I’ve Been Reading. Have You?

The past few years I’ve been keeping a bit better track of what I’m reading and when. Primarily through the Reading Challenge on GoodReads. In previous years I’ve been truly horrible at keeping up-to-date with my records, but this year, oh, this year I’ve been marking my books as I start reading them and checking them off when I’m finished. The year started off with a bang - the books of The Atlantis Grail series by Vera Nezarian: Qualify, Compete, Win, and Survive. 

Since then, I’ve run through a few re-reads, some beloved, some simply enjoyable. For the most part though I’ve been reading new titles, both from favourite authors and new (to me) ones. 

I’ve read a lot of Nora Roberts’ backlist titles. Can I just say - I loved The MacGregors. 

I stormed through the books of the Dragon Blood series by Lindsay Buroker. I really enjoyed them, and my first foray into the steampunk genre. 

I’ve previously loved R.E. Butler’s various dragon series but decided to give Were Zoo series. To be honest, I found them highly entertaining. 

After seeing that The Cowgirl’s Secret Love (book 2, The Colemans of Heart Falls series) was scheduled to release in April, I realized I’d actually fallen behind on the Heart Falls series books. So, me being me, I started at the beginning of the Vivian Arend’s Six Pack Ranch series and read all the way through. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy the ranch romances, I’m also tickled reading about locations I’ve personally visited. 

  

Michelle M. Pillow took me diving into the depths with her Lords of the Abyss books. I haven’t read a lot of stories about mermen before. I was pleasantly surprised by the books. 

Princess and I marathoned through the Harry Potter movies, then I decided to start re-reading the books. I’m not quite marathoning through the books but I’m making my way through them all once again as the mood strikes. Currently, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is one of the books I’m working on. 

And then it was back to one of my personal favourite authors: Christine Feehan. She began her Shadow Riders series in 2016 with the book of the same title, Shadow Rider. Since then three more books have followed and the fifth book in the series, Shadow Flight released today. (May 5, 2020) I read through the first four books a couple weeks ago for the first time, and today I’m reading the new one. #ReleaseDayReading 

So what have you been reading? Have you discovered any new authors? What’s the best thing you’ve read so far in 2020? What’s the best thing you’ve read since (sorta) quarantine began? 

... coming soon - a complete list of the titles I’ve read in January, February, March and April 2020. 

The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Image by moby74 via Flickr

Admittedly its been a while since I've read the seventh book in the Harry Potter series, a sad fact that I've already begun to remedy, but after watching Part 1 of the final books movies, I think I can see why WB and the production crew decided to split Deathly Hallows into 2 films.  In the past movies we've seen the details of the books somewhat pared down and weeded through.  The movies for years 1-6 have been well done - not many would argue with that - but I think most would concede that in those first 6 movies there have been a lot of things from the books that were left out.  Sure, in and of themselves those details are not greatly significant but taken together over the yars, they do play towards fully understanding the entire Harry Potter story.

And THAT I think is where the difference with the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 comes in.  By seperating the book into 2 movies, we get to keep far more of those little details, and hopefully when July 2011 rolls around and Part 2 goes to the big screen, the true end of the Harry Potter series will be far more impressive.

As for the Part 1 movie... It was actually pretty good.  Well done, certainly, and as I said for the portion of the book that it portrays, it keeps far closer to the book details then the older movies.  If I were to make any complaint about it - it was difficult to really keep track of time.  Even at the end of the movie it was only based on a few lines that we were given any real indication that months had passed for the wizard world.  Time passing is something that we've always seen in the other movies (think the Whomping Willow shaking off it's leaves as autumn draws to a close and winter takes hold of Hogwarts for example, though I can't remember which one of the movies that came from) but in Deathly Hallows Part 1 it wasn't really that apparent.  Maybe it was just me, maybe I didn't pick up on the more subtle hints - they must have been there.  Maybe I need to see it again... Hhhmmm, I wonder if I can swing that any time soon?

The hints/indication that I caught:

"Harry, I think it's Christmas Eve. Listen." (Hermione)

"We met a couple of months ago Mr. Lovegood." (Harry)

"All this time we've followed him.  I thought he knew what he was doing!" (Ron, though this one is slightly paraphrased - my recall isn't always perfect!)

So now I'm off to continue reading the book again.  Maybe I'll be back when I finish and I'll have more to say about the book vs. the movie... Maybe I'll watch the movie again after I've finished reading it again... Maybe not.  

Till next time -- Happy Reading.  Happy Watching.  Happy Writing.  And Happy Holidays.

Here We Go...

So we're starting the final leg on the journey of the Harry Potter saga tonight.  Although saga may not be an entirely appropriate term... I mean, really, does 8 movies in a series really qualify as a saga??

Whatever the case may be, tonight Husband and I are taking Kid 1 to the movie.  After I've seen it, I'll be back to let you know my thoughts, so until then here is another sneek peek at the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.

It's Coming!!!

You've read the books.  You've watched the movies.  Finally, the end is here.  The first part of it anyways. ;)

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 1  

coming November 19, 2010

There has been a lot of chatter over whether 'year 7' really needs to be split in to two parts.  I'm really not sure either way.  If you look strictly at the book and try to divide it up, it seems like you'd end up with one whole movie of Harry, Ron and Hermione camping, with the little bit that happens prior to that to start with.  And then the second movie would be all the other stuff.  The action.  Having now seen the trailers I'm still unsure.  There is so much in Deathly Hallows that I can understand why it might be a good idea but... But. 

We've lived through 3hrs+ movies already during this series, and Lord of the Rings, which you really can't say isn't as involved and action filled as the Harry Potters, didn't end up split into more than just the three movies to match the 3 books.   So is it really necessary? Or is this just another way that Warner Bros. can make more money from the HP franchise?  I guess I can't really make any hard and fast decision, or any decision at all, until I've seen the first movie.  And probably the second too. 

But alas, the end is near.  With just over a week till Deathly Hallows - Part 1 is released tickets are already selling fast! Die hards are pulling out their costumes and Pottermania is already exploding into the stores.  Book sales for the entire series, and the individual books, will probably rise again too.  But what happens when D.H. - Part 2 releases next July and the whole Harry Potter world comes to a close?  Honestly makes a person wonder what comes next... (food for thought!!)

Anyways, here's a sneak peek at a combined trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Parts 1 & 2.  I found this on YouTube but there are also the trailers for the individual parts as well.  I don't think WB has issued an 'official' trailer for part two yet, but I think I saw a couple 'unofficial' ones on there.  So take a peek and enjoy!