in more than a few fights. Surely her editors could have helped her find other methods of building suspense besides the use of ellipses and dashes? And craft fight dialogue that sounds a bit less like it belongs in a comic book? Okay, we're quibbling. We know these minor nuisances won't dent readers' enjoyment, at least not this generation of readers; we couldn't put Hallows down ourselves. But we believe Rowling, and future readers, deserved even better. Ages 9-12. (July)
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy. He lives with his Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who make him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Then Harry starts receiving mysterious letters and his life is changed for ever. He is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Harry Potter is a wizard!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter, along with his best friends, Ron and Hermione, is about to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry can't wait to get back to school after the summer holidays (who wouldn't if they lived with the horrible Dursleys?). But when Harry gets to Hogwarts, the atmosphere is tense. There's an escaped mass murderer on the loose, and the sinister prison guards of Azkaban have been called in to guard the school...