My Dream Store X Harry Potter Fan Fest (India) Haul!

Hi, everyone! It's been a long time since I posted something different on the blog; and this seems to be the perfect time to step out of books but still be within books, as I have something very exciting and interesting to share.

Sometime last month, My Dream Store (MDS), a popular site where you get various accessories and clothing of popular books, movies and TV serial references, came up with this brilliant idea of Harry Potter Fan Fest (HPFF). Now in general, it is difficult for Indians to lay their hands on high quality merchandise of something they love. So this was the perfect opportunity for the many Potterheads in the country to splurge on exquisite pieces. I, for one, was very excited for this and I wasn't disappointed by the rather great collection and efficient delivery of my purchases.

A few days ago, I posted a photo on my Instagram with all the items I bought during the fest, with the promise of a detailed post, as well. In this post, I am going to talk about the items I purchased, a short review of them and just my entire experience shopping with My Dream Store.

Now before buying items from the Harry Potter Fan Fest, I had initially purchased a sweatshirt from My Dream Store. The surprisingly comfortable and adorable sweatshirt has the ever famous quote "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'" written across the front with footprints and the scar surrounding it. I love love love this sweatshirt so much.

Aside from this, however, I do have clothing items that depict something Harry Potter. So clothing wasn't on my list of things to buy from the HPFF, although they had a great collection!

When I saw that MDS had the Elder Wand on sale, I had to buy it! There was no way I wasn't going to add the wand that makes one the master of Death in my shopping cart. When it finally got to me, the wand came nestled in a beautiful yellow silk material sitting in a box covered with a picture of Harry on one side and that of the battle between him and Lord Voldemort on the other. Even though the wand is the star here, I cannot stop myself from admiring the amazing outer package as well. 

The wand in itself is rather light and honestly, I wish I could cast spells with it. But we'll just leave that to my imagination. Besides, I know I'm a witch on the inside, so the wand will work when I want it to. *winks* Overall, with the pricing that I have seen for wands on other sites, this was totally worth it because it's wonderful.

Now when it comes to t-shirts, phone covers, laptop cases, posters and mugs, MDS basically had the same designs available on various things in different colours, so I shortlisted what I wanted the most and settled on two products that I'm so happy with.

The first is a red and white mug with 9 3/4 on it. I don't suppose I'll drink my beverages from this mug or even use it to put something in it, because it's so good, but I can totally see myself using it as a prop in my bookish photos and putting it on my Harry Potter bookshelf to make it look more gorgeous than it already is. When I first got the mug, I thought "dang! I could've got this printed on my own," as it seemed rather basic to me. But then again, I am way too lazy to get that done, so I'm glad I ordered it off of the website. Besides, if I can't catch the Hogwarts Express, I'll always have my mug to look at.

The second item was a cover for my phone. It's almost like a deep electric blue colour (my horrible photography doesn't do any justice to the vibrancy of it) with many, many spells from our beloved series written on it in black and oh my God! I love this cover so so much. It's so cool and it fits my phone perfectly. There's really not much else I can think of saying about a phone cover, expect for the fact that it's super duper cool.

Now if you know me, you'll know that I wouldn't leave a store without looking at the jewellery they have and the same was the case here. I already have the Deathly Hallows pendant and a snitch charm, so I was looking for something different when I stumbled upon the philosopher's stone locket.

I faced a major problem with this particular item from my order because they sent me the wrong product, and when they replaced it, the courier service was almost about to break my heart by telling me that the package was lost, when I finally received it. I must say that the customer service of MDS was very efficient and helpful throughout.

I am not a 100% impressed with the gold chain of the locket because it seems rather thin and like it would break if I pulled it too much, but I could always replace the chain. The locket itself is gorgeous and so sparkly and lovely and just perfect. About an inch and a half in height, the locket shines like a diamond and I can't wait to wear it around.

So that was all that I got during the HPFF hosted by MDS and everything about this was so good; from the idea of it to the service and final products. I sure hope they have more Harry Potter related events with different products in the near future.

Did you buy anything during the Harry Potter Fan Fest by My Dream Store? If yes, what all did you get? What are your thoughts on my products? Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! Have a great weekend, y'all!

Review- Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

High-school junior Leila has made it most of the way through Armstead Academy without having a crush on anyone, which is something of a relief. Her Persian heritage already makes her different from her classmates; if word got out that she liked girls, life would be twice as hard. But when a sophisticated, beautiful new girl, Saskia, shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would, especially when it looks as if the attraction between them is mutual. Struggling to sort out her growing feelings and Saskia's confusing signals, Leila confides in her old friend, Lisa, and grows closer to her fellow drama tech-crew members, especially Tomas, whose comments about his own sexuality are frank, funny, wise, and sometimes painful. Gradually, Leila begins to see that almost all her classmates are more complicated than they first appear to be, and many are keeping fascinating secrets of their own.

Release date: October 7th, 2014

Published by: Algonquin Young Readers

Page numbers: 304

REVIEW:

The premise of Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel sounded very promising and interesting. Luckily, it ended up being just like that, as well. While the book mainly dealt with the traumas of a lesbian from an Iranian family, it wasn't just a rant session or an almost autobiographical text, because the story in itself had so much going on that it ended up being more of a family/ school drama, which was so very adorable. 

Leila has always been into girls, but coming from a country where people are hanged for not abiding by society's self-made rules, she is afraid if coming out to anyone, let alone her family. The Azadi family was portrayed so well by the author that they seemed just like any normal family one would come across. It's always great to see importance given to family in YA novels, and this wasn't any exception. From the family scenes described in the book to the relationship Leila has with each of them to the way they all react to her sexuality, everything was well done and spot on. 

Leila isn't a wallflower or anything, but she isn't the queen of her school either. Her life is going just about fine until Saskia walks into it. From the very beginning, there was something so off about Saskia and she just seemed so wrong, but for the avoidance of spoilers, let's just say that everything turns out really well. Leila's other friends from school, like her family, were portrayed in a very realistic and cool manner. The fact that the story revolved around a school play (again, something so lovely about YA!) was just perfect. 

Overall, Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel wasn't very unique or anything, but it was such an adorable read that had a bit of everything you'd look for in a YA novel in it. To top it all of, it is a very quick and easy read, thanks to author Sara Farizan's simple writing and intriguing story-telling. A thoroughly enjoyable read, this one is definitely the cutest and least- by no means do I mean to sound rude or offend anyone by using the following word- dramatic book about a lesbian that I have read. 

Buy the book: AMAZON

Waiting on Wednesday #161

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Look Both Ways by Alison Cherry

Publication date- June 14th 2016

Goodreads Summary:

Thoughtful, funny, and steeped in the wild drama of growing up, Alison Cherry’s new novel is the story of a girl hoping she’s found a place to belong . . . only to learn that neither talent nor love is as straightforward as she thinks.

A summer away from the city is the beginning of everything for Brooklyn Shepard. Her theater apprenticeship at Allerdale is a chance to prove that she can carve out a niche all her own, surrounded by people who don’t know anything about her or her family of superstar performers.

Brooklyn immediately hits it off with her roommate, Zoe, and soon their friendship turns into something more. Brooklyn wants to see herself as someone who’s open to everything and everyone, but as her feelings for Zoe intensify, so do her doubts. She’s happier than she’s ever been—but is it because of her new relationship? Or is it because she’s finally discovering who she wants to be? 

This book sounds so interesting, and I cannot wait to read it. 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday? Link me to your posts in the comments below, so I can check it out. Happy waiting, and happy reading! 

Teaser Tuesday #64

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rythm. Anyone can play along!

“Son of a good goddamn holy motherfuck.”

-Hard to Hold on To by Laura Kaye

Summary-

Edward "Easy" Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves--which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna's the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.

Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can't describe how he makes her feel--and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.

As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.

I just found this to be a really funny and creative curse. ;)

Have a great day everyone!

Cover Reveal- Worked Up by Tessa Bailey

We are loving this cover for Tessa Bailey’s WORKED UP, the third novel in Tessa’s bestselling romance Made in Jersey series. WORKED UP is being published by Entangled Brazen in August 2016. Check out the sexy cover below and add it on Goodreads today!

 

ABOUT WORKED UP (Made in Jersey #3):

New Jersey factory mechanic Duke Crawford has watched his loved ones’ marriages fail, time and time again, so he’s not interested in a relationship. Who could have guessed Samantha Waverly, a fellow commitment-phobe—and his new boss’s off-limits sister—would make him question his dedication to bachelorhood? And get him good and worked up in the process…

Add it to Goodreads here!

MADE IN JERSEY Series

And don’t miss the first three books in the Made in Jersey…

CRASHED OUT (#1)

✦ Amazon ✦iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble

ROUGH RHYTHM (#1.5)

✦ Amazon

 

THROWN DOWN (#2)

✦ Amazon ✦iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble

    About Tessa Bailey: 

 Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Goodreads

   

Review- This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Summary-

When it comes to relationships, Remy doesn't mess around. After all, she's learned all there is to know from her mother, who's currently working on husband number five. But there's something about Dexter that seems to defy all of Remy's rules. He certainly doesn't seem like Mr. Right. For some reason, however, Remy just can't seem to shake him. Could it be that Remy's starting to understand what those love songs are all about?

Release date: March 8th, 2004

Published by: Speak

Page numbers: 345

Review-

I have only read one book by Sarah Dessen till date and that didn't go so well for me. But I didn't want to give up on her because so many people have raved about her. That is the reason I decided to pick up This Lullaby which is one of her older books. I do understand now why people love Sarah Dessen so much but I know that I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it a few years earlier.

This Lullaby is Remy's story. Remy hasn't had an easy life. With her mother's fifth marriage, Remy doesn't believe that relationships can actually last. All she wants to do is get out the small town she is living in and finally start living life to the fullest. Remy was a cynical person but it was easy to see why. There were so many things changing in her life and she was just trying to catch up.

But Remy doesn't expect to meet Dexter. Dexter is messy and impulsive and pretty much the opposite of Remy. But he pursues Remy hard and Remy, thinking it will just be a summer fling agrees to go out with him. But things get messy real soon when Remy is in danger of really falling in love with him. I liked Dexter. Though we don't get his point of view, you can see he is smitten with Remy. 

The book is not just about romance though. I liked Remy and Dexter's relationship but what I loved more was Remy's friendship with her best friends. The girls were pretty awesome sticking by each other through thick and thin. I also found Dexter's band mates to be quite funny with their potato songs.

This Lullaby is Remy's journey of trying to figure things out in life while believing that love can last. Like I said before, I would have enjoyed this book even more if I had read it a few years back but I still appreciate it. Sarah Dessen has an engaging writing style and I enjoyed This Lullaby.

Release Blitz- Finding Juliet by Toffee

RELEASE BLITZ- FINDING JULIET BY TOFFEE

Title: FINDING JULIET

Release Day: APRIL 23, 2016

Published by: JUGGERNAUT BOOKS

Genre: ROMANCE

Blurb: An incredibly nice guy turns into an irresistible flirt and learns the fine art of seducing women. A hilarious and heartwarming novel with some surprising nuggets of wisdom.

Cover: 

Links to the book will be available after the release of the Juggernaut app! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Toffee is just another Indian youngster who became an Engineer first and then discovered his true calling. He was a typical Sharma ji ka Ladka, until Engineering happened and changed his life completely. After surviving college, he joined a reputed MNC as a Software Analyst, but a dramatic turn of events made him an author. Toffee is passionate about writing, so much so that he writes code by the day and books by the night and does everything else in life in between. A huge Rajkumar Hirani fan, he loves writing stuff that is both entertaining and insightful. And through his books, he wants to narrate stories that touch people's hearts and change a part of their life, forever.

Toffee’s first book titled ‘An Idiot, Placements and IntervYOU’ was published by the Times Group Books and it went on sell around 5000 copies. ‘Finding Juliet’ is his second book and Juggernaut Books is publishing it exclusively on their mobile app.

AUTHOR LINKS: 

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / EMAIL / GOODREADS

Hosted by: 

The Readdicts Book Blog

Review- The Army Doctor's Forever Baby by Helen Scott Taylor

The Army Doctor's Forever Baby on Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Army doctor, Captain George Knight, is career focused and eager to see action. When he helps out a fellow doctor, Sandra Fisher, after an accident, he's not looking for romance. But this pretty, unassuming woman has secret hidden depths that fascinate him. When he's sent away to war, Sandra has her own challenges to face. Can their love survive the heartbreaking test that fate has in store for them?

Release date: May 27th 2014

Page numbers: 129

REVIEW:

Helen Scott Taylor is the only author who manages to make me appreciate cute and cuddly clichés. I've read and absolutely loved quite a few of the author's Adult Romances, and they have always left me feeling warm and wonderful, be it on a cold winter night or on a hot summer day. The Army Doctor's Forever Baby wasn't any different. Although full of sickeningly sweet stuff that I'm not the biggest fan of, Helen Scott Taylor, as always, managed to make it a cute and enjoyable read. 

The Army Doctor's Forever Baby is the prequel to the Army Doctor's Baby series. It is a novella of less than a hundred pages. In this prequel, we meet George who looks after his former classmate and now colleague Sandra when she has a minor accident. The first half of this novella was super sweet as the two doctors had always experienced an attraction towards each other, but never really did anything about it. Then the story went on to become very been there, done that. It wasn't anything different and extraordinary, but since I haven't read many (or any) books that revolve around the military, the heartbreak and longing in The Army Doctor's Forever Baby was very sweet for me. 

George and Sandra, our main characters, were wonderful people. Although they both had their respective dreams and life choices, once they made a commitment, they stuck to it. The parents from both sides were so warm and welcoming, and I wish we had got to read more about them. It was nice to see how much importance the protagonists gave to their parents. I also adored the fact that this novella is set in the United Kingdom. That was a refreshing and much needed change. Plus, there is a dog in the story (and he's on the book cover too!). 

Overall, I would say that in spite of The Army Doctor's Forever Baby being full of clichés, the book is quite a sweet read that will leave the reader smiling. 

Buy the book: AMAZON 

Waiting on Wednesday #160

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

Publication Date: September 6th, 2016

Summary-

Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…

While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for…. 

I really love Samantha Young's writing so I can't wait for this one!

What are you waiting on? :)

Cover Reveal- Summer of Irreverence by Cathrine Goldstein

Summer of Irreverence - The Rock Star
by Cathrine Goldstein
Genre: Adult Romance
The Wild Rose Press

Summary from Goodreads:

Straight-laced, veterinary surgeon, Summer Wynters is ready to break the rules. And who better to break them with than the most irreverent of all men, mega rock star Malcolm Angel? With one last summer free from work obligations, Summer moves to New York City, and at the coaxing of her friend, pretends to be a model so she can spend one wild night with Malcolm. 

Rock star, Malcolm Angel, tortured by a dark past, may be the poet laureate of romance, but he, like science-minded Summer, has never believed in romantic love. How could he? With his history, he doesn’t deserve to be loved.

When Summer’s honesty, kindness, and exuberance for life changes his perspective, the two discover they are in deeper than either dreamed possible. But when Malcolm discovers Summer’s been perpetuating a lie, will he forgive her? Even if forgiveness is possible, can a man immune to love teach someone else to believe in it?

Excerpt:

“How did you go through life with that name…?” Malcolm’s eyes flashed with happiness. “I mean, if I wrote it, people would crucify me. What were your parents thinking?”

Summer froze. Suddenly the walls began closing in on her.

“I mean, do they love you at all?” Malcolm chuckled.

Summer’s feet refused to move, and her arms lay limp at her side.

“Summer?” Malcolm’s smile faded. “Sum?”

The sound of her nickname spoken by Malcolm did her in. She desperately fought the mounting tears.

Malcolm stared at her. “It’s not your name you’re upset about, is it?”

Summer clenched her jaw and shook her head.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was low and modulated.

She nodded, looking at Malcolm, and wanting, for the first time ever, to have someone make it all okay. To have him make it all okay.

Malcolm grew quiet. They stood there for whole minutes.

“I’m sorry if I touched on a sore subject. Really.”

Summer stared at him—this man who had everything except the answer she needed. How could he be so closed off? How could he care so little about the pain of another living creature?

He stepped forward then, as if reading her mind. He took her hand gently, and leaned over, speaking quietly into her ear. “It’s not that I don’t care.”

Those few words found a place deep in Summer’s soul.

Malcolm stood up tall, and Summer’s eyes followed him. He reached out and stroked her cheek as he spoke. “But I’ve got nothing more to give than today.”

About the Author

I am a bestselling author, and a NYC girl at heart. I write “gritty romance,” in the genres of YA, NA; women’s fiction; and romance. I’m also the author of The Letting and The Coupling, books 1 and 2 of The Letting series. I began my career as an award-winning playwright, and I am a proud member of RWA, PAN. I have my BA in English and my MA in Theatre.

I am a fan of Luna Bars, decaf coffee, yoga, Hemingway, and Bukowski—and the loves of my life are my husband and my two young girls.

To find out more about me; Summer of Irreverence, the first book in The New York Artists Series—standalone novels about strong, artistic men, and the smart, unexpected women they fall for; The Letting series; and what’s coming soon, please visit: her website. 

Author Links:

   

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