Hello snowflakes!❄️
As promised, I have my second TBR for December ready to share with you all. This time however, I will be discussing all of the books I plan to read for the Christmas at Hogwarts Magical Readathon.
For those of you who don’t know the Christmas at Hogwarts readathon is a Harry Potter themed readathon that is hosted by G over at Book Roast. G created the first magical readathon back in March of this year. After the popularity of that first event soared, she decided to continue on with more Harry Potter readathons similar to the first one.
The Christmas at Hogwarts readathon will take place from the 17th of December to the 26th (10 days total). By the time this TBR is posted, it will most likely already be the 17th. OOPS! I don’t want to go into too much detail regarding the rules and fine details, so I will just link G’s announcement video here.
Just so you guys aren’t left completely in the dark, this event is sort of like a choose your own adventure type deal. The challenges are in the style of the marauder’s map where each prompt is connected by black foot prints. Once you complete the first challenge, you are then free to move onto the next with the promise that the second prompt is connected to the previous one via footprints. I’m not sure if that made any sense, but just in case, I will include a photo of the challenge sheet that G made below this paragraph.
Anyways, enough babbling, let’s get into today’s discussion!
THE BOOKS
1. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe
by: Melissa de la Cruz
challenge: finish your coursework/finish your current read
Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe is a gender swapped Pride and Prejudice retelling that takes place during Christmastime. I started reading this for the tistheseason-a-thon earlier this month and was unfortunately, never able to complete it. I am currently on page 72 of 225 and have to say that this is just as awful as people are saying—if not worse. The writing is so terrible and cheesy, that I often find myself cringing. Some people say that this book is like reading a Hallmark movie, and I totally agree with that. In my opinion though, if you take the most corny Hallmark film out there, and multiply that corniness by 1,000, Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe is what you will get.
I am praying to the bookish gods above that I am able to complete this book for the Christmas at Hogwarts readathon. This is the first and most crucial challenge because I can’t change what I am currently reading, it just is what it is. If I can’t complete this important prompt I will pretty much fail at this readathon altogether. Wish me luck!
2. Little Women
by: Louisa May Alcott
challenge: help hagrid decorate the trees/read a book with golden details
Little Women is a classic children’s book that I think most of us have heard of by now. The narrative follows four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy during the American Civil War era. We watch as they go through their day to day lives doing things from putting on a Christmas play, all the way to forming a secret society. We also follow the sisters as they grow up and go from little girls to little women all while their father is away fighting on the war front.
Although I started reading Little Women back in November, and it is therefore technically considered a current read, I am going to count this book for the second challenge instead of the first. This works out perfect, because it just so happens to have golden details on the cover.
I am a little less than halfway through the story, at about page 384 with 393 to go. I am crossing my fingers that I can complete this before the 26th.
3. Christmas or The Good Fairy
by: Harriet Beecher Stowe
challenge: visit three broomsticks for mulled pixie wine/ read a book that will only take one night to read
After I am done helping Hagrid decorate the trees, I am heading over to Three Broomsticks for some mulled pixie wine. YUM! I was originally planning on reading Christmas or the Good Fairy for the tistheseason-a-thon, but since that entire week was an epic fail, I am moving this Christmas-themed narrative over to this next readathon.
Christmas or the Good Fairy is one of many short stories in Barnes and Noble’s collectible edition of A Christmas Treasury. Inside this gorgeous hardcover you can find a wide array of Christmas themed tales written by famous authors such as L. Frank Baum, L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and much more. In terms of what this specific narrative is about, I really have no idea, as I couldn’t even find a description on goodreads.
4. The Nutcracker
by: E.T.A. Hoffman
challenge: sneak into the kitchen to gift dobby socks/read a book with clothes on the cover
The Nutcracker is a children’s coming-of-age novella that has just about something for everyone, from beautiful dolls all the way to deathly battles, as well as toys and animals that come to life. The narrative follows little Marie on Christmas eve as she receives and plays with her new gift–a nutcracker. After her brother breaks it, Marie aids the nutcracker and puts it to bed, but at the stroke of midnight, our protagonist awakes to a ferocious battle between an army of mice and and army of toys–including her beloved nutcracker.
I am beyond excited for this prompt as The Nutcracker will be a reread for me. I chose this book in specific, not only because it is a super quick/short read, but it also fulfills the challenge of reading a book with clothes on the cover. Although there isn’t clothing just sitting by itself, Marie and her doll both have dresses on, so I am going to go ahead and count it.
5. Mary Poppins Comes Back
by: P.L. Travers
challenge: open your molly’s knitted sweater/read a book with a family as a strong theme or parents are present
Mary Poppins Comes Back is a bit of a stretch for this challenge. Even though the parents are present, they aren’t around very often at all due to the fact that Mary Poppins was hired to be the children’s caretaker. If I find that I am struggling to get through the rest of the books on my TBR, I might switch this title out for one of the short stories in my Barnes & Noble edition of A Christmas Treasury.
Mary Poppins Comes Back is the sequel to the children’s classic, Mary Poppins. Considering it is the second book in a series, I won’t go into the synopsis for the sake of not spoiling anyone. I will however, tell you about the first book.
Mary Poppins tells the story of a nanny who is blown by a fierce wind to the doorstep of the Banks family. From that point on, a series of whimsical and nonsensical events occur. Mary Poppins does things that no one can explain, and as it turns out, no one ever does! I absolutely loved the first book and can’t wait to dive into the second.
I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post!
Until next time,
The Garden of Read-En 