Wrap Up: N.E.W.T.s Magical Readathon | 2019

The N.E.W.T.s Magical Readathon is done.

Well, not exactly. Today is the last day to participate in it, but I consider my exam complete because I’m done reading. I NEED a day of rest from reading so intensely… not that I read intensely for the readathon, but, gosh damn! I read a whole lot.

Anyway, in case you know nothing about this readthon, here are some quick facts:

• It was created by in Book Roast, a booktuber, and is inspired by the Harry Potter books.
• You get to choose a wizarding career to pursue. My career: aurologist — a person who studies auras.
• The first part, the O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) Magical Readathon, was held in April. I smashed it! I passed everything! —Well, except for DADA. 😦
• The second part, the N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests) Magical Readathon, was held in August. I smashed it too! See below for how well I did!
• You can only do NEWTs for the OWL subjects you passed, and you have to acquire the indicated NEWT grades to be considered for the career you chose.
• There are other activities, but I don’t know details about them because I didn’t intend to participate in them.

So, with the rules and such reviewed and out the way, quickly, here are the requirements for my career:

I passed my required OWLs — astronomy, divination, history of magic — with flying colors. In August, I took on the NEWTs for astronomy and divination, as required, but also threw in some of the OWL subjects I passed just to make things hard on myself for no reason, smh. I also completed a book about color to satisfy the additional requirement to do a “research paper on ‘Theory of Color: Auras and Their Interpretation at a Glance’.”

So yeah, I’d say I’m now a full-fledged

AUROLOGIST!!!

in training. Yeahie me!! 😀 I can read everyone’s aura now even from miles away behind my computer screen! Lol!

Anyway, here’s what I read:

** Quick note: My plan, since I gave myself so many books to read, was to read two comics (or relatively short books) plus one novel for each subject.

Only passing grades are noted for NEWTs.

A = Acceptable

E = Exceeds Expectations

O = Outstanding

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Required subjects

Astronomy
My grade = O

✓ A = Moon on the cover or anywhere in the title

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Vol. 1: BFF by Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder, illus. by Natacha Bustos
— A comic book set in the Marvel universe about a young Black girl who befriends a dinosaur that time-traveled to the present day.

✓ E = Word ‘night’ in book or series name

In the Night Wood by Dale Bailey
— A fantasy novel with a touch of horror about a grieving couple who move to a remote house in a small village in England where the husband hopes to research and write a biography about “the long-dead author of a legendary Victorian children’s book, In the Night Wood.”

✓ O = Read a sci-fi book (or book with stars on the cover)

Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
— A classic sci-fi novel about earth being visited by an intelligent alien race that intends to help humans improve and evolve.

Divination
My grade = O

✓ A = Read a white book

The Gigantic Beard that Was Evil by Stephen Collins (illus.)
— A graphic novel about a man who lives on an island called Here whose beard begins growing uncontrollably.

✓ E = Read a short story or a collection of short stories

Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection ed. by Hope Nicholson
— A comic book anthology featuring stories by and about Native Americans.

✓ O = Read the last book you bought/took from your library

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
— A fantasy novella about a wild man who lives deep in the woods with his cat. A bright young man happens upon his cottage one day and… that changes everything.

Additional
My grade = O

✓ O = Research paper on Theory of Color: Auras and Their Interpretation at a Glance

** I interpreted this requirement as “read a book about color” because I already owned such a book.

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair
— A nonfiction book that’s all about color.

Other subjects

History of Magic
My grade = O

✓ A = Read a fantasy

Cinderella: or the Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault, illus. by Camille Rose Garcia
— The fairytale Cinderella paired with quirky illustrations by Camille Rose Garcia.

✓ E = Read a book that includes a map

Emperor Mage by Tamora Pierce
— The third novel in the Immortals quartet, a YA fantasy series about a girl who can communicate with animals.

✓ O = Tom Riddle’s diary: Fond memory — reread a favorite (or read a classic)

The Lost Years of Merlin by T.A. Barron
— The first in the Merlin series, a middle-grade fantasy series about the famous wizard’s youth.

Charms
My grade = E

✓ A = Read a book that you think has a gorgeous cover

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill (illus.)
— A middle-grade graphic novel about dragons that grow tea leaves on their horns and the people who care for them.

✓ E = Read a comic/graphic novel/manga (or book under 150 pages)

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vols. 7-9 by Hiromu Arakawa (illus.)
— A sci-fi/fantasy manga about two brothers who are trying to regain their natural bodies after a failed experiment.

x O = Spongify (softening charm) — read a paperback book

nothing read 😦

Herbology
My grade = E

✓ A = Mandrake! Quick, put your headphones on! Listen to an audio book. (If not – green cover)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
— The second book in the Harry Potter series: Ginny goes to Hogwarts.

✓ E = Read a book between 350-390 pages

Kiss of the Spindle by Nancy Campbell Allen
— The second in a steampunk romance series with touches of the supernatural. This installment is inspired by the Sleeping Beauty fairytale and is about a capable young woman who works as an empath for shapeshifters who’s travelling on an airship bound for the Caribbean to convince the witch who cursed her to remove it.

x O = Read a book with a flower on the cover

nothing read 😥

Potions
My grade = A

✓ A = Polyjuice Potion: Read your friend’s favorite book

Monstress, Vol. 3: Haven by Marjorie Liu, illus. by Sana Takeda
— The third volume in the Monstress comic book series, a fantasy series about a young woman who has a monster trapped inside her.

x E = House ingredient: Book with a cover in your Hogwarts house color

nothing read 😦

x O = Book that starts with a prologue

nothing read 😥

Transfiguration
My grade = E

✓ A = Read a book with LGBTQA+ representation

Moonstruck, Vol. 1: Magic to Brew by Grace Ellis, illus. by Shae Beagle & Kate Leth
— A YA fantasy comic book set in a college town that’s about a werewolf and her friends, one of whom is a centaur who loses his great ass.

✓ E = Read a book that’s not a first in the series

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vols. 10-12 by Hiromu Arakawa (illus.)
— A sci-fi/fantasy manga about two brothers who are trying to regain their natural bodies after a failed experiment.

x O = McGonagall does not mess around! Read a book over 500 pages.

nothing read 😛

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Whew!

That’s it. That’s all the stuff I read for the readthon. Overall, I think I did pretty great. I’m now an aurologist who has a good amount of background knowledge in various subjects — exactly what I wanted.

If you participated in this readathon, let me know how well you did below. 🙂

If you didn’t participate — 😮 — lol, let me know if you’re read any of these books. 😛

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