Reading Update #2

I have now finished the 5 remaining prompts for the O.W.L.s readathon.

Transfiguration (a book with shape shifting)- The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling 3.5 stars
This was a re-read of Rowling's book of fairy tales set in the wizarding world.. I listened to the Audible full cast audiobook and really enjoyed it.

Care of Magical Creatures (a beak on the cover)- The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware 3 stars
I don't typically pick up mysteries or thrillers so I was hoping for a suspenseful page-turner with lots of twists. This was not that. There was very little suspense, and the very few twists that existed, I guessed. The writing style was well done but the characters' motivations were thin. I might even downgrade it to a 2 stars.

Ancient Runes (heart in the title or on cover)- In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick 4 stars
This is the true story of a whaleship being sunk by a whale in the 1800s This sinking is what inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. This is a story of survival of nearly 3 months in the open ocean and it was incredibly readable for a nonfiction.

Defense Against the Dark Arts (set at sea or on the coast)- Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis
I cannot rate this book. My head space when reading it very likely affected my desire to pick it up. It took nearly two weeks to finish because it was grim and I was having difficulty connecting to the characters. However, the ending made me cry. I finally felt something for the characters. I think I would've loved this book if I had read it at a different time. It's about five lesbian women in 1970's Uruguay who are living through a dictatorship and must hide their true selves.

Divination (randomly chosen)- Two or Three Things I Know for Sure by Dorothy Allison  2 stars
I love Bastard out of Carolina by the same author so I decided to pick up her memoir. I learned that the novel was largely autobiographical. However, this memoir reveals very little and is written in as more of a philosophical essay rather than a narrative style. She endured abuse and decided to rise above but we don't get any actual stories. The whole thing is chaotic, lacks focus, and is nonlinear. At 94 pages, I felt she could've written much more.