Saturday, January 26, 2013

Review: Harry Potter series-books 1-4

 
(Ignore books 5-7. haven't read them yet)
 
 
My summary:
 
Boy wizard, Harry Potter, battles with understanding the wizarding world and getting ready to fight the Dark Lord once again. At his side are his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. But between trying not to die and learning everything he can, Harry works at trying to protect his friends and loved ones.
 
Review:
 
I wish I read this series when I was younger. I regret it. Up until now, I've only watched the movies. Yes, I know, it's shocking. A big book junkie like me hasn't read Harry Potter. Haha. I don't care, but I'm happy I'm reading them now and have finished books 1-4.
 
I have to say, I felt like smacking myself. Why did I deprive myself of this series for so long. I love it! It was funny, emotional, dramatic. Everything a book lover loves in a book. Sure, saw the movie before the book, but just reading makes it all seem different. The books are very different from the movie, but I do give points to the movies because they explain some of the scenes better than the books, like Harry's first Quidditch game, in more detail.
 
One thing I did find odd was the lack of British terminology. I was expecting the books to be filled with different English terms that were only known by the Brits. I was looking forward to guessing what each word meant. But no, the books sounded just like most books. Props to the movies, since they do use British terminology.
 
Lastly, I wish the movies stuck to the book a bit more. If you read them, there is so much more detail in the books that they cut from the movie. Remember the Valentine's Day scene from The Chamber of Secrets? I wish that was in the movie. It would have been funny. But taken consideration that the movies are as long as they are now, I guess it's okay that certain parts were cut out. But it's not okay in my book that the important scenes are extremely different from the book.
 
Characters:
 
Harry is just like Harry in the movies. A young boy with a big heart and very brave. Protects his friends. Wishes for a family. Hates the Dursleys. Daniel Radcliffe plays him perfectly.
 
Ron was a bit different from the movie. I felt he was a bit ruder, especially when it comes to financial issues. You can tell he's very jealous of Harry when it comes to money since he's family is poor. I don't blame, but at least he has a nice family. But what gets me about Ron is the fact he is the underdog and that he does wish he had the spot light once in awhile. He's a bit more relatable than Harry. There are kids every day who wish they could outshine their friends or their siblings. I've seen it (but not lived it). Sure, I can relate to Harry by I was once an orphan, but my parents weren't killed by some big dark lord. Ron's the character we all root for to have that big moment of triumphant.
 
Hermione is a bit more snobbish than she is in the movies. I think it's because deep down she does feel she's a bit of a know-it-all and is proud of it. But what I'm peeved at is the S.P.E.W. thing. It's basically the same thing we had with the Civil War, but I'm upset they didn't put that in the movies. It would have been nice to see.

The rest of the characters are quite the same as they are in the movies. Malfoy though is a bit more......Malfoy you could say. Still don't like him. And I defiantly don't like Snape, even if he does turn out to be the good guy.
 
The series so far:
 
Right now I'm on the fifth book. It's taking me forever to read it because:
1) reading a book for my english class
2) working on scholarships
3) reading Stealing Parker too
4) because of the movie, now reading Beautiful Creature, which oddly, my sister has read before me.
That never happens! It only happened once, and that was with The Hunger Games.
 
I hope to get to get this series done by the end of February. I have no clue if that will happen, but I hope so.
 
And sorry for the lack of posting. It's all because of #1 & #2.
 
 
That's all!
 
Keep On Reading!
 
 

Monday, January 21, 2013

Giveaway Alerts!

 
New giveaways everyday.
 
Here's this week's:
 
#1
 
Enticed by Books
 
Enticed by Books has a new look!
To celebrate, she's giving away one 2013 book of choice to one winner.
To enter, click below:
 
#2
 
 
Winter. The opposite of Summer (me in this case. lol)
Anyway, these awesome bloggers are so thankful to their followers they've decided to have a giveaway. And they've reached 1000 Followers!. In there giveaway is:
 
Kindle Fire eReader
Leather Case for Kindle Fire
$15US Giftcard to Amazon
 
Nice huh?
To enter, click below:
 
#3
 
 
Read Now Sleep Later is celebrating the new year by giving away a chance to win a book of choice up to $20.13 to one lucky winner. Sorry to post this so short, but this giveaway is ending soon.
Get to it!
 
#4
 
 
Cute button, right? I think so.
But who cares right now.
The giveaway:
Kelly over at OhDamnBooks is giving away a copy of Everbound or one of the Most Anticipated Books of 2013 to one lucky winner.
To enter, click below:
Everbound + Most Anticipated 2013 Book Giveaway


That's all!
Until Next Time!
 

A Shell Full of Books: Winter Edition + Update


My version of IMM by The Story Siren.

Here's what I got this week:



Won:

Thanks goes to Shelver from Bookshelvers Anonymous

Thanks goes to Zahida from Musings of a YA Reader

Fury's Fire (Siren's Storm #2) by Lisa Papademetriou
Thanks goes to Jessica from Confessions of a Bookaholic
Oddly, I won this book last year during her Halloween special. I completely forgot about it.
 
 
Up For Trade:
 
The finish copy of Through the Ever Night and Fury's Fire.
 
If you have a book from my "Need to Get list", then the book is defiantly yours. If you have a book for trade that is on my "Wishlist", that's great too, but my "NTG" list will guarantee the book.
 
UPDATE!
 
1
 
Sorry there hasn't been a Floating Books Along giveaway this month. Money's been tight and I couldn't do it this month. Next month I will.
 
2
 
My review for the first three Harry Potter books will be up hopefully soon.
 
 
Until Next Time!


Sunday, January 13, 2013

A Shell Full of Books: Winter Edition


I know it says "Winter Edition", but I kind of like it as just that.
Plus, I can't remember what # this would be if I went back to the original.

Here's this week's:


Won:

The Farm (The Farm #1) by Emily McKay
Black City (Black City #1)by Elizabeth Richards
Croak (Croak #1) by Gina Damico
Scorch (Croak #2) by Gina Damico
Thanks goes to Blake from The Tattered Page

Thanks goes to O'Dell from Book Twirps (one of my favorite blogs)

Thanks goes to Kate from Ex Libris

Thanks goes to Jasprit from The Readers Den


This cute little box I won from Konstanz from No Thought 2 Small
Thank you!


Thats all.
Until Next Time!



Cover Reveals: Shorties and Redos

 
Bringing new covers to the book lovers of the world.
 
 Redos:
 
    
 
My Favorite:
 
 
Shorties (Novellas)
 
   
 
My Favorite:
 
 
That's all.
Until Next Time!
 
 

Cover Reveals: So Many Books, So Little Time


Bringing new covers of new books and sequels to book lovers everywhere.
So many books, so little time

Here's this week's:
 
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
My Favorite
  
I love them!
 

That's all!
Until Next Time!