mum reads Archives - Page 4 of 4

Revisiting The World of Harry Potter With The Cursed Child

September 28, 2016 No Comments

My birthday came early! ?? Thank you dear brother for this very early gift! Haha! ??? There are mixed reviews about the latest installment of our most beloved book series, but as for me, I am just simply delighted to read all about Harry and his friends again after sooo many years! The plot may have gotten ludicrous at some point, but it is still quite a good read, especially if you are a true blue #potterhead #harrypotter #harrypotterandthecursedchild #booklover #mumreads #myfavoritethings

A photo posted by Vix Parungao (@mumwrites) on Aug 4, 2016 at 5:39pm PDT

The world of Harry Potter is suddenly abuzz with the recent release of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child. I caught wind of National Bookstore’s pre-reservation promo and immediately told my brother Ken about it, which is a wise move as a lot of eager readers had trouble securing their copies on the release day. We got our hardbound copy a few days after the worldwide release and I was poring over its pages several days after.

I read a number of mixed and dismal reviews about the latest installment on the story of our favorite wizard, but I did not allow that to dampen my excitement. It wasn’t your usual Harry Potter book as only a small portion of it was written by JK Rowling and if you were expecting the same experience as with the previous 7 books, then you are in for more disappointment. On a lighter note, this particular book is a very easy read, divided into 2 parts, one can easily finish this in 4-5 hours. Veering away from the narrative, descriptive style that we’ve come to love from the previous Harry Potter books, this one is actually a special rehearsal edition script of the play with the same name that premiered at the Palace Theatre in London on 30 July, 2016.

Here’s a short summary of the book from goodreads.com:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Personally, I thought the book did not live up to the hype. Neither did it live up to the legacy its 7 predecessors left, but putting all that aside, it is still a good experience to actually hold a new Harry Potter book in my hands after so many years. Even though I believe they could’ve given Harry a better father-son relationship with his son, Albus, a small consolation after he willingly volunteered his life to save wizard-kind from Voldemort, and they sure could’ve given the adult Ron a better character, reminiscent of his heroic exploits in the last few chapters of the 7th book, I am still delighted to have read this book and revisited Harry Potter’s world. It brought me back to those nights many moons ago when I was younger and was just discovering the wonders of Hogwarts through these books. For allowing me to relive that beautiful experience, I give this book :yes: :yes: :yes:, and, yes, I am in the process of re-reading this book. I am done with the first part and would read the second one as soon as my busy mum schedule allows me or when I am done reading about MF’s tube stack.

Mum Reads: Working Mom’s February 2015 Issue

February 23, 2015 No Comments

It has been awhile since I last relaxed in the sofa with a magazine in hand. Parenting magazines became my favorite when, well I became a parent and they are a gold mine of helpful tips on raising children, insightful trivia and a perfect way to reward myself after a long and demanding day. For the new knowledge I gained through reading them, for the heart-warming and inspiring tales about the lives of other mums, to must-try recipes, I have always believed that these parenting magazines are worth every cent.

Today, since I am already finished with my scheduled chores for the day, and then some, and was just passing the time until I am up on my toes again to fetch the little one from school, it is the best time to put my feet up and thumb through my copy of Working Mom’s February 2015 Issue.

Judging from its cover, which features the beautiful and long-time couple, Richard and Lucy Gomez, love is written all over the pages of this particular issue. It will also get everyone in the mood for love with its features on sexy bedroom makeovers, on gorgeous fashion and beauty looks suggestions that are sure to make your man’s heart flutter, decadent Valentine recipes from Chef Jessie Sincioco, as well as ideas and tips on having a quick romantic ~~belated~~ V-Day escape. It also has a good selection of new and exciting places to check out and restaurants to sample in its Destination section.