The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the greatest joys of my life. It wasn’t until I took a Children’s Literature course in college when I finally read the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone as an assignment. I was hooked immediately.
Since that fateful assignment, my love of Harry Potter has only grown. I’ve re-read the series more times than I can recall. Hogwarts is truly my happy place.
Here are a few examples of my true HP geekdom.
- I lugged two HP books around Europe (Books 4 and 5) for 10 days. Why? Because, duh, I couldn’t just bring one! It’s worth noting that this was WAY before the days of the eReader.
Side note: while on said Europe trip, I literally pointed out everything that reminded me of Harry Potter (My friend Jess was ready to kill me by the end of that trip).
- My husband proposed to me with a golden snitch.
- My bridesmaids worked my love of Harry Potter into my Bachelorette party.
- On my wedding day, I had Harry Potter quotes on our programs, menus, and the bottoms of my shoes.
- I also own a ridiculous amount of Ravenclaw merch because THAT’S the house I belong in. I know this for a fact. I was sorted.
My point is, I love Harry Potter – so why did it take me so long to read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? I’ve had it since it came out two years ago, so why read it now? The truth is, I had heard mixed reviews and I was nervous that if I didn’t like the 8th story it would ruin my little Hogwarts bubble.
Recently, I was trying to decide my next read. I had just finished reading Marriage Vacation, the book from TV Land’s series, Younger (which is one of my favorite shows ever) and I was completely disappointed by the end. I noticed a pattern in my reading this year that I wanted to break – most of the books I had read either took place during World War II or centered around rich, privileged middle-aged white women. Not that there’s anything wrong with those two classifications, but I felt I was missing out on other wonderful books by reading similar stories.
I was craving something else. Something magical. It was then that I realized I had a Harry Potter book I hadn’t read.
I knew my next read.
I read it in under a week and I loved it. I was involved with theater for many years, so the script structure of the book didn’t bother me. I could see how if you’re not used to reading scripts, it would become cumbersome. But for me, it flowed. I know it’s a play, but I kept thinking about how awesome of a movie it would be.
My favorite character in the 8th installment turned out to be Draco Malfoy. His character showed a lot of growth from the Draco I left in Book 7. I felt Harry, Ron, and Hermione were very much the same as the younger counterparts, and honestly, I found Draco’s relationship with his son and their storyline much more engaging and real. Reading Harry Potter and the Cursed Child gave me those wonderful, nostalgic feelings from when I read the Harry Potter series the first time. I loved every second of reading it.
Now that I had my book, what wine could possibly match with the magical quality of Harry Potter?
I just happened to have the perfect wine in my fridge, White Willow. It’s another great white wine from Bright Cellars. The wine is a Verdelho and hails from Australia. The name, White Willow, reminded me of the Whomping Willow on the grounds of Hogwarts and its prickly nature. At first sip, the wine has a tart, citrus punch. The alcohol hits the back of your throat, creating a deep warming sensation, but the tartness balances with notes of Honeysuckle and Jasmine on your palette. The aftertaste lingers and becomes soft (unlike the Whomping Willow). It’s a great wine best served chilled with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child!
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What’s a series you’re obsessed with?
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If you’re interested in checking out Bright Cellars, check out my referral link to get $30 off your first order!
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*I was not compensated for my review. All thoughts and images are my own.*
Keri Reads 
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