The Harry Potter Adventure: Future for Harry?

As many of you know, Harry Potter author, JK Rowling, was interviewed on Oprah yesterday (October 1, 2010).  In the interview there was some hinting at the idea of writing more Harry Potter books.  I thought this would be an interesting topic for my Harry Potter Adventure blogs.
JK Rowling told Oprah that she feels she is done, but will not say that she won't write more.  My question is what would the possible new books be?  Personally, I feel that Harry Potter's story is complete.  I would not be particularly thrilled about another book about Harry.  Would I still read it?  Yes.  :)  I have some trepidation on the continuation of Harry Potter because I really believe the series is beautiful and complete, and I do not want it to continue to the point of not being as good as it is now.  But, honestly, I trust JK Rowling as an author.  I don't think she will do more books just for the paycheck(because we know she doesn't need the money).  I feel like if she writes more books it is because she has more story to tell.  She is a skilled writer and I will trust her no matter what she chooses to do at this point.

However, I would enjoy books about some of the other characters.  I am particularly interested in a Dumbledore story or the story of Lily and James Potter at Hogwarts.  I am a huge fan of back story so I love a good prequel.  I also think that Lily and James would give a pretty interesting story including Lily's relationship with Snape and James and the Marauders. 

What are your thoughts?
Would you like to read more Harry Potter books?
What would you like to see in future novels from JK Rowling?

The Harry Potter Adventure: The Pregame

Tomorrow, October 1, 2010, I begin my challenge to read all seven Harry Potter books consecutively.  The goal is to be finished before the theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on November 19, 2010.  That gives me exactly 50 days to read a total of 4100 pages.  That comes out to 82 pages a day.  *WHEW*

 My history with Harry Potter isn't really all that exciting.  I never dressed up like a character and went to a midnight release party.  I can't even say I was one of the fans before the movies were made.  In fact I didn't even see The Sorcerer's Stone in the theaters because I was in the middle of reading it at the time and didn't want the ending spoiled.  But I love the series.  I truly believe it will last through time as one of the great works of fantasy along with Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, and (one of my favorites) His Dark Materials(aka The Golden Compass).  Last year I had the chance to go to the Harry Potter exhibit when it was at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  While there I had the chance to be sorted.  yep, I wore the sorting hat and it assigned me to my house.  I am a Slytherin.  The thing about Harry Potter that always gets me is how much I fall in love with the characters.  Even the evil ones.  Voldemort is one of the most brilliant villains of all time!  My favorite characters in the series have never been Harry, Ron, or Hermione because the supporting cast is just as well developed as the leading characters.  

As it stands now, my favorites are....
BOOK: 1. The Half Blood Prince 2. The Prisoner of Azkaban
CHARACTER(s):   1. Luna Lovegood  2. Remus Lupin  3. Tom Riddle
MOVIE: The Sorcerer's Stone (I just love the magic of Hogwarts and everything being so new)
MOMENT: Neville Longbottom winning the house cup for Griffindor


Post in the comments your Harry Potter Favorites Lists!

Dear Blog,

So I promised to read and review Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan for you.  However, I just started a new job and have been getting into more rehearsals for the production of Hairspray that I'm doing so that reading hasn't been happening.  I'm still going to read it, but it will be postponed until after I finish my next project.

Next Project?  What, pray tell, could that be???   I'll tell you!

I will be embarking on a journey through all seven Harry Potters!  Yes, I have already read them all.  Some of them multiple times.  However, I thought it would be fun if Jim and I re-read them all together before the next movie.  The question is this: Do I blog about a series of books I assume most of my readers has read?  I could write about things I never really noticed or appreciated about the books until reading them all in succession.  No summaries, no reviewing.  I LOVE these books.  Five Stars(times seven books is 35 stars).  There is the review.  Maybe i'll do short daily updates on the progress since this is a challenge with a deadline.

So how about it bloggers?  would you like to follow me through the Harry Potter Adventure?  Let me know in the comments if this would be at all interesting to you.

Other Posts?

So I've been thinking about adding different kinds of posts to the blog other than just reading reviews.  It's mostly because I am a slow reader and there's no way I can read two books a week(especially when they are 4000+ pages!).  I know a few blogs write about what has been recently released or literary events.  I'm wondering what I can blog about in between reviews.  My one idea was "Reading Memories" in which I would post a blog about books I remember fondly.  This would give me the chance to blog about books I love but that I read before I started blogging.  It would also give me the chance to include non YA titles such as picture books and plays I love. 


What do you think?  Do you like this idea?  Any other brilliant blog ideas that I cannot think up on my own?  This blog is still a baby and I think it has a lot of room to grow.

The Order of Odd Fish by James Kennedy

When she was a baby, orphaned Jo was left on Aunt Lily’s doorstep with a note: “This is Jo.  Please take care of her.  But beware.  This is a Dangerous baby.”  For thirteen years Jo couldn’t find anything remotely dangerous about herself until one day she meets a Russian Colonel who takes advice from his digestive track and his butler, Sefino the cockroach.  Together they go on a rather inconvenient adventure to Eldritch City, the home of The Order of Odd Fish, an order of knights whose purpose is to research pointless subjects.  It is here that Jo finds out that her birth was connected to a mysterious cult and was the cause of the near destruction of Eldritch City.  Jo finally feels like she has found a place where she belongs, but she has to keep her true identity a secret.  This book has some amazing adventures like riding giant squids through underground rivers, cockroaches who find themselves the topic of the gossip columnists, and a millionaire who is trying to become a super villain. 

I do not remember ever laughing more at any book than this one.  I’m not usually one to laugh out loud at books.  It’s probably my catholic school library time that taught me not to make a sound when you are reading.  This book though, had me cracking up.  Much to my embarrassment, I was giggling in my dentist’s office waiting room!  This book just has a flair for the ridiculous that you cannot help but laugh at.  I’ve heard this book being compared to Roald Dahl and even Monty Python.  I can see both of those influences in this novel, but I really think James Kennedy’s first novel has a humor and a charm all its own.  On top of the humor, James Kennedy has a knack for describing things.  There are settings, animals and characters in this book that only exist in the imagination, but they are described so well that the reader has no difficulty understanding the fantastic world of Eldritch City.  I could picture everything so well, that I often felt like I was watching the book happen.  I think this is a great book for those who enjoy adventure and a lot of silliness.  This is James Kennedy’s first novel, but I look forward to more from him in the future!

Update

I've been a slow reader lately so I don't have a review for today.  So Today's post is more of an update.

News: I now have a Twitter!  I'm still confused on how to work it, but I'm trying.  You should follow me at username BkwrmAdventure

Right now I'm reading James Kennedy's The Order of Odd Fish.  So far I'm really enjoying it, and I plan to have the review on it up sometime this weekend!  Check out James Kennedy's website and see for yourself how funny he is!

After that, I am so so so excited to read Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan.  It's my first Westerfeld book and my first adventure into the Steampunk genre.  Check out this video trailer for the book Here!

In other news, one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman is going to make an appearance on the PBS kids show Arthur!!!!  I think he makes an awesome animated cat.  Yay Neil!  Check it out October 25!

Thanks for reading!  Let me know in the comments if there's any books you'd like to see me read in the future!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I cannot even begin to tell you how difficult it is to write about this book without spoiling.  I am trying very hard to only tell you my feelings about the book and not what happens.

The end of a series is often bittersweet.  I have been waiting all summer to read this book, and many fans have been waiting much longer.  It’s been a wonderful journey through this series, and it’s always sad to see it end.    

What did I think of the book?  That is a difficult question because of the nature of The Hunger Games.  The story isn’t happy.  It has a lot of confusion and pain that I felt as a reader.  I do think it was a beautiful series.  I appreciate the growth Katniss went through in the series.  I think she developed a lot from the the little girl hunting in the woods that we met in the beginning.  I enjoyed how this book kept me guessing.  Suzanne Collins definitely took some risks and did not go in the direction of the expected.  Bravo.  Nothing is certain in Panem from page one of The Hunger Games all the way to the final page of Mockingjay.  Along with Katniss, the reader questions who to trust and what is right.  I liked that.  Real worlds do not have happy tied up endings with no questions.  I don’t feel like the book left me with so many questions that I was frustrated though.  There is an element of the unknown without the feeling of being cheated.  I think the best thing is that Mockingjay stayed tuned-in to the theme I found most important to The Hunger Games, the affect of the media and the nature of entertainment. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the series.  I really recommend it to everyone.  I think the characters are very real and the plot is both exciting and meaningful.  It’s a page turner for sure with some really beautiful moments.  If you haven’t, I think you should read the series.  If you have read the series and want a full account of the book (Spoilers included), I really recommend reading Malinda Lo’s blog about it here.  I think she says everything I felt about the book, the series, and the fan response to both.  You should also read her blog about Why I'm Team Katniss.

Please leave comments with your thoughts on the series and your feelings about the ending!

Remembering 9/11 with hate?

Please read American Libraries article Fighting Fire with Free Speech: ALA Will Protest Book Burning with 9/11 Qur'an Reading | American Libraries Magazine


As a reader and an educator, I am appalled that there are still people who think that burning a book is the right way to get rid of an opposing view point. I'm 100% behind the American Library Association on this one.

Banned Books week is a favorite of mine. It is totally fine to dislike or disagree with a book, but it is never ok to get rid of it entirely.  Freedom of Speech means there will be people who say things you don't like.  They have that right.  You have the right to not read it.  You do not have the right to stop others from reading it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on these issues, the article, banned books, burning books.  Would you like posts about favorite "Banned Books" for Banned Books week?  Septembe 25-October 2  Please Comment!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I read this book so quickly, that I didn’t really get as excited about it as I did Hunger Games. However, as I think back on it, I feel like it was the more interesting of the two books so far. I don’t want to give away any plot points for those who haven’t read the books, but I liked how this book gave us a chance to get to know some of the other characters better.

The stakes are higher in this book as Katniss is challenged by the President of Panem to calm the people’s ideas of rebellion. While the first book was mostly about The Games and Katniss, this book digs deeper into the country and government of Panem along with the characters Katniss is in contact with. Katniss has the opportunity to meet and learn about some of the previous victors of the Games, and I really enjoyed learning about the characters from other districts. This book gives the reader the chance to learn more about Panem as a country instead of just District 12 and the capitol. This book also builds more on the relationships between the characters. The Hunger Games spent so much time with just Katniss and Peeta, but Catching Fire illustrates Katniss’ growing relationships with other characters as well.

It is a great second act with lots of excitement. It definitely builds the reader’s anticipation for book three. If The Hunger Games didn't live up to your expectations, read Catching Fire. I think that it could make a believer out of you.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In honor of the release of Mockingjay on August 24, I have decided to do a post for the first two books before I review the final installment. In a lot of ways, I came late to the Hunger Games party. I remember hearing about the first book from a librarian when it first came out and it interested me enough that I filed it away in my “to read” section of my brain. But I didn’t actually get around to reading it until this spring. I finally had the time to sit down and read the book after so many people raved about it and told me I had to read it.

In The Hunger Games we are introduced to a dystopic world in which the land and all of its resources are divided into 12 districts. The people and everything produced by these districts are controlled by the government of The Capitol. Every year, in order to demonstrate their control over the districts, The Capitol selects two children from each district to participate in the nationally televised Hunger Games. In these games, the tributes are forced to fight to the death, and the last one standing wins glory and riches for his district.

In Katniss Everdeen we are given a hero who is both vulnerable and vicious all at once. Katniss is an incredibly complicated character that I think readers will both relate to and learn a lot from. She is passionate and a fierce fighter, but still loving and kind. Katniss has to struggle with maintaining her humanity in some of the most savage situations. I love what the book has to say about the world, about government, survival, freedom, love, and most importantly about what people view as "entertainment". The idea that the entire country watches these children kill each other on television is a staggering thought. It makes you reconsider the idea of “reality” television. The characters are well crafted and the reader can truly connect with Katniss and those she loves.

What were your thoughts on The Hunger Games? What made this book so special?

Stay Tuned for Catching Fire and Mockingjay!!

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

Mary is a young girl living in a small village in which there are simple rules and traditions which everyone must follow. The Sisterhood has put these rules in place to protect the village from what lies outside of the fence surrounding the village. The Forrest of Hands and Teeth that surrounds the village is full of The Unconsecrated, or as you may be more familiar with them, zombies.

The book presents some really interesting moral questions about compliance and rebellion. Is it enough to be provided for without having the choice for yourself? Since the village is controlled by The Sisterhood, a group of women who are a lot like Catholic nuns, there are underlying religious issues. There is a major issue in the book of people blindly accepting the rulings of a church or governing organization. While these questions are presented, Carrie Ryan does a good job at leaving the answer up for debate. This book does not bombard its readers with one point of view. For the romance lovers there is also some romance. Mary is caught in between two brothers and has to decide if it is enough to be content or if she is willing to risk being with the man she feels true passion for. I think the most important issue Mary faces is simply the question of “What is enough?” Is it enough to have comfort and contentment? What does it mean when you have those things and you are still yearning for something more?

The premise does sound a lot like the movie The Village, and the community reminded me a little bit of The Giver, but I think it definitely brings something special that is all its own. I enjoyed the mix of zombie horror with the usual teen girl fantasy novel. The balance between plot and character is spot on. I often find it difficult to get through a book that is purely character driven. On the other hand, I cannot read a book in which I do not like or in some way feel for the characters. This book does a beautiful job of examining the character of Mary and the internal struggles she is going through while at the same time delivering a suspenseful and exciting plot. It is a very exciting read. I had the problem of wanting to read “just one more chapter” over and over again. There is a distinct cinematic quality to the book. Author, Carrie Ryan, doesn’t pull any punches. The readers experience the terror of living among the undead from the very beginning of the book. It is refreshing when you find a book or a movie in which you aren’t sure about the safety of anyone. Often, as a reader, I can tell exactly who will make it through because, “They have to”. This book tells you from the very beginning that even those who are the closest to Mary are not safe. Like most zombie literature, there isn’t a concrete ending. There is really no ending to the infection of The Unconsecrated and therefore the danger is never fully defeated. This leaves the book with the feeling that there could still be more to come, and like so many YA novels, there is a sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I really enjoyed the adventure this book takes the reader on, and I highly recommend it.

Catwoman: When In Rome by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

Graphic Novel time! Disclaimer: I am not a highly experienced comic book/graphic novel reader, but I really enjoy them. I love super heroes, but I know my knowledge is very limited compared to the many people who follow them seriously.

Since I was a little girl and I saw Batman Returns, I have loved Catwoman. She’s a total tough chick, but she’s still gorgeous and feminine and the men love her. She’s also smart enough to keep the Batman on his toes. That’s why I was really excited when I heard about this book.

Selina Kyle(Catwoman) is on a trip to Rome to find out the secrets of her past and find out who her parents are. While there she has some dangerous encounters with the leaders of Italy’s most influential families along with a few of Gotham’s noted villains. Character-wise, Catwoman is amazing. She’s clever and sarcastic, and very sexy, but she can still be embarrassed and funny when the situation calls for it. The book was actually pretty good for readers who don’t have extensive knowledge of the Batman universe. I think if you are a fan of the Batman movies, you would know enough to get through the book. It helps that the story takes place outside of Gotham city and away from the stories and characters that require prior knowledge. Artist, Tim Sale, does a really good job of making sure you see how sexy Catwoman is without making it sleazy like some artists do. Sex appeal is a huge part of Selina Kyle, but it’s not the only thing you see. The art does a fantastic job of characterizing every character completely. The colors and uses of light and shadow are absolutely beautiful. The cover art was all based on the art of Rene Gruau, and they bring the air of class and sophistication to the story. I really enjoyed this reading and would recommend it to anyone! This is obviously not a book for the classroom, but I think a teacher could use the art, especially the cover art in an activity somewhere.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have to start this with an introduction. This was indeed the first and only time I have read this book. There are a lot of very strange gaps in my reading history. Yes, I got through high school literature. Yes I majored in English in college. However, for some reason there are a lot of books that I somehow missed. I think a lot of it was because when I was in college, the professors assumed a lot of these had been read in high school. Nope. I’ve been in at least four different classes that required the reading of Oedipus Rex, but not once have I read Hamlet. (WHAT???) This list also includes Pride and Prejudice, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Catcher in the Rye, and other books that are just part of the assumed knowledge of someone who is well-read. It’s always been odd to me that there are so many seemingly important books that I just seemed to have missed. So I try to read them on my own. That is what I am doing with this book. I am going to include them in my blog because I think they are an important part of my journey as a life-long reader. So this is not so much a review because it would not make sense to review a book that is more than 100 years old and an established part of the canon of English literature. It’s more of my impressions of reading a book. How I feel after reading a book that I assumed was an important read.

I enjoyed Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I was pleased that a story that is so rooted into our culture could still have some surprises for me. I really enjoy Victorian Literature and how often the stories are told by an outside observer rather than the person who the event is happening to. That was my first surprise. The reader learns the story through the experiences of Mr. Utterson, a friend of Dr. Jekyll. This was something I didn’t know going into the book, but now that I’ve read it, it makes a lot of sense. Where would the suspense and element of surprise be if Dr. Jekyll was the narrator? I actually love that the reader has to put the clues together along with Mr. Utterson, much like a detective book. The book really made me wonder what it would have been like for the original readers who had no idea that Jekyll and Hyde are one person. It must have been even more suspenseful and quite scary. However, even to a reader who knows the basic idea of Jekyll and Hyde, there is still suspense. There is a level of creepiness that hangs on every page. I didn’t even realize how fully creepy it was until my dog pushed open my door and the sound made me jump out of my seat (No, really. This actually happened). I was really that into the suspense of the book. Like most “classic” literature, the style takes a little more thought than your average pop lit book might, but it wasn’t heavy at all. I really found the story to be very straightforward. It was a really great way to spend a rainy Saturday morning. I’m always glad when one of these classics is actually enjoyable to read rather than just important to literature. As a teacher, I think it would be great to use in the classroom. There are so many different angles the book can be discussed from and since it is short, it won’t be as likely to scare off teen readers.

Please comment if you have read the book in or out of the classroom. I’d love to hear other people’s perspectives on it.

Also comment if there are other books that you feel may have been left out of your reading experiences. I’m really interested in this idea of the books that sort of fell between the cracks of our education.

Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer

I received this book as a gift from a friend a few years ago because I share a name (minus the spelling) with the title character. I thought it was cute and put it on my shelf to read later. I didn’t even think about this book until the other night I realized I was going to be spending the day in the hospital this week for my mom’s final chemo treatment. Hospital reading is a touchy thing. You want something that will keep you entertained while at the same time something you can easily put down and pick up multiple times. Also with the noise/distraction level of a waiting room, your book really can’t be anything too difficult to read. So I picked up this book and thought I’d finally give her a chance. I finished the book in a single day (a feat for someone who reads as slowly as I do!).

Cindy is an average girl. She is a lot like the main character of just about every other teen girl novel. She’s not ugly, but not pretty. She’s not popular, but she has a few really great friends. She’s smarter than average, but she’s no jeopardy contestant. The book starts when Cindy writes a letter to the editor of her school’s newspaper condemning the “prom mentality” of the school. She quickly becomes even more of an outcast than before. On top of the school drama, Cindy also has to worry about her stepmother and stepsisters who are the definition of LA materialism, a best guy friend she has only ever talked to over the internet, an SAT tutor who may or may not be the man of her dreams, and the most popular senior boy at the school she’s been crushing on for years Adam Silver. Cindy struggles between being herself and changing herself for a boy. I like that Cindy has her own ideals and tries to think for herself even when she’s feeling the negative effects of her activism. The characters can be a little flat in some cases. The stepmother and sisters aren’t evil, just shallow. Cindy’s best friends India and Malcom are each characterized by one thing. Malcom is a gay boy, and India is the hippy girl whose parents own a yoga studio. However, despite their flatness, the characters show true emotion and friendship towards each other. The book is absolutely chock-full of pop culture references from Miley Cyrus to John Hughes movies. But like a good John Hughes movie, you like the heroine, and want everything to turn out happily in the end. The twist is a little predictable, and more than a little improbable, but it is a fairy tale after all. I enjoyed the read. Definitely one of those books to read in a waiting room or on an airplane, but those books are important too! I’d definitely keep it on my shelf and recommend it for girls from junior high to early high school.