The Harry Potter Spells Tag (a.k.a. the very first tag on my blog!)

Now I don’t recall if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but BY GODS do I love Harry Potter. This series is one I’ve re-read so many times that I have it memorized it forwards and backwards (as in, you can literally throw me a line or quote, and I can tell you what lines follow after) and I simply cannot express just how much this series means to me.

It first helped me learn English when I was struggling with the language at nine years old. It helped me win all my regional spelling bees in middle school thanks to its unique jargon. It gave me something to look forward to with each new release during my hellish high school days. It helped me win English honors in my Shakespeare class during college. Heck, it even inspired my first blog, which has now led to my second!

Harry Potter is the best series on earth, and I will fight to the death anyone who dares argue on this (nah). Because this series is amazing, it is life.

Thus, I think it fitting that the first tag I do is the Harry Potter Spells tag! I am tagging those who have been so lovely to tag or nominate me in the past, as well as others whom I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with recently, and they’re the following:

• Alice @ areadersfiction
• Joana @ Bookneeders
• Taiwo B. @ Stuffed Shelves
• The Orangutan Librarian
• Amber @ Step Into A Book World
• Andrea @ Andrea’s Nirvana
• Ashley @ booktales
• Umut @ umutreviews
• Becca @ becandbones
• Angel @ invisibleink
• Sidra @ Written On Canvas Blog

Of course, I am QUEEN of snubbing tags that people have graciously nominated me for, so no pressure to do this either if you don’t feel like it; I get that life gets in the way or the right mood has to strike, so I’m totally cool if you decide to pass. 🙂

So without further ado, let’s get onto this bitchin’ tag!

---

ACCIO – An upcoming release you wish you could get your hands on right now.

Circe by Madeline Miller. I’m so torn right now because I did get approved for this book on Netgalley, but I can’t stand ebooks, so I’m actually considering putting this book off until the physical copy comes out so I can appreciate it to its fullest glory.

BUT THAT DAY CAN’T FAST ENOUGH FOR ME. *shaking like an addict*

---

ALOHOMORA – Favourite series starter

Considering the Alohomora charm unlocks things, I’ll go with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on this one. Sure, there are a lot series starters I love, but this one in particular “opened up” my love for reading as a child. 😉

---

AGUAMENTI –  A book that made you ugly-cry

A Monster Calls. There are so many books out there that make me shed tears in a quiet, dignified manner, but this one just made me lose ALL control over my tears ducts as I sobbed snot and tears in front of my family at dinner. (Because screw dignity, I need my moment of feels!)

---

EXPECTO PATRONUM – Bookish hero or heroine you want around to protect you in real Life.

Can I go with Dumbledore? Not only is he a really powerful wizard who can protect me from physical harm, but I swear he can see into the future as well. And as a bonus, he can be my life counselor. (Wisdom beats all ya’ll.)

Otherwise, I’ll go with Sam from Lord of the Rings. His heart is beautifully steadfast, and he can be pretty fierce when it comes to protecting his loved ones.

---

CHEERING CHARM – A book that gave you all the warm fuzzies.

Crooked Kingdom. Not only was the ending so befitting of Kaz and Inej’s dynamic, I loved that it ended with Inej reuniting with her family. Sooo warm and fuzzy.

Not to mention, all the ships in this series had my heart fluttering like mad! I generally detest it when an author romantically pairs off every character (it’s such a forced trope), but I was legit was feeling every single couple here. WHAT WITCHERY IS THIS?!

---

IMPERIO – A book you wish you could make everyone read because you loved it so much.

The Once and Future King. I know most people aren’t into slow-burn epics, but this one is sooo lush in its philosophical musings, it teaches you about war, love, and marriage, all the while delivering an incredible look into King Arthur’s life. There are beautifully flawed characters in this book, and the finale just ripped my heart out:

“The cannons of his adversary were thundering in the tattered morning when the Majesty of England drew himself up to meet the future with a peaceful heart.”

This is a wise, witty, and emotionally rich book, and I highly encourage people to check it out. There’s a reason why it’s touted as Professor X’s favorite. 😉

---

LUMOS – A book you intentionally spoiled for yourself.

(

Oh, most definitely Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Something you have to know about me is that I don’t mind spoiling books for myself as long as it’s not somebody else doing it, and I was dying to know who Voldemort’s spy was, so…I peeked. 😛

---

WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA – A book with an uplifting ending or message.

The Golem and the Jinni. This is a beautiful story about two magical entities trying to adapt to 1899 New York, and it reiterates that very simple truth about how life is about taking things one step at a time, and how change doesn’t come overnight. It’s uplifting because it doesn’t try to sugar-coat its morals, yet it still ends on a very hopeful note.

---

CRUCIO – A book that was painful to read.

Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. Man, if you thought Wicked was depressing, this book is times ten. It follows the story of Elphaba’s son Liir after he’s been abandoned by all the authority figures in his life, and his lonely childhood was sooo painful to read about.

Not to mention, his romance with Trism ends with them being forced apart in the end, and it made me go, “HOW HEARTBROKEN CAN YOU MAKE ME, BOOK?!”

---

JELLY-LEGS JINX – A swoon-worthy hero or heroine.

Karou from The Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I’m not the biggest fan of where this book went in terms of romance, but I was impressed by how effortlessly cool Karou was. She had all these quirks and enigmas about her, yet she’s also humble, witty, badass, and self-aware, and I have a total girl-crush on her.

---

ARESTO MOMENTUM – A book that caused you to stop doing all other things until you finished it.

Ahh, this is tricky since I tend to finish most of my books in one sitting, but I do remember the most intense reading session I had being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: I started in the afternoon, and I literally read for 14 hours straight. (My mother discovered me at 7am the next morning. My eyes were apparently bloodshot.)

However, I also read The Shadow of the Wind in one sitting last year! It was a similarly intense experience, but it was just so captivating that I couldn’t put it down.

---

ENGORGIO –  A book or series you wish never ended.

The Chosen by Chaim Potok. Most people probably aren’t aware of this, but this amazing book has an equally amazing sequel called The Promise, and they’re compelling in different ways. This saga could go on forever, and I’d read every single installment!

But also, Song of Achilles. I knew this book was going to end on a very sad note, so I was hanging onto every single word, hoping to prolong the happiness. But alas… *sobs*

---

OBLIVIATE – A book you wish you could forget you ever read.

Fortunately, I have a selective memory that virtually erases any book I deem unworthy of my brain cells, but I suppose I could go with A Court of Thorns and Roses on this one? I haven’t forgotten this book because WHOA, I love hating on it. I do understand its appeal and why people love it so much (it’s very addicting, in a train-crash sort of way), but the characters were so frustratingly inconsistent, it drove me up the wall.

And I did throw it at the wall by the way. It was very satisfying.

---

STUPEFY – A book with a shocking twist or ending.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest totally went Great Gatsby on me. It started out so pleasant and funny, but then it took turns into territories that had me gasping in shock, and I was literally clutching my heart by the end. SO. FREAKING. SHOCKING.

Oh, and Heartless by Marissa Meyer. Call me naive, but I had no idea this was an origin story, so I was pretty floored by its nihilistic finale. (YA books rarely go that dark…)

---

AVADA KEDAVRA – A character death that destroyed you.

I’ve said it for years, but Sirius Black had the saddest (and most well-executed) death in Harry Potter. I mean, he dies without fulfilling any sort of happiness in life, which makes my heart bleed for him. Not to mention, seeing how desperately Harry was trying to deny his death made it all the more heart-breaking for me; the two-way mirror scene, his conversation with Nearly Headless Nick, his tears at the lake….uugh, my heart.

---

ANAPNEO – An author whose books always get you out of a slump.

Again, Chaim Potok! I usually fall into reading slumps whenever I take life too seriously, so his wise (yet unpreachy) narratives give me perspective on life to keep me going.

---

RICTUSEMPRA – A book that had you laughing out loud.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue. You can read my review here, but long story short, I cracked up sooo hard reading this book.

---

EXPELLIARMUS – A book that made you want to send it flying.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulker. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for literary experimentation, but will someone tell this guy that stream of consciousness has no place in stories besides making them extremely pretentious? Okay, thanks.

---

PORTUS – A bookish world you wish you could visit.

The Hobbit. I suppose I’m being biased here since I’ve seen how gorgeous the Lord of the Rings movies can be (and my dream is to go live in New Zealand someday), but come on, who doesn’t want to visit Bag End? The simple life is goals!

Also, I want to visit the world of Inkheart. You can read bookish stuff to life!

---

FINITE INCANTATEM – Best series conclusion.

Hands down, the Bartimaeus trilogy. I have yet to find a series’ conclusion this gutsy, devastating, and uplifting, and it made my jaw drop. I won’t elaborate in fear of spoilers, but who woulda thunk that a YA slash middle-grade finale could be so moving?

---

Aaaaand ~~ I’m done.

Whew, that was way longer a tag than I anticipated, but it’s okay this time since I’m really burned out this week and all I wanted to do was geek out about Harry Potter and ramble about random shit, and generally not be productive for once. 😉

So thanks for indulging me, and I hope you enjoyed this. Cheers! ❤