I like to grab totally random books from the library and dive in, sight unseen. This is one of those books. And I must say, I have stumbled upon a gem! Nothing like an outdoor survival story to make you feel comfy reading in bed.

I am so glad Joe Hill exists.

This book isn't half bad! It's a measured account of a woman's hunt for answers regarding her roots in New Mexico. And there may or may not be a ghost! If only my family history were that interesting... I'm definitely inspired to DNA swab my cheek!

So I'm only on page 60, but I can't ignore the "gamergate" undertones... I hope this is a literary device and not the tone of this entire book...

I like this book because it allows me to enjoy dystopias, even though I think I may be living in one. Seeing that Litsy and Instagram are my only social vices, I'd be doomed in this society. It's great to read such a relevant story concerning the direction of our technologically dependent society.

I am on disc 6 of this audiobook and I cannot tell you what is happening in the story. I think I have too much on my mind... 😕 I hate when this happens!!

Chapter 6. Balance. Hermoine seems to be taking on quite the course load! A little more balance would probably help. It's like that time I took 18 credit hours of bio/Chem... Then I became an art major. Haha! And Hagrid really needs to find a balance between his natural knowledge of wild beasts and the student's lack of experience.
#hpchapteraday.

Chapter 3. Trust. There is an unease in the air in both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds. Everyone's trust in their surroundings seems to have eroded thanks to the escape of the mysterious and infamous Sirius Black. It's amazing what fear can do to people. Even at the Leaky Cauldron, the proprietor doesn't trust Harry to venture out into Muggle London.
#hpchapteraday

I cannot get over Trevor's childhood. He is one year older than me, but we are lifetimes apart as far as what he has been through. His childhood? Wow! I never would have guessed he went through such terrible things. Apartheid is disgusting. My life has been so privileged. Plus, he is so cute. And smart. And I like reading books by cute, smart guys.

Chapter 2.
Sincerity. I think Harry's parting words to Vernon may be one of the most sincere things Harry has ever told him. I've had enough.
#sincerity #hpchapteraday

Ah! I've been behind! I have spent my sick day catching up. Chapter 15. Sanctuary. Our old friend the car showed up just in time to give sanctuary to Ron and Harry. Even though they left on bad terms, the car was there to offer sanctuary when things got real. The car had assimilated into the forest, and now stays in its sanctuary. And Hagrid had offered sanctuary to Aragog in his younger days.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 10. Complaining. I think the most striking thing about this chapter is how the Gryffindor Quidditch team decided NOT to complain about the berserk bludger. Instead? Action. Action. Action. Complaining will never accomplish anything. Only when people work together in action will change come.
#hpchapteraday

Oh, hai Chamber of Secrets! Chapter 8. Rumors. (PS. The autocorrect of rumors being tumors is quite morbid...) anyhow! I think Moaning Myrtle is a perfect example of why rumors suck. It's no fun to be the punchline of someone's joke, or the negative center of someone else's conversation. People need to think before speaking: is it hurtful? Is it necessary? Is it true? If it is hurtful, unnecessary, or false - don't say it.
#hpchapteraday

This book has helped me get through some stressful times. It has also helped me appreciate the good times. I heartily recommend it for anyone wanting to find joy right where they are.

Chapter 7. Confusion. Harry's day begins in a foggy confusion, being roused unexpectedly from sleep. Then Wood blabbers on about 3 visually confusing diagrams for Quidditch. When the confrontation begins on the field, the onlookers are confused about what's happening. Hermoine is confused over the "Mudblood" comment. McGonagall is confused when Harry would rather polish silver. And the secret voice?! That one takes the cake.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 6. Attraction. Well, while attraction can be found throughout the chapter, all I can think about is how UNattracted I am to Lockhart. I. Can. Not. Stand. Him.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 5. Responsibility. Harry and Ron make a pretty terrible decision (from a mother's viewpoint...) to fly the car to Hogwarts. Young boys never seem to realize that they will be held accountable for their actions. They have a responsibility to poor Mrs. Weasley to make smart choices and to stay alive. And they really got away with being irresponsible! Detention?! That's it? Sheesh. Grounded for life!
#hpchapteraday

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars! A rating I reserve for books I have to go out and actually buy! I have been sighing dramatically for years over the never-ending tidying and organizing and cleaning and blah blah of my house. This book makes it simple. Discard! And it coincides beautifully with my Buddhist readings and my desire to become much more minimalistic. Any other 30 something out there considering a tiny house for "retirement?"

I have been so sporadic for the #readjanuary challenge... Page 24 of my current read, White Teeth. This is also my first read for the #litsyreadingchallenge. A read by a woman of color.

Chapter 4. Shame. Ugh. Isn't that the worst feeling? Your face burns, your chest is tight and a heavy stone sits hot in your gut. Blech! Worst feeling ever. The Weasleys bore the brunt of the "shaming" the Malfoys delivered. It is super lame to use someone's interests or life station and twist it into an insult, insinuating their life and love is something to be ashamed of. It fills me with righteous anger!
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 3. Curiosity. In this chapter, we see that the Weasleys are just as curious about the Muggle world as Harry is about the Wizarding world. Fred and George learn small Muggle tricks like lock-picking. Mr. Weasley seems to collect Muggle items. Just imagine if the Dursleys had an ounce of curiosity about Harry's world. There, perhaps, harmony could be found. People should really be more curious of each other, not afraid.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 2. Control. The Dursleys try to take control of the dinner party by keeping Harry upstairs. Harry tries to control Dobby's LOUD antics. Dobby tries to control Harry's decision to return to Hogwarts. Harry lost control of his living situation when outed by the Ministry. In the end, it looks like Vernon is in near total control of Harry. Or is he?! No one can truly control a situation. I dare say control is an illusion.
#hpchapteraday

Book 2!! I practically danced to the bookshelf this morning to start reading. Chapter 1 has its fair share of disappointment. Harry is disappointed because no one has acknowledged his birthday. While this is to be expected from the Dursleys, Harry can't believe he hasn't heard from his wizarding friends. Rough birthday, kid.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 17. Love. Ugh, now that I'm a mother this book has taken on an entirely new meaning for me. Do I feel... Feelings? Gross! After this chapter, Harry knows that he is indeed surrounded and protected by a deep love from his mother. Just thinking about what that means to me is powerful enough. The idea that poor Harry never knowingly had that love until Hogwarts is as heartbreaking as it is a perfect ending theme for book one.
#hpchapteraday

Ahhhh! I was so happy to visit the local #library today! Alas! I couldn't check out anything new because the #stl library has been HACKED!!!! 😱😱😱 I do NOT like this attack on the written word and low income families! It does not bode well for me on this creepy day before Inauguration Day. 😦

Chapter 16. Destiny. I am a big believer in fate and destiny. You are always exactly where you need to be. Harry is beginning to fulfill his destiny. It's obvious that Ron and Hermoine are part of his destiny as well. Once they were through the trapdoor, everyone had a job: Ron utilized his chess skills, Hermoine used her intelligence, and Harry used his Seeker talent and general bravery. Teamwork! They needed each other to succeed
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 14. Rebellion. This chapter is a perfect demonstration that sometimes doing the right thing is an act of rebellion. Hagrid was doing what was best for Norbert when he took the egg. He hatched and cared for it illegally, of course. I think his rebellion against the Ministry, while ill-advised, was necessary. Stray animals are a magnet to me, and accepting the responsibility of re-homing them takes a lot! I feel for Hagrid.
#hpchapteraday

The elusive Tubby! I had HOPED he would make an appearance! Speaking of hope... That brings us to chapter 13! Gryffindor hopes that they will win the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff (which they do). Hermoine, Harry and Ron hope to discover who Nicholas Flamel is (which they do). Everyone hopes Harry will find the snitch ASAP (which he does). Everyone's hopes are coming true... But let's hope Snape doesn't get past Hagrid's dog.
#hpchapteraday

I'm a little past the halfway mark. I always get to this dragging, bored point of reading around this time in books that are 400+ pages. I imagine it's like the wall that runners hit. I'm waiting for my second wind!

Chapter twelve. White privilege, such an important topic! I think that the invisibility cloak is a great metaphor for white privilege. Much like my white skin allows me to, honestly, get away with quite a lot, the invisibility cloak lets Harry go where he wants. No cloak is like black and brown skin. You are always noticed, just because of your skin color. Or lack of invisibility... Way too complex for the amount of text allowed!
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 11. Goal. The part of the chapter that struck me most was mean old Marcus Flint scoring 5 goals when everyone else was concerned with Harry's well being. Typical Slytherin. It says a lot about someone's character that he is willing to take advantage of someone else's misfortune... Five times. 😒
#hpchapteraday

Chapter ten. Friendship! Harry, Ron and Hermoine become bonded in this chapter thanks to that troublesome, stinky troll. And the trio is solidified!! Yessssssss!
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 9. Betrayal. While Malfoy does "betray" Harry in setting him up for failure with the midnight duel, I don't think an enemy can really betray you. That is the nature of an enemy. I think the person who felt most betrayed this chapter was Hermoine. Harry and Ron were putting self before house, which negates Gryffindor house unity. Hermoine puts Gryffindor above everything else, and feels all Gryffindors should do the same.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 7. Vulnerability. What leaves you feeling more vulnerable than being in front of a huge group of your peers? How about adding an omniscient Sorting Hat to the equation! As a reformed Super Shy Human, I can say that these are the things nightmares are made of. Nothing leaves you more vulnerable than having no control over a situation while everyone watches. Blech.

But then... GRYFFINDOR! And all is well.

#hpchapteraday

My first book for the #LitsyAtoZ challenge! I picked this for the letter A! Then I realized it had the word "the". Are there rules for this? I have always ignored a, an and the when I alphabetized, but I want to do things by the... BOOK! (I love puns.)

Chapter 6. I just want to say how darn happy I am that this chapter a day thing exists. I always find myself rushing through everything I read, and it is nice to force myself to slow down and enjoy it. Expectations! Whatever Harry expected for his first day at Hogwarts, what actually happened far exceeded it! And haha Dursleys! I bet they were expecting to see a very disappointed Harry back on Privet Drive after their cruel "joke."
#hpchapteraday

A huge goal of mine in 2017 is to declutter! We are going to get minimalistic up in here. The clutter is driving me mad! Mad, I say!

Day 8: my collectors edition of Carrie. Huzzah! Proper name!
#readjanuary #titlewithapropername

Chapter 5. I just had to take a pic with my wand in it! I found it in an obscure pagan shop that has long since disappeared... But to the point! Harry is truly in a unique position. He is anything but a stranger to the folks in Diagon Alley. His reputation precedes him. However, Harry knows NOTHING. He is unfamiliar with literally every aspect of his new life. He is a stranger to his birthright.
#hpchapteraday

Day 7! I picked this gem up in New Hampshire when I taught at Nature's Classroom... 7 years ago!! (See? Day 7? 7 years?! I'm so clever.) Nothing beats this guide if you love trees! And identifying them!

#readjanuary #booksaboutnature

Chapter 4: Generosity. Well, first off, isn't Hagrid the perfect physical manifestation of generosity? A giant, larger than life! And he comes bearing gifts! A sweet, slightly smashed cake and yummy sausages! This act of generosity toward Harry carries additional weight, considering it may be the first true act of kindness Harry has ever known. It is a stark contrast to the Dursleys anti-generous treatment of Harry for ten years.
#hpchapteraday

Chapter 3. I am always full of vicious glee when Vernon and Petunia turn various colors after reading Harry's letter. Not only are they afraid of the implications of Harry's birthright, but I think their true fear comes from their tiny worldview being rocked so. The foundation of rationality, rigid normalcy and frank denial of the unexpected the Dursleys have built their lives upon has taken quite a beating. #hpchapteraday

Finished! Finally. 2 days later than I wanted to... It was a great novel to start off my year! I recommend it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Day 5. I have not been able to read this yet. It's been on my TBR for... Years. Literal years. 😕 But, hey, there's a dress on the cover!
#readjanuary #dressesoncover

I couldn't wait to dive in today! Loneliness in chapter two... Poor Harry. He has to deal with Ultimate Loneliness. Not only do the Dursleys dislike Harry, they actively wish him into non-existence. It's one thing to have no friends and feel lonely, but being disregarded so is an ultimate loneliness.
#hpchapteraday

#hpchapteraday is one of my favorite things about 2017! Considering commitment as the theme for chapter one, I'd have to say Mr and Mrs Dursley's commitment to their close minded world view and Dumbledore's commitment to little Harry stand out the most.

I have less than 100 pages left. Usually, I can guess the ending of mysterious, murder-y stories, but not today!! Not today. I have to stop myself from speed reading my way through. Patience is a virtue, right?